Students are admitted ONLY during fall semester.
We only accept applicants to our Master’s Program in Child Life, our doctoral program in HDFS, and the doctoral program with an emphasis in Couple and Family Therapy.
Applications are due December 1, 2023. Selected applicants wil be notified by December 21, 2023 if they are invited to interview. Interviews for selected applicants will be held in-person on Monday, January 22 and Tuesday, January 23, 2024.
Send Us Your Application
In addition to applying to the University of Georgia Graduate School, you must also complete a separate departmental application. Read all the directions, provided below, to apply before submitting an application to the department and the University of Georgia Graduate School.
The GRE is not required for M.S. Child Life, Ph.D. HDFS, and Ph.D. CFT applicants.
The HDFS graduate program faculty approach the review and admissions process holistically. We assess each applicant’s unique experiences, alongside traditional measures of academic achievement such as grades, reflecting the applicant’s academic readiness, contribution to the incoming class, and potential for success both in school and later as a professional.
Admission to our graduate program is highly competitive. We look forward to reviewing your application!
M.S. Child Life
Below are instructions for the application for M.S. Child Life program. If you have questions about the program, please contact Diane Bales. If you have questions about the application process, please contact hdfsgradadmissions@uga.edu.
Application requirements for the Graduate School:
- Resume
- TOEFL Scores, only required of applicants whose native language is not English
- Transcripts for all institutions attended (unofficial transcripts are accepted)
- Three signed recommendation letters
- If you have completed a practicum in child life, please have your practicum supervisor serve as one of your three recommenders.
Application requirements for HDFS Department:
- Personal Statement (Limit to 1500 words)
- Applicants to the Master of Science in Child Life program should incorporate answers to the following questions into their Personal Statement:
- Describe the role of child life. Explain its importance for children and families.
- A Master's degree is not required to practice as a child life specialist. Why do you want to complete a Master’s in Child Life degree?
- What do you expect to gain from Master’s study in child life?
- What experiences have you had that have prepared you for Master’s study in child life?
- Please let us know if you have questions. Our goal is to encourage applicants to write a personal statement that better helps us evaluate their understanding of child life and their motivation for Master’s study
- Applicants to the Master of Science in Child Life program should incorporate answers to the following questions into their Personal Statement:
- Social Justice Statement (Limit to 500 words)
- Please elaborate on how your academic goals relate to promoting a social justice agenda that creates knowledge and serves diverse communities. What personal and professional experiences position you to work with these topics/communities?
- Optional: Applicant Video
- Child Life applicants may choose to submit a 5-minute video addressing the following questions:
- Why are you pursuing a master's degree in Child Life?
- How do you plan on using this degree in the future?
- What personal attributes would you bring to the educational experience?
- Upload your video on the Digital Portfolio page within the application. If using a link, applicants should use an internet-based service (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo) to host the video and make sure settings allow people with the video URL to view the video (i.e., unlisted setting).
- This video is not required but can be used to supplement written application materials.
- Child Life applicants may choose to submit a 5-minute video addressing the following questions:
HDFS Ph.D.
Below are instructions for the application for HDFS Ph.D. program. If you have questions about the program, please contact Ted Futris. If you have questions about the application process, please contact hdfsgradadmissions@uga.edu.
Application requirements for the Graduate School:
- Resume or CV
- TOEFL Scores, only required of applicants whose native language is not English
- Transcripts for all institutions attended (unofficial transcripts are accepted)
- Three signed recommendation letters
Application requirements for HDFS Department:
- Personal Statement (Limit to 1000 words)
- This statement is an important part of your application for admission to any graduate program in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. Please elaborate on how your long-term professional goals fit within the mission of the department and of the HDFS Program and how your goals enhance the well-being of diverse families in a changing world through scholarly research, teaching, clinical engagement and outreach. Specifically address:
- What content areas of research and methods do you hope to pursue as a doctoral student and beyond (i.e., specific problems or issues, research questions, types of families/relationships, types of research methods/approaches)?
- What types of research experiences have prepared you for a doctoral program in Human Development and Family Science?
