The Institute of Child Development at the University of Minnesota has long been a premier center for scholarship, teaching, and outreach devoted to the understanding and fostering of child development.  Coursework and research activities focus primarily on the central cognitive, social, emotional, and psychological processes that underlie the development of infants, children, and youth. 

Founded in 1925, the Institute is one of the oldest departments studying children’s development in the United States.  From its inception, a key tenet of the department has been to “give away” child psychology.  This philosophy has created an environment rich with collaborations, new ideas, and exciting interdisciplinary work. The Institute has consistently ranked as the #1 developmental psychology program in the nation by U.S. News and World Report and is internationally recognized for the quality of its faculty and their portfolios of research.