Doctor of Philosophy in Prevention Science

The Prevention Science Graduate Program at Washington State University provides training opportunities at the doctoral level for students interested in developing expertise in the study of individuals and families and in the development and evaluation of prevention programs. The Ph.D. program in Prevention Science at Washington State University is an interdisciplinary program; participating faculty are from Human Development, Communication, Educational Psychology, Psychology, and Nursing. The program emphasizes training in both the generation of research-based knowledge and its translation into effective programs and policies that positively impact the well-being of children, youth, adults, families, and their communities. Examples of prevention programs include drug and alcohol prevention programs; broad based youth development programs; and early child care and learning quality improvement programs.

Students in the program complete required courses in three areas of prevention science: 1) Human Development in Context; 2) Research Methods; and 3) Program Development and Evaluation. Students are required to take core courses in at least three of the following disciplines: Communication, Educational Psychology, Human Development, and/or Nursing. All students will complete a Master’s thesis as part of their Ph.D. program, as well as a Ph.D. dissertation. Students are required to have faculty members from at least two (preferably three) disciplines on their thesis and dissertation committees. Besides the required courses, students have the opportunity to take additional electives from three elective specialty areas: 1) Advanced Developmental Science, 2) Quantitative Methods, and 3) Social Policy.