social and behavioral science phd programs

Department of Health Behavior and Policy

School of population health, social and behavioral sciences ph.d..

One of two doctoral training programs offered by the Department of Health Behavior and Policy, the Ph.D. in Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) prepares students to become scientists, educators and program administrators across a multitude of health care settings.

Student learning is focused in the following areas:

• Analytical thinking: Students will demonstrate an appropriate level of ability to interpret information relevant to social and behavioral science, to connect rationales to procedures and evidence to findings, to draw reasonable conclusions, and to generate and evaluate alternate explanations.
• Integrated knowledge of social and behavioral science: Students will demonstrate an appropriate level of knowledge of the current elements of the social and behavioral sciences as related to disciplinary specialization and a more detailed understanding of the individual area of scholarship, including an appropriate familiarity with the research literature and the ability to evaluate and critique.
• Oral communication skills: Students will demonstrate the achievement of an appropriate level of skill in the oral communication of social and behavioral science subject matter with respect to content, organization, logical flow, presentation, use of language and incorporation of visual aids in formal and collaborative communication.
• Study design: Students will demonstrate the achievement of an appropriate level of competence in the ability to appraise, modify and/or create, and implement study protocols and to design and develop studies.
• Written communication skills: Students will demonstrate the achievement of an appropriate level of written communication skill with respect to grammar, syntax, spelling, vocabulary and use of figures, tables and citations to effectively present social and behavioral science information.

Graduates of the program will be able to:

• Critically evaluate social determinants of health and develop strategies for improving health equity
• Recommend and apply community-engaged principles in research design
• Propose and justify analytical approaches for answering public health research questions assessed using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods
• Construct and critique theory-driven approaches for developing, implementing, and evaluating health behavior change programs
• Design and produce an independent public health research project

About the Program

Our SBS doctoral training builds and expands upon the foundational understanding of health as the intersection of the following factors:

With an emphasis on applied research and personalized mentorship, the SBS program gives students the skills and experience they need to make meaningful, independent scientific contributions in social and behavioral science and health.

Richard F. Brown, Ph.D. Kellie E. Carlyle, Ph.D., M.P.H. Dina T. Garcia, Ph.D., M.P.H. Sun Jung “Sunny” Kim, Ph.D., M.S., M.A. Jessica G. LaRose, Ph.D., M.S. Alexander R. Lucas, Ph.D., M.S. Maghboeba Mosavel, Ph.D., M.A. Maria D. Thomson, Ph.D., M.Sc. Katherine Y. Tossas, Ph.D., M.S. Vanessa B. Sheppard, Ph.D.

Students complete a minimum of 54 post-master's credit hours in subject areas such as the following:

• Research methods in social and behavioral science
• Health disparities and social justice
• Communication in health care
• Digital technologies
• Intervention development and implementation

Learn more about the program’s curriculum and other degree requirements in the VCU Bulletin .

Life in Richmond

Urban life with a small-town feel

We encourage our students and researchers to maintain a healthy work-life balance, and Richmond is a wonderful place to engage in that well-rounded lifestyle. As the capital of Virginia since 1779, Richmond attracts students, faculty and staff from around the globe. The city’s location affords easy day trips to destinations like Washington, DC, Virginia Beach, Colonial Williamsburg and the Blue Ridge Mountains, among others.

As a mid-sized city with a metropolitan population of 1.3 million, Richmond provides stimulating activities while maintaining its intimate feel and unique vibe. Vibrant neighborhoods offer distinct, diverse experiences, with no shortage of art galleries, museums, music venues, restaurants, breweries and parks. For the outdoor enthusiast, you can’t beat the offerings in the city’s riverfront parks and urban wilderness areas such as white-water rafting, hiking, mountain biking and festivals.

Learn more about our community

Admission Requirements

Applicants for this doctoral program must have a master’s degree in a related discipline from an accredited program and a minimum graduate GPA of 3.0 to be considered for admission.

Please see the VCU Bulletin for more information about graduate admissions.

The Social and Behavioral Sciences Program admits students in the fall each year. The 2023-24 Admissions Application for matriculation in fall 2024 will open in late August. The deadline for applications is January 1, 2024.

Faculty with availability to take new students beginning in fall 2024:

• Richard Brown
• Sun Jung “Sunny” Kim
• Jessica LaRose
• Maria Thomson

Please submit your application through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) .

Applicants must supply the following:

• Academic transcripts from all levels of study. Applicants who hold an international degree must submit their qualifications to World Education Services (WES) for evaluation. The degree must be equivalent to a U.S. master's degree as determined by WES.
• Three letters of recommendation from instructors or professional references in your field of study
• A personal statement addressing your reasons for pursuing graduate education at VCU, describing your background, passion for public health, research interests and other information you think the admissions committee might find relevant that isn’t asked for elsewhere in the application. This is also an opportunity to identify the faculty member(s) with whom you’d like to work.
• A first authored writing sample. This can be something published or submitted for publication or a paper from previous education work.

International applicants must also provide evidence of proficiency in the English language prior to admission or full-time enrollment at VCU. Accepted tests include TOEFL, IELTS, PTE or Duolingo. The university minimum TOEFL score requirement is 550 (paper-based) or 80 (internet-based). The university minimum IELTS score requirement is 6.5. The PTE is also accepted with a minimum score of 65. Duolingo score minimum is 120. 

GRE scores are not a required component for the PhD application.

A supplemental application is required upon completion of the application in SOPHAS. Fee waivers are available for those that qualify. There are no fee waivers available for the application in SOPHAS. 

Please be cognizant of application deadlines and apply early if possible. SOPHAS requires four to six weeks to verify an application. While we only require that the application be submitted by the deadline, it is encouraged that you apply early enough for all of your application materials (transcripts and credentialing evaluations, letters of recommendation, test scores, etc.) to be complete and included in your application.

The department currently provides support for all full-time Ph.D. students in the form of a graduate research assistantship for up to four years. This includes both a stipend and tuition support, and it’s contingent upon availability of funds and student performance.

Graduate research assistantships require full-time enrollment (9-15 credits in the fall and spring and three credits in the summer) and up to 20 hours per week of work for a designated departmental faculty member.

More information about financial assistance is available at finaid.vcu.edu .

For more information about the Social and Behavioral Science Ph.D. program, please contact:

Nerice Lochansky Luu Education Administrator [email protected]  

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• Dissertation Areas and Joint PhD Programs
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• PhD in Accounting

PhD in Behavioral Science

• PhD in Econometrics and Statistics
• PhD in Economics
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• PhD in Management Science and Operations Management
• PhD in Marketing
• Joint Program in Financial Economics
• Joint Program in Psychology and Business
• Joint PhD/JD Program

Explore the complex ways in which people make decisions and interact with one another. Behavioral science research at Chicago Booth draws on theory and methods from cognitive and social psychology, economics, and other related fields.