- Please list at least two graduate faculty members with whom you hope to work and briefly describe how your research goals and interests fit with the expertise of these faculty.
- This statement is an important part of your application for admission to any graduate program in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. Please elaborate on how your long-term professional goals fit within the mission of the department and of the HDFS Program and how your goals enhance the well-being of diverse families in a changing world through scholarly research, teaching, clinical engagement and outreach. Specifically address:
- Social Justice Statement (Limit to 500 words)
- Please elaborate on how your academic goals relate to promoting a social justice agenda that creates knowledge and serves diverse communities. What personal and professional experiences position you to work with these topics/communities?
- Optional: Writing Sample
- Include a sample of your writing in English (e.g., a research paper or term paper that you feel best reflects your abilities).
- Optional: Applicant Video
- HDFS applicants may choose to submit a 5-minute video addressing the following questions:
- Why are you pursuing a Ph.D. in HDFS?
- How do you plan on using this degree in the future?
- What personal attributes would you bring to the educational experience?
- Upload your video on the Digital Portfolio page within the application. If using a link, applicants should use an internet-based service (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo) to host the video and make sure settings allow people with the video URL to view the video (i.e., unlisted setting).
- This video is not required but can be used to supplement written application materials.
- HDFS applicants may choose to submit a 5-minute video addressing the following questions:
HDFS Ph.D. CFT
Below are instructions for the application for HDFS Ph.D. program. If you have questions about the program, please contact Elizabeth Wieling. If you have questions about the application process, please contact hdfsgradadmissions@uga.edu.
Application requirements for the Graduate School:
- Resume or CV
- TOEFL Scores, only required of applicants whose native language is not English
- Transcripts for all institutions attended (unofficial transcripts are accepted)
- Three signed recommendation letters
Application requirements for HDFS Department:
- Personal Statement (Limit to 1000 words)
- This statement is an important part of your application for admission to any graduate program in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. Please elaborate on how your long-term professional goals fit within the mission of the department and of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program and how your goals enhance the well-being of diverse families in a changing world through scholarly research, teaching, clinical engagement and outreach. Specifically address:
- What content areas of research and methods do you hope to pursue as a doctoral student and beyond (i.e., specific problems or issues, research questions, types of families/relationships, types of research methods/approaches)?
- What types of research experiences have prepared you for a doctoral program in Human Development and Family Science with specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy?
- Please list at least two graduate faculty members with whom you hope to work and briefly describe how your research goals and interests fit with the expertise of these faculty.
- This statement is an important part of your application for admission to any graduate program in the Department of Human Development and Family Science. Please elaborate on how your long-term professional goals fit within the mission of the department and of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program and how your goals enhance the well-being of diverse families in a changing world through scholarly research, teaching, clinical engagement and outreach. Specifically address:
- Social Justice Statement (Limit to 500 words)
- Please elaborate on how your academic goals relate to promoting a social justice agenda that creates knowledge and serves diverse communities. What personal and professional experiences position you to work with these topics/communities?
- Clinical Autobiographical Statement (Limit to 500 words)
- Please address the following questions in your autobiographical statement:
- What factors/experiences have influenced your development and your decision to become a marriage and family therapist?
- Describe your experience working with individuals, couples, and families.
- What experiences do you believe prepare you to pursue advanced clinical training as a marriage and family therapist?
- How are these clinical experiences linked to your research interests?
- Please address the following questions in your autobiographical statement:
- Writing Sample
- Include a sample of your writing in English (e.g., a research paper or term paper that you feel best reflects your abilities).
- Optional: Applicant Video
- CFT applicants may choose to submit a 5-minute video addressing the following questions:
- Why are you pursuing a Ph.D. in HDFS/CFT?
- How do you plan on using this degree in the future?
- What personal attributes would you bring to the educational experience?
- Upload your video on the Digital Portfolio page within the application. If using a link, applicants should use an internet-based service (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo) to host the video and make sure settings allow people with the video URL to view the video (i.e., unlisted setting).
- This video is not required but can be used to supplement written application materials.
- CFT applicants may choose to submit a 5-minute video addressing the following questions: