Qualified applicants for graduate study in the Department of Child Development and Family Studies are expected to have interests and goals that are consistent with the department's expertise and course offerings, and with the degree program to which they are applying.

Students must apply to one of the three areas in the Department of Child Development and Family Studies:

• Developmental Studies
• Family Studies
• Marriage and Family Therapy

Admissions Criteria

• Strong academic records in the behavioral sciences and a Graduate Record Examination score of at least 1000 (combined verbal and quantitative) are typical.
• International non-native speakers of English must achieve a TOEFL score of 90 or higher on the Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT) 600 or higher on the paper-based test. In addition, applicants who take the TOEFL iBT must achieve the following minimum test scores in addition to the overall required score: reading, 19; listening, 14; speaking, 18; and writing, 18.
• Students admitted to the graduate program are required to have completed undergraduate or graduate statistics and research methods courses or the equivalent. Applicants who do not meet this prerequisite, but are otherwise qualified for admission, are required to complete remediation courses during their first year of study. (The remedial course/s may count towards the degree requirement.)

Application Procedures

• The application deadline is January 15.
• Applications are accepted for fall admission only.
• Applications need to be completed online through the Purdue Graduate School. The application fee must be paid with a credit card.

Application Requirements

• A completed online application form.
• Transcripts (one original) from each institution of higher education attended. Transcripts must bear original authentication and, if not issued in English, official, original (non-English) language transcripts must be accompanied by certified English translations.
• Verbal and quantitative scores on the Graduate Record Examination (Purdue's institutional code is 1631).
• Three letters of recommendation that address the applicant's academic qualifications. Recommendations can be submitted electronically through the application system or by U.S. mail. Recommendation forms are available to download from the Graduate School.
• Statement of educational goals and career objectives:
  • applicants to the family studies program
  • applicants to the developmental studies program
  • applicants to the marriage and family therapy program
• International applicants only: TOEFL iBT scores or TOEFL and TWE scores (Purdue's institutional code is 1631) plus completion of a telephone interview initiated by a member of the CDFS faculty.

Transcripts and recommendation letters are sent to:

Graduate Secretary
Department of Child Development and Family Studies
Purdue University
Fowler Memorial House
1200 W. State Street
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2055
Phone: (765) 494-2965
Fax: (765) 494-0503
E-mail: harshman@purdue.edu