As a behavioral science PhD student at Chicago Booth, you’ll study human behavior in a wide range of contexts, including processes of negotiation, power and influence, and motivation and self-control.

You will have the flexibility to focus your doctoral studies in behavioral science on the research topics that most interest you. You can also augment your studies with work in economics, policy and intervention, psychology, marketing, finance, sociology, public policy, and other disciplines at Booth and across the university.

Some students earn a joint degree in psychology and business , a joint program between Booth’s behavioral science program and the Department of Psychology in the Division of the Social Sciences at the University of Chicago. Students must be admitted to the behavioral science dissertation area and apply for the joint program within their first two years in the Stevens Doctoral Program.

Our Distinguished Behavioral Science Faculty

Chicago Booth behavioral science faculty are thought leaders in their fields who have changed the way we evaluate economic judgment and decision-making. These world-renowned scholars, including a Nobel laureate, will serve as mentors during your time at Chicago Booth and beyond.

Shereen Chaudhry

Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science and Neubauer Family Faculty Fellow

Joshua Dean

Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics

Nicholas Epley

John Templeton Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Neubauer Family Faculty Fellow

Ayelet Fishbach

Jeffrey Breakenridge Keller Professor of Behavioral Science and Marketing and IBM Corporation Faculty Scholar

Reid Hastie

Ralph and Dorothy Keller Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science

Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics and Vasilou Faculty Scholar

Joshua Conrad Jackson

Neubauer Family Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science

Erika Kirgios

Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science and Biehler Junior Faculty Fellow

Assistant Professor of Behavioral Science

Emma Levine

Associate Professor of Behavioral Science and Charles E. Merrill Faculty Scholar

Ann L. McGill

Sears Roebuck Professor of General Management, Marketing and Behavioral Science

Sendhil Mullainathan

Roman Family University Professor of Computation and Behavioral Science

Associate Professor of Behavioral Science

Devin G. Pope

Steven G. Rothmeier Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics and Robert King Steel Faculty Fellow

Jane L. Risen

H.G.B. Alexander Professor of Behavioral Science and John E. Jeuck Faculty Fellow

Thomas Talhelm

Richard H. Thaler

Charles R. Walgreen Distinguished Service Professor of Behavioral Science and Economics

Alexander Todorov

Leon Carroll Marshall Professor of Behavioral Science and Richard Rosett Faculty Fellow

Bernd Wittenbrink

Robert S. Hamada Professor of Behavioral Science

John P. and Lillian A. Gould Professor of Behavioral Science

Alumni Success

Graduates of the Behavioral Science PhD Program go on to successful careers in a wide range of fields in academia and industry, including positions in some of the world’s most influential institutions of higher education.

David Munguia Gomez, PhD '23

Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior Yale School of Management, Yale University David Munguia Gomez studies decisions about allocating rewards and opportunities, such as college admission and employment. His research interests encompass ethics and decision-making, merit, fairness, and organizational behavior. His dissertation area is in behavioral science.

Annabelle Roberts, PhD '22

Assistant Professor of Marketing McCombs School of Business , The University of Texas at Austin Annabelle studies judgment and decision making in the context of consumer behavior, with a focus on motivation and self-control. In her research, she explores what leads people to make more patient decisions and feel more patient while waiting. Her dissertation area is in behavioral science.

Diag Davenport, PhD '22

Incoming Assistant Professor Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Previously: Presidential Post-Doctoral Scholar at the School of Public and International Affair, Princeton University Diag Davenport studies applied microeconomics and human+algorithm decisions. His dissertation area is in behavioral science.

Spotlight on PhD Research

Chicago Booth Review frequently highlights the work of current PhD students, faculty, and alumni in behavioral science.

Why Do We Say Less When a Black Child Goes Missing?

In this episode of the Chicago Booth Review Podcast, Ayelet Fishbach, a professor of behavioral science at Chicago Booth, chats about her recent paper on “surprised elaboration.”

Defeating Bias Through AI

By understanding how people think and operate, algorithms could help us defeat bias instead of empowering it, Diag Davenport, PhD ’22, suggests. “The endgame is changing how people think, changing how institutions operate.”

Why Keeping Up with the Joneses is Problematic

“When you look to other people, you infer they’re wealthy because you see them spending a lot of money on something,” Chicago Booth PhD student, Rafael Batista says.

Even When Algorithms Outperform Humans, People Often Reject Them

Further research from Dietvorst and Booth PhD student Soaham Bharti suggests that people may not be averse to algorithms per se but rather are willing to take risks in pursuit of exceptional accuracy.

We've Been Underestimating Discrimination

University of Pennsylvania’s J. Aislinn Bohren, Brown’s Peter Hull, and Chicago Booth’s Alex Imas are among the economists who are proposing new approaches to measuring discrimination that take systemic factors into account.

Humanity Is Carried on the Voice

Research by Chicago Booth’s Nicholas Epley and others, including Juliana Schroeder, MA ’12, MBA ’14, PhD ’15, indicates that the presence of someone’s voice is an important part of conveying their humanity.

A Network of Support

Doctoral students at Booth have access to the resources of several high-powered research centers that offer funding for student work, host conferences, and foster a strong research community, as well as weekly workshops.

Center for Decision Research Positioned at the forefront of the rapidly developing field of behavioral science, the CDR is devoted to building a richer understanding of human behavior and experience.

Research Workshops Keep up to date with the latest behavioral science work through the Center for Decision Research's weekly workshop series. Faculty, students, and invited guests meet to discuss their work on the behavioral implications of decision and judgment models.

Inside the Student Experience

Juliana Schroeder, PhD ’15, talks about her research into how people convey their mental capacity to others.

Video Transcript

Juliana Schroeder, ’15: 00:11 I was always interested in the way that we interact with those around us, and the way that we judge them, and how we make decisions, but I was interested in it from sort of a really broad social science perspective, both psychology and economics, and then, when I came to Chicago Booth, I met Nick Epley right away who's a professor here, and he got me really interested in this specific topic. This is research about how people convey their mental capacity to others. Most people think that if someone can see them, they might appear smarter.

Juliana Schroeder, ’15: 00:46 We don't find any evidence of that. We find that it carries through the voice. We think that being able to hear someone's voice, being able to hear them speak is humanizing in some way. It kind of conveys their mental capacities. We've been looking at what are the paralinguistic cues that mediate the fact, and it seems that variance and pitch is important. There could be boundary conditions to this effect. There might be certain accents that convey less intelligence, so we're looking at the Southern drawl, for example. That is one in particular in the U.S. that seems to be associated with less intelligence

Juliana Schroeder, ’15: 01:22 There might be other ways of speaking and aspects in someone's speech, like vocal fray, that could convey less intelligence as well. Working with Nick Epley on this project has been a really fantastic experience. He has been so supportive. We would meet every single week and discuss ideas. I feel extremely lucky to be at Chicago Booth. It's been such an incredible place with incredible resources to do research. When I do research, I think about what would be an interesting psychological idea, so how do we perceive others that can have an application in terms of who gets jobs.

Juliana Schroeder, ’15: 02:01 But, it can also have applications in terms of conflict, in terms of humanization, all sorts of different aspects. And so, being able to do basic research here, and having the resources available in this study pool, the funding for that, it's just incredible.

Current Behavioral Science Students

Behavioral science students come to Chicago Booth from around the world, bringing a wide array of interests and perspectives. Their recent research has covered topics ranging from self-disclosures to coaching decisions in professional basketball. Our graduates begin their careers in a wide range of fields, from research and teaching at prestigious institutions such as Cornell University to providing analysis for the New York Yankees.

Current Students

Rafael Batista

Melissa Beswick 

Nicholas DiMaggio Ibitayo Fadayomi

Roman Gallardo

Cintia Hinojosa

Krin Irvine

Felicia Joy

Graelin Mandel

Danila Medvedev

Alexander Moore

Nicholas Owsley

Russell Roberts

Kristina Wald

Ugur (Umy) Yasar

Samantha Zaw

See a list of the current students in our Joint Psychology and Business Program .

Program Expectations and Requirements

The Stevens Program at Booth is a full-time program. Students generally complete the majority of coursework and examination requirements within the first two years of studies and begin work on their dissertation during the third year. For details, see General Examination Requirements by Area in the Stevens Program Guidebook below.

Download the 2023-2024 Guidebook!

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Ph.D. Program

For more than two decades, our doctoral program has prepared students to become independent researchers and to train the next generation of social work practitioners.

Through rigorous training in different methodologies, our students acquire a range of research skills and develop the capacity for original scholarship. After two years of coursework, students pursue their own interests as they complete their dissertations.

The program is open only to full-time students.

Message from the Ph.D. Director

Student Testimonial

Program Requirements

Plan of study.

Students complete a total of 56 graduate credits. Eleven core courses in social work provide students with competency in:

• Advanced research methods
• Social science theories
• Social welfare history
• Policy analysis
• Theories of teaching and learning

Students also complete two electives and 15 credits of dissertation research.

A sequence of required courses is illustrated below. The sequence will vary depending on your year of enrollment. Students complete 20 credits in their first year and 18 credits during the second year, including 6 credits of electives. Students will also take one course in the Fall semester of their third year.

Following completion of coursework and defense of the dissertation proposal, students must complete a minimum of 15 credits of dissertation research as they engage in their independent dissertation research.

View course descriptions in the Graduate Course Catalog.

• SSW 6410: Research I: Research Design and Knowledge Generation – 3 credits
• SSW 6412: Research III: Multivariate Statistics I – 4 credits
• SSW 6425: Social Welfare Policy Seminar - 3 credits
• Professional Seminar
• SSW 6413: Research IV: Multivariate Statistics II – 4 credits
• SSW 6415: Topics in Advanced Social Work Research - 3 credits
• SSW 6445: Social and Behavioral Science: The Knowledge Base for Practice with Large Target Systems (Macro Practice) – 3 credits
• SSW 6411: Research II: Survey Research Methods – 3 credits
• SSW 6420: Critical Analysis of Historical and Philosophical Themes of the Profession – 3 credits
• Elective – 3 credits
• SSW 6414: Research V: Qualitative Research Methods – 3 credits
• SSW 6435: Social and Behavioral Science: The Knowledge Base for Micro Social Work Practice with Smaller Target Systems (Individuals, Families, Groups) – 3 credits
• Elective - 3 credits
• SSW 6460: Teaching and Learning in Social Work Education: Roles and Contexts - 3 credits

Program Requirements and Timeline

During the second year of study:

• Indication by student of preferred Major Advisor

By the end of the second year of study:

• Formation of Advisory Committee

Before completing no more than 12 credits of coursework toward your degree:

• Submission of Plan of Study

No later than four years after beginning doctoral study and at least eight months prior to completion of all degree requirements:

• Passing of General Examination

At least six months prior to degree completion:

• Submission of Dissertation Proposal to Advisory Committee

No later than eight years after beginning doctoral study:

• Passing of Dissertation Defense

Prospective Students

Welcome to the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences!  We invite you to get to know our Department by exploring our website.

Please read through common FAQs listed in the Doctoral Program and Masters Programs sections below. Should you have any additional questions that aren’t covered, please email us at [email protected] . We look forward to hearing from you!

Quick Facts

Doctoral program, masters programs, concentrations, news from the school.

Bethany Kotlar, PhD '24, studies how children fare when they're born to incarcerated mothers

Soccer, truffles, and exclamation points: Dean Baccarelli shares his story

Health care transformation in Africa highlighted at conference

COVID, four years in

PhD, Behavioral and Community Health

Conduct research to develop innovative public health interventions

Acquire and apply essential research skills to determine the health needs of populations, design, implement and evaluate programs and policies aimed at improving the public's health.

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Perfect for...

• Students who are passionate about designing interventions to influence individual and community-level health behavior and health policy
• Students looking for a full-time in-person experience
• Students who want exceptional and tailored advising
• Students who seek to excel as public health leaders 

Career Paths

• Public Health Analyst
• Senior Study Director
• Behavioral Epidemiologist
• Senior Research Analyst
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Assistant Scientist
• Assistant Professor
• Director of Healthy Equity Research

Program Overview

The doctoral program in Behavioral and Community Health develops health professionals competent in understanding the health needs of populations and qualified to conduct research to inform programs and policies aimed at improving the public's health. Students will develop research skills essential in making significant contributions to the scientific and professional literature in behavioral and community health.

See all Behavioral and Community Health graduate student resources .

For more information, see the Behavioral and Community Health Flyer .

• Build emergent themes and sub-themes within qualitative data which require re-reading of text and an iterative process of data aggregation and interpretation;
• Discuss the appropriateness of a variety of statistical techniques to analyze quantitative data;
• Run intermediate-level quantitative statistical techniques using a packaged program; 
• Choose major social, behavioral and public health theories to use with the design and evaluation of interventions;
• Apply behavior change theories in the development of research questions and hypotheses, intervention development, evaluation approaches;
• Identify and use mobile/computer apps to gather information or collect data for use in the evaluation of research;
• Manage traditional and new media to communicate health information (e.g., statistics, reports) effectively;
• Build data validation tools to measure behavioral factors that influence community health;
• Write a research proposal for theory-based research;
• Select an appropriate research design;
• Conceptualize theoretical framework to be studied;
• Conduct all aspects of single item and multi-item scale variable creation;
• Conduct univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis; interpret the results;
• Write a manuscript including introduction, methods, results, conclusions, tables, and figures;
• Develop and communicate a comprehensive evaluation plan for health-related interventions at both the environmental and individual level, including a selection of a sample strategy, evaluation design, and appropriate statistical analyses;
• Apply evidence-based approaches in the development and evaluation of social and behavioral science interventions

Students admitted to the doctoral program in behavioral and community health will complete 78 credit hours of coursework/dissertation research.

Katherine Sharp, PhD Director of Graduate Studies

[email protected] (301) 405-2464

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This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

Program goal

Training to be social and behavioral scientists

Students in the doctoral program in social and behavioral sciences will acquire the skills to become scientists, educators and scientists/administrators in a broad spectrum of positions and settings. Students will gain a progressive mastery of the current state of the subject matter in the social and behavioral sciences, an ability to synthesize the information and apply this foundation to the identification of key areas of investigation/experimentation and the ability to design and interpret studies that address the questions identified. In addition, students will develop the various means of communicating core social and behavioral science knowledge and particular study designs, results and interpretations to a variety of audiences.

Student learning outcomes

• Critically evaluate social determinants of health through identifying gaps in literature and formulating  strategies for improving health equity
• Recommend and apply community-engaged principles in research design
• Propose and justify analytical approaches for answering public health research questions assessed using qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods
• Construct and critique theory-driven approaches for developing, implementing and evaluating health-behavior-change programs
• Design and produce an independent public health research project

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the  Graduate School website  and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Visit the academic regulations section for   additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.

Degree candidacy requirements

A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.

Visit the academic regulations section for   additional information on degree candidacy requirements.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Visit the academic regulations section for   additional information on graduation requirements.

Apply online at   sophas.org  and submit a VCU supplemental application following instructions available at sophas.org .

Admission requirements

Special requirements.

• M.P.H. or equivalent M.A. or M.S. degree

Applicants must meet all  general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School .

Degree requirements

The Ph.D. program in social and behavioral sciences, the only one of its kind in Virginia, prepares students to conduct theoretically based research and interventions on the social and behavioral determinants of health and disease. In addition to the general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements , a minimum of 54 post-master’s credit hours is required for the doctoral degree, which is expected to involve four years of full-time study.

Comprehensive examinations

Comprehensive examinations include a written examination and an oral candidacy examination. The written examination assesses knowledge of completed didactic course work on core social and behavioral science methods as well as a tailored substantive section based on the student’s research focus. The oral candidacy examination is based upon the student’s dissertation proposal, which consists of three proposed research projects.

Written comprehensive examination

Students are expected to take the written comprehensive examination after completing all didactic program courses (typically the program core, a responsible conduct of research course and six credits of electives). Program expectation for satisfactory academic progress is that students complete the written comprehensive examination by the end of the second academic year (i.e., no later than the end of the second summer semester). Exceptions beyond this time limit must be approved by the student’s adviser and the graduate program director based on the student’s submission of a written explanation for the delay in progress. This written explanation must include a plan of action and schedule for completing the written comprehensive examination by the date approved by the student’s faculty adviser.

Oral candidacy examination

After passing the written comprehensive examinations, the student is eligible for the oral candidacy examination. For this examination, the student prepares background and methods for three proposed research projects in a focused area of dissertation research. 

To maintain satisfactory academic progress in the program, students should complete the oral candidacy examination by the end of third fall semester. Exceptions beyond this time limit must be approved by the student’s committee and the graduate program director based on the student’s submission of a written explanation for the delay in progress. This written explanation must include a plan of action and schedule for completing the oral candidacy examination by the date approved by the student’s dissertation adviser.

Upon successful completion of the oral candidacy examination, the student will embark upon their dissertation research.

Dissertation

The purpose of the dissertation is to provide the student with an educational experience that results in: 

A significant contribution to the field of social and behavioral science

The knowledge and skills to make continuing important contributions to the student’s field

The program requires that the final dissertation document be presented in the three manuscripts format. An alternative format may be approved by the candidate’s adviser. 

The dissertation must be a hypothesis-based, analytical project designed by the student under the supervision of the faculty adviser and dissertation advisory committee members as appropriate. The dissertation consists of a minimum of three papers prepared in manuscript style and suitable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. One paper based in the dissertation research should be in a publishable format or ready to be submitted to a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The manuscript may have multiple authors but the doctoral student must be the first author.

Primary data collection is required for the dissertation. Requests for this requirement to be waived can be submitted to the program education committee. 

To maintain satisfactory academic progress in the program, students should schedule the dissertation examination by the second semester of the fourth year. Exceptions beyond this time limit must be approved by the student’s committee and the graduate program director based on the student’s submission of a written explanation for the delay in progress. Plans for completion of the dissertation examination will be considered on an individual basis. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress may result in a grade of U (unsatisfactory) for the dissertation work.

Satisfactory academic progress

Satisfactory academic progress may be assessed on multiple factors, including progress on dissertation development in accordance with timelines established between the student and adviser and/or committee; lack of professional conduct, including communication lapses or failure to communicate with the adviser and/or committee about delays in progress and/or absence from research work; honor policy violations or academic misconduct; and failure to maintain continuous enrollment without an approved leave of absence.

Public health learning objectives

In addition to meeting VCU Graduate School and program requirements for graduation, all students enrolled in the School of Population Health must demonstrate competence in foundational public health learning objectives. This requirement is waived for students who previously completed a CEPH-accredited degree at the bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral level.

Course requirements

SBHD 692 may be taken if subject matter is appropriate; see adviser for approval.

The minimum total of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 54.

Students who complete the requirements for this degree will receive a Doctor of Philosophy in Social and Behavioral Health.

Contact Richard Brown, Ph.D. Associate professor and graduate program director [email protected] (804) 628-3340

Additional contact Kate Grant Education coordinator [email protected] (804) 828-5329

Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia 23284 Phone: (804) 828-0100 [email protected]

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INFORMATION FOR

• Prospective Students
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PhD Competencies - Social and Behavioral Sciences

• Analyze how culture, social inequities, and biology influence health across the life span.
• Understand and conduct qualitative analyses that best answer research problems.
• Understand and conduct quantitative analyses that best answer research problems.

Social and Affective Neuroscience

The Social and Affective Neuroscience (SAN) Ph.D. Program is intended for students who wish to study neural bases of how people interface with the social world – both understanding it and being affected by it. Affective neuroscience is the study of the neural bases of our emotional lives. Social and affective neuroscience represent two closely aligned fields that often pursue overlapping scientific questions. The same scientists frequently work in both social and affective neuroscience. Most SAN researchers assume that social forces are one of the greatest drivers of affective experience and that social processes often cannot be studied without considering their affective components. Students admitted in either the Social or Developmental Areas may complete this program. They will remain in their area of admission for administrative purposes.

Faculty associated with the Social and Affective Neuroscience Program

• Bridget Callaghan
• Michelle Craske
• Naomi Eisenberger
• Adriana Galvan
• Katherine Karlsgodt
• Matthew Lieberman
• Carolyn Parkinson
• Jennifer Silvers

Social and Behavioral Sciences, Ph.D.

Department website: http://publichealth.hsc.wvu.edu/sbhs/

Degrees Offered

Doctor of philosophy, nature of the program, ph.d. in public health sciences (social and behavioral sciences major).

The mission of the Ph.D. in Public Health Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences Major, is to provide state of the art doctoral education in the theory and application of social and behavioral science to a select group of highly qualified and committed students desiring to transform public health. Our program trains students using a research intensive curriculum led by a distinguished faculty at the cutting edge of public health science. This program emphasizes both evidence-based, theory-driven primary prevention of disease and injury and health promotion research and practice. Graduates will complete their degrees with a competitive record of research achievement, ready to embark on high-impact research careers.

The curriculum is designed so that students receive a methodologically-intense training and one-on-one research experience with faculty in Social and Behavioral Sciences, typically over a three- to four-year period. The first years of the program emphasize research and statistical methods complemented by theoretical and process-oriented coursework relevant to Social and Behavioral Sciences. During the latter years of the program, students are engaged in their dissertation research while given the freedom to further diversify their training by choosing electives.

• Keith Zulllig, Professor - Ph.D. (University of South Carolina)
• Geri Dino - Ph.D. (Kansas State University)
• Peter Giacobbi - Ph.D. (University of Tennessee)
• Ranjita Misra - Ph.D. (Old Dominion University)

Associate Professors

• Christiaan Abildso - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
• Danielle Davidov - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
• Alfgeir Kristjansson - Ph.D. (Karolinska Institute)

Assistant Professors

• Elizabeth Claydon - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)

Teaching Assistant Professor

• Audra Hamrick - MA (West Virginia University)
• Toni Morris - Ed.D. (West Virginia University)

Adjunct Professors

• Ahmed Aboraya - M.D. (Cairo University)
• Lesley Cottrell - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
• Samuel Zizzi - Ed.D. (West Virginia University)

Adjunct Associate Professors

• Cindy Fitch - Ph.D. (Case Western Reserve University)
• Janie Leary - Ph.D. ( West Virginia University)
• Melissa Olfert - Ph.D. (Loma Linda University)

Adjunct Assistant Professors

• John Blosnich - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
• Michael Brumage - M.D., MPH (West Virginia University)
• Molly Matthews - Ewald - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
• Frances Peterson-Burch - Ph.D., RN, BSN (University of Pittsburgh)
• Thomas Sims - M.A. (Georgia State University)
• Kimberly Williams - Ph.D. (McMaster University)

Research Assistant Professors

• Adam Baus - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
• Traci Jarrett - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)
• Samantha Shawley-Brzoska - Ph.D. (West Virginia University)

Faculty Emeriti

• William Reger-Nash - Ed.D. (West Virginia University)
• Pete Shaffron - Ed.D. (West Virginia University)
• Kenneth Simon - Ed.D. (Columbia University)
• Nancy O'Hara Tompkins - Ph.D. (University of Maryland)

If you are ready to apply to West Virginia University School of Public Health, the admissions team is here to assist you.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Public Health Sciences (Social and Behavioral Sciences Major)

Admission guidelines.

• A Master's degree in Public Health or a closely related field is strongly preferred.  Exceptional applicants with a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field may also be considered.
• A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required, 3.5 is preferred.
• The following GRE scores are preferred: Verbal 150; Quantitative 155; and Writing 3.5.  Submission of GRE scores are optional.  Applicants may submit GRE scores if they feel that scores enhance their application.
• International students must meet WVU's minimum score requirements for English language proficiency.

Application Process

Applying to the Ph.D. program is a two-step process in which prospective students first submit an application through the national SOPHAS service, http://www.sophas.org/ .  If you are accepted into the Ph.D. program by the School, the next step is for you to complete a WVU Graduate Application, https://graduateadmissions.wvu.edu/ .

The SOPHAS application requires:

• Official test scores
• Official transcripts from all US institutions attended
• A Personal Statement
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
• Current CV/Resume

Applicants must indicate their first choice of Major and may indicate a second choice (you are allowed a maximum of two choices).

There is a SOPHAS application fee.  However, SOPHAS grants fee waivers based upon financial need for McNair Scholars, Gates Millennium Scholars, as well as for AmeriCorps and Peace Corps Volunteers.

TIPS for completing the SOPHAS application:

• APPLY EARLY!  Allow up to 4 weeks for SOPHAS to verify your transcripts and test scores and send them to the Universities to which you have applied.  Your application may not be reviewed if it does not contain verified transcripts and test scores.
• If opting to submit your GRE scores, be sure to use the college code 0157 for the WVU School of Public Health . This code MUST be used so that verified scores are sent by SOPHAS to the WVU School of Public Health for review.
• Submit your application once you have provided the required information.  DO NOT wait for SOPHAS to receive transcripts, recommendations or test scores prior to submitting your application.

Personal Statement

The Personal Statement is a critical piece of the application. The content of the Statement and the applicant’s writing skills will be evaluated in the admissions decision.  The Statement should address the following in no more than 1000 words:

• What is it about Public Health that interests you?
• What is it about your selected major, specifically, that interests you?
• What are your career goals?
• What topics or areas of research do you wish to pursue and why?  If you have identified a potential dissertation topic, briefly describe that as well.
• Which faculty members in the SPH do you see as being potential mentors to help you succeed in your area of interest?

Applicants should also include any additional information about their interests, background, prior experience, or special circumstances that may be helpful to the SPH Doctoral Admissions Committee.

Letters of Recommendation     

Three letters of recommendation are required.  At least two of these should be from people who can attest to your academic abilities.

Please refer to SOPHAS for the current deadline.     New applications received after this deadline will not be reviewed.  All admissions are for the Fall semester.  We do not admit students into the Ph.D. program in the Spring or Summer semesters.

