Life at ICD
Welcome home!
As a student at the Institute of Child Development (ICD), you’ll be part of a community that's committed to helping you advance your career, both academically and professionally. Our student services team is here to holistically support you as you navigate your program, develop your interests, and explore everything the University of Minnesota (UMN) has to offer. Our field-leading faculty will guide you and encourage you to discover what’s next.
While academics are a big part of life as a student, we recognize that choosing a field of study is like choosing your home for the next several years. We take that seriously. We strive to make ICD a welcoming place, where all of our students not only have the opportunity to grow as scholars, but also to form lifelong friendships and to have fun while they learn.
Throughout the year, we organize events that bring students, faculty, and staff together, including:
- a weekly colloquium series that features ICD experts or visiting scholars, who discuss the latest research in child and adolescent development.
- a winter weekend at Camp Widjiwagan for graduate students, post-docs, faculty, staff, and their families.
- summer grill outs for students, faculty, and staff who remain on campus.
For undergraduates, the Developmental Psychology Student Organization (DPSO) provides students who are interested in developmental psychology with volunteer opportunities on campus and in the community, research mentorships with ICD faculty, and social events with other ICD students.
ICD
UMN
Twin Cities
What our students are saying:
Quote from Christina Mondi-Rago
ICD has a remarkable network of alumni, faculty, and students. I’ve found that ICDers tend to be very generous with their time and resources.
University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
ICD is one of seven departments in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the UMN. In addition to developmental psychology, CEHD offers academic and research programs in areas including curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, family social science, kinesiology, social work, and organizational development. Our undergraduate developmental psychology program is in the College of Liberal Arts (CLA), which also houses the Department of Psychology and their undergraduate and graduate programs.
Overlooking the Mississippi River, UMN is Minnesota’s land-grant university and one of the most prestigious public research universities in the nation. UMN ranks fifteenth among U.S. public universities in research spending. ICD faculty are engaged in research that’s working to address society’s most pressing issues like closing the opportunity gap.
UMN is one of only five universities in the nation with an engineering school, a medical school, a law school, a veterinary medical school, and an agricultural school all on one campus. Our students have countless opportunities to collaborate and partner with research-minded peers, not only in psychology, but across disciplines.
Additional resources about CEHD, CLA, and UMN
- CEHD undergraduate advising
- CEHD Career Services
- CLA student services & advising
- CLA Career Services
- About the University of Minnesota
- Student life at UMN
- UMN student groups and events
- UMN Office of Public Engagement
- Minnesota Daily, the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities' campus newspaper
What our students are saying:
Quote from Meriah DeJoseph
ICD’s community model and emphasis in interdisciplinary research gave me the opportunity to collaborate with multiple leading experts in the field of early-life stress.
Proud to call the Twin Cities and Minnesota home
As the only Big 10 University located in a major metropolitan area, our access to public transportation, internships, restaurants, art, theater, and more set us apart. Minneapolis-St. Paul, also known as the Twin Cities, has a population of about 3.5 million. The Twin Cities offer numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation: they’re home to numerous lakes, parks, and the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers.
In the Twin Cities, you’re part of a global community that represents cultures from around the world. Minneapolis has an established African American community and a strong Native American heritage. It’s home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., the largest Hmong population outside of Laos, large Vietnamese and Ethiopian populations, and a fast-growing Hispanic community.
- Minneapolis named 3rd fittest city in the U.S. (2019 American Fitness Index)
- Minneapolis ranked #1 bike friendly city (Bike Score)
- Minnesota ranked 3rd happiest/healthiest state (WalletHub Study)
- Minneapolis and St. Paul ranked #3 and #2, respectively, for their park systems (U.S. News)
- Twin Cities ranked 6th best city to live in (U.S. News)
Additional resources about the Twin Cities
What our students are saying:
Quote from Elyse Hudson
Each professor in ICD has helped me develop an overall understanding of developmental psychology by showing me different perspectives.