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26%
International students
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2 year
Master's programme

Why is it that young males in particular tend to get involved in crime? Is it because they have the "wrong" friends? Were they not socialised properly? Is it due to dispositional factors? Are there hereditary factors at work?

How do socialisation contexts influence the development of children and adolescents?

From the day a child is born, his family and the culture in which he’s raised have a huge impact on his socio-emotional development and psychological adjustment. As he grows up, his school and networks of friends and peers become more and more influential in his development. The two-year Master’s programme in Development and Socialisation in Childhood and Adolescence (DaSCA) gives you the theoretical and methodological background to analyse this development. 

Normal and abnormal socio-emotional development

The programme focuses on both normal and abnormal development processes. Explicit attention is given to the study of interventions and risk factors in children’s and adolescent’s cognitive and social-emotional development and adjustment. This Master’s programme combines advanced coursework with the development of hands-on skills.Working through the course topics, you’ll address questions such as:

  • What are the early markers of development that has gone awry?
  • How can we improve the way negative outcomes in children and adolescents' are prevented or treated?

"The Master’s is definitely challenging, but the professors and staff put a lot of time and energy into the students. The classes are quite small, so you get a lot of personal attention and you get really close with your fellow students. It felt like we were all in it together."

Programme objective

The Master’s programme in Development and Socialisation in Childhood and Adolescence is designed as preparation for a PhD position. By starting the programme with the foundation of a Bachelor’s degree in (developmental) psychology, pedagogy, or interdisciplinary social sciences, you’ll develop into a qualified researcher with excellent job perspectives. The programme is strongly driven by research, and your lecturers and supervisors will be members of the four interdisciplinary research groups in the research priority Child and Adolescent Studies (CAS). 
Do you wish to pursue a professional career as a researcher outside of a university environment? This programme provides training for that as well.

Established and well organised

DaSCA is one of the oldest (since 2004) and the best established Master’s programme in this field in the Netherlands. In terms of research orientation and advanced level of study, the programme is designed for Master’s students interested in pursuing a career in research.

International focus

All courses and communications are in English. The programme is designed to allow you to practice advanced English communication skills while gaining an international perspective on topics related to development and socialisation. Some of the lecturers are from abroad (US, Belgium and Croatia) or hold positions abroad (UK), and the programme attracts a number of international students. You will also have the opportunity to visit English-speaking conferences held in the Netherlands that are organised by the participating research groups.

DaSCA’s interdisciplinary team of lecturers allowed me to learn from researchers with diverse research interests and a wide range of expertise

How does this Master’s programme differentiate itself from similar programmes at other universities?

  • Development and Socialisation in Childhood and Adolescence received one of the highest scores of research masters in the field of Education and Pedagogy sciences in the Netherlands (Keuzegids Masters, 2021)
  • There is a possibility to follow a clinical track within DaSCA
  • High-quality student research
  • A distinctive learning environment, including an interdisciplinary setting that combines pedagogy, developmental psychology, and interdisciplinary social sciences

Being an international student in this Master’s was not a problem at all. Everything is designed to fit within the international structure of the programme, so all the tasks, literature and communication are in English.

World-class university in a lively student city

Choosing Utrecht University means choosing one of the best universities in the country with several renowned international rankings  and twelve Nobel Prize laureates

Located in the middle of the Netherlands, Utrecht is a medieval city with a centre small enough to explore on foot, yet large enough to host world-class festivals, fashionable shops, modern architecture and fascinating museums. Find more about what student life is like in Utrecht! 

Key facts

Degree: 
Development and Socialisation in Childhood and Adolescence (research) (MSc)
Language of instruction: 
English
Mode of study: 
Full-time
Study duration: 
2 years
Start: 
September
Deadline: 

Check the deadline that applies to you

Tuition fees: 
Dutch and other EU/EEA students (statutory fee, full-time) 2024-2025: € 2,530

Non-EU/EEA students (institutional fee) 2024-2025: € 20,043

More information about fees
Croho code: 
60382
Accreditation: 
Accredited by the NVAO
Faculty: 
Social and Behavioural Sciences
Graduate school: 
Social and Behavioural Sciences