Review Process

All completed and verified SOPHAS applications are first reviewed by the Admissions Committees of the major to which an applicant has applied (EPID, OEHS, or SBHS). Candidates that are recommended for admission at this level, are put forth to the SPH Doctoral Admissions Committee, which makes the final decisions on admissions and funding.

Advanced Standing for Applicants with an Approved Master's Degree

Students who enter the Ph.D. program with an MPH or approved Master's degree are eligible for Advanced Standing .  This allows students to complete an abbreviated course of study that takes between 2 and 3 years to complete, depending on the student's past course work and current interests.

Admission Requirements 2024-2025

The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.

PhD Major Code: 8409

Major Requirements

Program requirements for students entering with advanced standing.

Students entering the SBHS PhD program that are admitted with advanced standing (that already hold strongly relevant Master’s degrees) will work with the departmental PhD advisor for a recommended course of study. This includes initiating a selection of course credits that can be transferred (600 level and above, graded B or above, passed in the last 5 years) and/or waived that ultimately will be reviewed and approved by the PhD Program Director in consultation with the PhD Advisory Committee. Under typical circumstances a student with a recent MPH degree or similar, can expect to transfer and/or waive up to 20 credits or roughly one year of course work.

Courses may be selected from among the department’s, School of Public Health’s, or university’s many course offerings. This will allow students to develop an area of focus.  These courses will be discussed and approved with the faculty advisor.   

Teaching Practicums          

Students will complete two (1 credit) teaching practicums (PUBH 790) during which they will spend time in a mentored relationship with a faculty member, assisting with the administration and teaching of a course.  These may be graduate or undergraduate level courses. Students who have a strong interest in teaching should also consider taking C&I 789 Teaching in Higher Education (3 credits).  This is a general methods course involving instructional concepts and strategies for present/prospective faculty in higher education. 

*Full-time HSC-funded stipend students are expected to participate in the SPH teaching mission to a greater degree.

Qualifying Examination

The Qualifying Examination is the capstone experience for Ph.D. program coursework. Successful completion of the examination signifies competence in the field of public health sciences and indicates readiness to engage in independent research. Following completion of the majority of the PhD coursework, students are then eligible to take the qualifying examination, which consists of two components, a written exam and an oral defense as follows:

Written exam : The written exam consists of questions related to social and behavioral sciences generally as well as those pertinent to the student’s research focus.

Oral defense : The oral component consists of a defense of student’s answers to the written exam and includes additional questions that further test the student’s understanding of key concepts in social and behavioral sciences and knowledge specific to the student’s research focus.  The oral defense of the written exam must be attempted within two academic weeks of completing the written exam. Note: Students are not eligible to begin their dissertation, or sign up for dissertation credits, until they have successfully completed both components of the qualifying examination.

The research component of the SBHS PhD program consists of both a dissertation (27 credits, minimum) and completion of two research rotations (2 credits).

Research Rotations : Students will participate in two research rotations in their first year,  meeting and working with research faculty with similar interests in order to develop mentorship for dissertation research. 

Dissertation :  Students will complete a dissertation in which they design and conduct an original work of research. First, students will develop a proposal for an original research project. This proposal will be presented and defended orally before the student’s dissertation committee. Upon successful completion of the proposal defense, students are admitted to PhD candidacy and may then complete their dissertation research.  There are two options for the dissertation format, a traditional book format or a three Journal Article Format (JAF). The decision of which format to use is something that students should discuss with their committee chairperson.  Regardless of the format selected, students must have a minimum of one first-authored publication based on their dissertation topic area, at least under review in a peer-reviewed journal before they can defend their dissertation. While the required publication may come from one of the student’s three dissertation articles if using the JAF, this is not mandatory.  Upon completion of the written dissertation, the student will present and defend their work before the dissertation committee. Note:  The dissertation defense is open to all members of the WVU community and the public.  

University Doctoral Degree Requirements :  For further details on WVU’s requirements for Doctoral programs please visit the following website: http://catalog.wvu.edu/graduate/advisingcoursesdegrees/degree_regulations/ .

Plan of Study

Upon matriculating into the PhD program, students should contact the SBHS PhD Program Coordinator, or their advisor if already identified, to discuss the course requirements and to develop a plan of study (POS) to meet their individual needs.  Below is a suggested POS with the minimum requirements for students entering the program with a BA/BS.  Note: Research credits show below reflect the minimum requirements. Students may enroll in additional research credits as necessary to achieve the degree competencies.

Suggested Plan of Study

Program Competencies

• Develop effective strategies for teaching in higher education
• Review and synthesize pertinent literature and formulate focused research questions that address identified knowledge gaps
• Design and conduct original research that uniquely contributes to the public health scientific knowledge
• Disseminate research findings through appropriate peer-reviewed publications and presentations, and to other public health community audiences

Major Competencies

• Display broad knowledge and application of relevant public health social and behavioral theories to health promotion and disease prevention strategies
• Demonstrate rigorous understanding of methodological and statistical principles that enhance research in the public health sciences
• Create comprehensive translational intervention and evaluation plans in research or practice settings to inform policy or practice.

SBHS 601. Social and Behavioral Theory. 3 Hours.

The focus of this course is on the role of individual behavior in attaining health. Integration of the concepts of health education and behavioral science to facilitate changes in health behavior is addressed.

SBHS 610. Public Health Research Methods. 3 Hours.

Provide students with the practical skills necessary to read, understand, critique, and contribute to the public health literature. Emphasis is placed on common research methods used in public health research.

SBHS 611. Community Assessment. 3 Hours.

Provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to conduct meaningful community needs assessments to improve a community’s health. The course will cover various community health topics including the nature of health and its varied social determinants, the use of quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection methods, and data analysis.

SBHS 617. Community Engagement and Advocacy in Public Health. 2 Hours.

Addresses the roles of community engagement and advocacy as essential tools to mobilize organizational and social change. Through lecture, discussion, case studies, self-assessment, and experiential exercises, students develop the knowledge and skills necessary to engage and empower communities through participation and advocacy.

SBHS 619. Intervention Planning & Design. 3 Hours.

This course focuses on the utility of social and behavioral science theories as tools to confront public health problems, understand the behavior change process, and how to develop and implement interventions to address these problems at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and community levels. Students create an intervention program plan informed by theory as a skills application experience.

SBHS 620. Implementing and Managing Public Health Programs. 3 Hours.

This course provides students with conceptual and practical tools used for implementing and managing health promotion programs. Critical elements include learning to implement theoretically sound intervention programs with high levels of program fidelity; effectively engaging and managing human, financial, and community resources; and identifying and responding to commonly occurring opportunities and challenges. Course methods emphasize cooperative and experiential learning.

