PhD and MA/PhD Programs in Family Studies

Director: Dr. Jonathan Caspi
Office: University Hall, Room 4182
Phone: (973) 655-6905
Email: phdfamily@montclair.edu

Family Studies is a multi- and interdisciplinary field, drawing on a range of social science disciplines including sociology, social work, education, gerontology, and community and developmental psychology. The Ph.D. in Family Studies program considers family life within larger socio-cultural contexts and explores how issues of power, privilege, and social justice interact to differentially impact family configurations. The program’s unique strengths include:

• Individually focused areas of study sustained throughout the coursework
• Integrating theory, research and practice with a focus on the local context
• Preparation of scholars and practitioners as advocates for positive change for family well-being

The Ph.D. in Family Studies program prepares students to:

• Bring an interdisciplinary, critical lens to the analysis of challenges and issues that impact the well-being of families across the life course;
• Conduct research that furthers the field of Family Studies and contributes to the knowledge base of diverse family forms;
• Develop an in-depth understanding of an area of Family Studies of their own choosing through focused study;
• Be effective advocates in their chosen areas of expertise for policies, practices, and interventions that would support the development and well-being of families across the life course.

Due to the multi and interdisciplinary nature of the program, our students come from a variety of fields, including family studies, human development, education, social work, human services, psychology, disability and rehabilitation services, gerontology, and sociology. Family Studies professionals focus on the strengths and challenges of the family unit, examining a diverse range of family issues and seeking solutions to family problems. The applied, multidisciplinary focus of the discipline makes Ph.D. graduates very attractive to employers in higher education, government, and nonprofit and private sectors. Graduates of the program will be prepared to pursue a wide range of professional opportunities as faculty members in colleges and universities, program administrators, researchers and evaluators, and policymakers, and positions in organizations focusing on children, youth, adults, older adults, and families.

Students admitted to the program will have the opportunity to work with faculty members pursuing research in a wide variety of areas related to families, including:

• Cultural and social issues affecting parenting and families
• Sibling relationships
• Relational aggression and bullying among adolescents
• Intimate partner violence
• Immigrant families
• Transition to young adulthood
• Aging family relationships and intergenerational dynamics
• Substance abuse, depression and suicide among young people
• LBGT-headed households
• Parenting
• Family stress
• African American families and first-generation college students
• Evaluation research

For more information on our faculty members and their areas of research, please click here: Faculty Member Bios

Family Studies (PhD) - Doctor of Philosophy Degree Program Family Studies is a multidisciplinary field, drawing on a range of social science disciplines including sociology, social work, education, gerontology, and community and developmental psychology. The PhD in Family Studies program considers family life within larger socio-cultural contexts and explores how issues of power, privilege, and social justice interact to differentially impact family configurations. View Program Brochure - Family and Child Studies PhD

PhD in Family Studies

MA/PhD in Family Studies

Admission and Program Completion:

Admissions criteria to be considered for the doctoral program include a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a related field and a strong record in previous academic work.

Students entering with a family studies master’s degree will complete a minimum of 48 semester hours. Students entering with a "related field" master's degree may be required to complete up to 9 additional credits of prerequisite coursework to provide proper preparation for doctoral study in the field of family studies. The number of extra credits will be determined by the Doctoral Program Director in conjunction with the PhD Admissions Committee based upon each student's master's degree coursework.

Students entering with a bachelor’s degree will be required to take a minimum of 72 semester hours for the doctoral degree. These students will begin the graduate experience with 500 and 600-level course work and progress into the 800-level doctoral courses.

In order for students entering from the bachelor’s level to continue to the doctoral program, students must first successfully complete 24-semester hours of course work with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA. If it is determined that a student cannot continue in the doctoral program, he/she will have the option to complete the 32 semester hours for the Master’s degree in Family and Child Studies.

Following completion of the 60 semester hours of course work and the successful advancement to doctoral candidacy, students must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours of dissertation research. Upon successful completion and defense of the dissertation, students will be awarded a Ph.D.

Application Requirements:

The application deadline for the Fall 2013 cohort will be February 1, 2013. To apply online, please visit The Graduate School web site.

Applicants must submit the following by the February 1 deadline:

• Application
• Transcripts
• GRE scores (no more than 5 years old)
• Resume
• Three letters of reference.  At least one from a former university instructor.
• Statement of Purpose

Please submit a personal statement of no more than 3 pages (double spaced) that addresses the following: 1) How your prior experiences have prepared you to enter a Ph.D. program; 2) Why you are interested in MSU’s Family Studies Ph.D. program; 3) How your educational/research experiences at MSU will contribute to your professional and career plans; 4) Indicate up to three faculty members in Family and Child Studies with whom you are interested in working and explain why; and 5) Your long-term professional and career plans.

• Scholarly Writing Sample

Please submit a document you wrote alone or took the lead in writing. For example: a literature review, an honor’s thesis; or a manuscript published, accepted for publication, or submitted for publication. If you do not have a scientific writing sample, please write a 3-4 page (double spaced) literature review, incorporating citations from the scientific literature, on a topic related to family studies that you are interested in pursuing as part of your graduate studies.