Access to preventive healthcare is a fundamental human need. Sometimes, the importance of preventive mental healthcare is overlooked in favor of screenings for physical health problems. If you are someone who is interested in mental health, you probably already understand that the body and mind work together, and that being sound of mind and body are both essential for a person’s overall quality of life. If you are looking for a way to give back to your community, consider earning a degree in Prevention Sciences.

What is an educational program in Prevention Sciences?

The degree program in Prevention Science is a program that is intended to provide students with training in the fundamentals of prevention science, including (a) the assessment of risk and protective factors that predict and modify health and behavior outcomes; (b) the development of preventive interventions that target these risk and protective factors; and (c) the implementation and evaluation of these interventions. Students in the program will develop skills in translating prevention research into demonstrable preventive action, and to successfully partner with communities and organizations for the implementation of evidence-based preventive interventions with fidelity and sensitivity to communities’ diversity and unique strengths.

The focus of this program is in line with the seven priority areas of the Prevention Strategy (e.g., tobacco-free living, preventing drug abuse and excessive alcohol use, healthy eating, active living, injury and violence-free living, reproductive and sexual health, and mental/emotional well-being), as implemented through the Strategy’s strategic directions of creating healthy and safe communities, eliminating health disparities, providing clinical and community prevention services, and empowering people. The program is intended to prepare students for research or technical positions in government, industry, academia, or private institutions, as well as to pursue future doctoral studies in public health.

What does an educational program in Prevention Sciences cover?

The academic program in Prevention Science is a program designed to accommodate working adults. When you are admitted into the program, you will be assigned an advisor who creates an individualized graduation plan. This plan will help organize and identify the courses you need for your degree. 

DEGREE TOPICS:

• Prevention across the lifespan

• Strategic planning and evaluation

• Foundations in prevention science 

• Ethics

• Cultural, social, and diversity issues

• Program implementation and evaluation

Course Sequence:

• Introduction to Graduate Interdisciplinary Studies

• Interdisciplinary Foundations

• Foundations in Prevention Science

• Prevention Across the Lifespan

• Program Development Implementation and Evaluation

• Research Methods In Interdisciplinary Studies

• Qualitative Research Methods in Interdisciplinary Studies

What types of jobs are available for Prevention Sciences graduates?

Students with a degree in Prevention Science are well qualified for a range of positions in a number of professional settings. Graduates can work as:

• Program evaluators, research analysts, and administrators in government; for private research institutions (e.g., Rand Corporation), 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, sociology, and social work.

• Research associates and program coordinators for grant funded projects.

• Other university positions such as extension faculty.