SBHS 621. Grant Writing for Public Health Practice. 1 Hour.

This course covers the skills and techniques necessary for writing successful grant proposals tailored to foundations.

SBHS 629. Capstone Course. 2 Hours.

This is the culminating experience for social and behavioral sciences majors in the MPH program and requires students to demonstrate their capacity to synthesize and integrate the core and SBHS departmental competencies via a paper and poster.

SBHS 665. Grant Writing for Public Health Practice. 3 Hours.

PR: SBHS 601 and (SBHS 613 or SBHS 612). This course addresses skills and techniques necessary for writing successful grant proposals for professionals in public health agencies. This is a writing intensive course focused on grant writing and evaluation of social and behavioral based health promotion and disease prevention programs and interventions and is specifically tailored for the public health practice workforce.

SBHS 690. Teaching Practicum. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Consent. Supervised practice in college teaching of social and behavioral sciences. Note: This course is intended to insure that graduate assistants are adequately prepared and supervised when they are given collges teaching responsibility. It also provides a mechanism for students not on assistantships to gain teaching experience.

SBHS 691. Advanced Topics. 1-6 Hours.

PR: Consent. Investigation in advanced topics that are not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

SBHS 693A. Special Topics. 1-6 Hours.

A study of contemporary topics selected from recent developments in the field.

SBHS 695. Independent Study. 1-9 Hours.

Faculty-supervised study of topics not available through regular course offerings.

SBHS 696. Graduate Seminar. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Consent. Each graduate student will present at least one seminar to the assembled faculty and graduate student body of his or her program.

SBHS 697. Research. 1-9 Hours.

PR: Consent, Research activities leading to thesis, problem report, research paper or equivalent scholarly project, or a dissertation. Grading will be S/U.).

SBHS 698. Thesis or Dissertation. 1-6 Hours.

PR: Consent. This is an optional course for programs that believe that this level of control and supervision is needed during the writing of the students' reports, theses, or dissertations.

SBHS 711. Research Translation for Health. 3 Hours.

PR: SBHS 610 . Principles, theories, and evidence-based methods of knowledge and research translation for health are discussed to facilitate student competence for translating research discoveries into policies and practices that promote health and prevent disease.

SBHS 715. Intervention Design. 3 Hours.

This course will provide students with the conceptual and practical tools used in planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating health promotion programs. Through reading, cooperative learning, and discussing, students will gain experience in these four areas. Students will also apply information learned in foundation courses.

SBHS 760. Survey Research Methods. 3 Hours.

This course presents scientific knowledge and practical skills used in survey research. Focus is on question construction and development, questionnaire design, sampling and survey modes, interviewing techniques, and survey data analysis. (Also listed as SBHS 660. Students may not count both SBHS 760 and SBHS 660 toward degree requirements.).

SBHS 761. Qualitative Research Methods. 3 Hours.

This course will introduce students to qualitative research methods, including the various types of study design. The course will include critiques of qualitative studies in the relevant research literature as well as student-driven studies using various types of study designs. Students will also learn about analyzing and reporting the results of qualitative studies.

SBHS 763. Advanced Evaluation Public Health. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 612 and ( SBHS 601 or SBHS 619 ). Application of scientific public health program evaluation methods. Students will learn about theory and methods of program evaluation, identification of stakeholders, data collection, preparation, analysis, reporting and conclusion.

SBHS 790. Teaching Practicum. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Consent. Supervised practice in college teaching of SBHS. Note: This course is intended to insure that graduate assistants are adequately prepared and supervised when they are given college teaching responsibility. It also provides a mechanism for students not on assistantships to gain teaching experience.

SBHS 795. Independent Study. 1-9 Hours.

PR: Consent. Faculty-supervised study of topics not available through regular course offerings.

SBHS 796. Graduate Seminar. 1-3 Hours.

SBHS 797. Research. 1-9 Hours.

PR: Consent. Research activities leading to thesis, problem report, research paper or equivalent scholarly project, or a dissertation. (Will be graded S/U).

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Home » Specializations » Social and Behavioral Health

Social and Behavioral Science Degrees in Public Health

Social and behavioral science degrees in public health aim to provide educational value related to the public health field and wellness in general. The influence of society and a person’s natural behaviors can affect their ability to maintain strong health and respond well to unforeseen illnesses.

Another prevalent topic within the social and behavioral science field is how society plays a role in the transmission of illness and disease. For students in this field, the relationship between society, behavior and health may become more apparent, especially through change programs and interventions designed to improve public health. Social and behavioral sciences may have a significant effect on the efficiency of public health programs.

The social and behavioral science specialization of public health degrees encourages students to investigate the effects of society and behavior on the acceptance of health programs, motivations behind staying healthy and the overall sustenance of illness and disease. Through standardized training and education, students may acquire the tools to properly analyze and investigate social and behavioral issues so public health programs are useful for more people.

• What Is Social and Behavioral Sciences?
• Bachelor’s in Social and Behavioral Science
• Master’s in Social and Behavioral Science
• Doctorate in Social and Behavioral Science

Social and Behavioral Science Career Options Industry Outlook

What is social and behavioral sciences .

Social and behavioral science is based on the study of human behavior. Through the investigation and analysis of human relationships, the field explores how human actions are related. Social and behavioral science degrees in public health may be applicable to many disciplines, including sociology, psychology and more. 

The behavioral sciences connect natural and social sciences, incorporating elements of anthropology, organizational behavior and behavioral finance, which examines how people react to market shifts and how their feelings influence their purchasing decisions. With an increased understanding of human behavior, professionals may better predict how people will act and empathize with why people make the decisions they do. 

Why is social and behavioral sciences important in public health?

Social and behavioral science research serves many purposes in public health. It may help predict, prevent and manage illness in individuals and entire populations. The information learned through research may help people better understand their behaviors and treatments, develop new habits and stick with those habits. 

Since social and behavioral science research can be broadly applicable, students who study the subject may use their skills to support individual and overall public health in a variety of settings. 

Behavioral Science vs. Psychology

By incorporating topics like psychology, sociology and ethics, social and behavioral science degrees in public health take a more comprehensive approach to understanding human behavior than psychology. Psychology emphasizes elements such as brain biology, mental processes and cognition. It also tends to focus on the study of individuals. Behavioral science takes a different approach and doesn’t emphasize the brain and cognition as much. Instead, behavioral science focuses on multiple subject areas. While behavioral science may be applied to individuals, it’s often used to evaluate larger groups, including families and societies. 

