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.

Student Learning Outcomes:

All graduates will be able to:

Acquire an understanding of theory and basic research on child, youth, and adult development in the contexts of family, peers, school, and community.
Acquire an understanding of: individual, family, and environmental risk and protective factors and how they relate to optimal human development; and the epidemiological approach to the assessment of their prevalence.
Apply theory and research findings to the design of programs that promote optimal development and prevent poor physical, social, and emotional outcomes.
Design and conduct scientific tests of program efficacy and effectiveness.
Conduct translational research on program implementation, outcomes, dissemination, cost, and sustainability (moving programs from research to practice).
Develop effective written and oral communication skills for the dissemination of research findings to a variety of audiences and for effecting evidence-based policy decisions.
Write successful grant and contract proposals to fund prevention research.

Student Opportunities:

Students have opportunities to engage in prevention research and outreach activities on the WSU Pullman campus and throughout the state of Washington through partnerships with Health and Wellness Services and with WSU Extension.

Career Opportunities:

Graduates of the program will be qualified for positions such as:

program evaluators, research analysts, and administrators in government, private research institutes, social service agencies, and consulting firms; foundation program officers and grant evaluators; tenure-track faculty members in departments of child development, communication, developmental psychology, educational psychology, family studies, human development, public health nursing, rural sociology, and social work; and other university positions such as extension faculty, research associates, or program coordinators for grant-funded projects.

Career Placements:

New program