Bachelor’s Degree in Social and Behavioral Science

The social and behavioral science track is important to the field of public health and may be similar to a  master’s in social work (MSW) , but it also has its differences. A bachelor’s social and behavioral science degree in public health typically provides insight into how society and individual behavior play a role in the health of people within a community. At the bachelor’s level, students may begin to integrate knowledge of personal interaction, psychology and sociology with health habits and preventative notions that affect public health in general.

Simmons University

Bachelor of science in public health.

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Bachelor of Social Work

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Curriculum for a Bachelor’s in Social and Behavioral Science

The bachelor’s program in social and behavioral sciences consists of four years of courses in standard subjects such as algebra, history, chemistry and specialized topics that focus on the social and behavioral aspects of the public. This social and behavioral science degree in public health may be found in traditional on-campus environments and in online settings. This section includes some of the core courses within this program.

Counseling Theories

A counseling theories course provides students with insight into the theory and practice of counseling from a public health perspective. This course might focus on the need for sensitivity to diversity, which is a large portion of what makes counselors effective in community settings. Theories of counseling generally are discussed, as well as common communication methods and therapeutic practices.

Ethics of Behavioral Health Sciences

This course outlines common ethical dilemmas and issues that arise in behavioral health science. Students may review case studies and apply their knowledge in mock dilemmas. Ethics in public health is an important topic that provides the foundation of knowledge for this class.

Cultural and Social Diversity

A course in cultural and social diversity examines differences among people within society. Working with the public may give behavioral health professionals exposure to numerous cultures. This course aims to offer students a broad outlook on diversity in hopes of evoking more open-mindedness and sensitivity when working in the public domain.

Master’s Degree in Social and Behavioral Science Programs

Many aspects of the human persona influence how people may deal with illness, wellness and healing. The goal of master’s programs in social and behavioral sciences is to identify what aspects of human personality and interaction may be influenced to provide a more proactive approach to these ideas. Through coursework in this program, students may investigate what lies beneath social interaction, behavior and attitudes toward public health. Students may also identify cultural norms or ideas that influence how people respond to health dilemmas.

Coursework in this major may include classroom studies, writing assignments, group work and on-the-job training. Depending on the university, students may find a combination of all or some of these learning methods. Online social and behavioral science degrees in public health are common and may explore how ideas and opinions can be changed to have a more proactive approach to personal health.

Curriculum for a Master’s in Social and Behavioral Science

Master’s programs typically take one to two years to complete working full time and may require more than 40 credits. Students may take courses that focus strictly on their desired degree major and specialty. Some common concentrations for this degree program include social and behavioral interventions, psychosocial epidemiology, disease prevention and overall health promotion. Students who choose a specialty with their social and behavioral science degree in public health can take courses that may sharpen their skills within those concentrations, in addition to the core components. Some possible core classes are outlined below.

Social and Behavioral Research Methods

This course introduces students to the research design, methods and ethics common in public health, emphasizing those methods used particularly in social and behavioral sciences. Students may learn how to successfully apply these methods through discussions, readings, projects and research. 

Health Psychology and Human Behavior

Students gain an introduction to the health psychology field in this course. They may learn how biological, psychological and social factors are connected to health and illness, health risks and health behaviors. Students may explore how health psychology and human behavior relates to individuals, families and broader social situations.

Behavioral Science and Intervention

Students who seek to apply what they know about behavior to public health agendas may gain expertise in this course. Using interventions to help shape behavior is a primary method of contributing to the improvement of societal systems. In this class, students may be introduced to behavior change theories, interventions and the science behind behavior modification.

Doctoral Degree in Social and Behavioral Science 

Doctoral programs focus on public health issues of the general public and more vulnerable populations. Through these programs, students may learn how to use the knowledge of behavior and interaction in relation to health dilemmas. This may provide a more specialized approach to developing public health agendas, which may improve the overall health of communities around the world. This social and behavioral science degree in public health may emphasize the reduction of health disparities and promotion of positive health outcomes for the public.

Curriculum for a Doctoral Degree in Social and Behavioral Science

Doctoral programs may focus on the need for extensive research as a primary means of learning. While most doctoral programs take three to four years to complete, online and part-time programs may provide students with greater flexibility. Independent studies and learning activities are part of doctoral programs in social and behavioral sciences. Some programs may also require supervised working activities. Some common courses found in doctoral programs are detailed below.

Social Determinants of Health

To connect societal beliefs and habits to overall health, it helps to have a thorough understanding of social influence. A course in social determinants of health may teach students how socioeconomics, race, ethnicity, connections, relationships and the economy affect attitudes and actions about personal and public health. These societal connections may be evaluated to determine effective methods of change for large groups and communities.

Behavioral and Social Science Theory for Health Promotion

This course outlines some of the popular behavioral and social theories that promote health outcomes. By learning how behavioral and societal influences affect public health attitudes, students may learn how change programs and community-wide education programs can foster positive views about better health. Students may be responsible for writing projects or analyzing case studies.

Qualitative Research Methods in Public Health

In this social and behavioral science degree in public health course, students learn about qualitative research methods. This may include theoretical and practical approaches to conducting research. Students may gain hands-on experience with research techniques, developing a deeper understanding of how to gather and analyze relevant qualitative public health information. 

Behavioral and social sciences have a significant influence on the field of public health. A background in a social and behavioral science degree in public health may be useful for careers in many fields, including mental health, sociology and research. Students who want to blend their knowledge of public health with specific fields such as psychology may find that careers as licensed therapists or counselors may be a good fit, while others may be more interested in some of the research-oriented aspects of health such as sociology. Knowledge of behavior and society may also be useful in careers working for the government or even for individual agencies that seek to find social cues and psychological components that play a role in health and wellness.

Below are some careers to consider for those with social and behavioral science degrees in public health. Median annual salary and projected job growth information comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as of May 2019.

Employment in community and social service occupations is projected to increase 12% from 2019 to 2029.  This is equivalent to about 348,600 jobs. Social workers and substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselors, and social and community service program managers are part of this occupational group. Most job openings in this group will be for social workers and counselors, as their services will be needed in areas such as drug abuse and rehabilitation counseling. 

Employment in life, physical and social science occupations is projected to increase 5% from 2019 to 2029 . This will result in approximately 68,200 new jobs. The BLS notes that increased demand for science expertise is projected to increase employment in this group, which includes epidemiologists, sociologists and psychologists 

Graduates may use a background in social and behavioral science to enter some of these growing fields. 

Social and Behavioral Science Associations to Know

Below are some organizations that may be of interest to students exploring social and behavioral science degrees in public health.

National Council for Behavioral Health

The  National Council for Behavioral Health  is a leading organization for individuals that have degrees or careers in the behavioral health field. The importance of continuing education and research within this field has fueled organizations such as this one to provide new knowledge and case studies to members on a regular basis. For graduates in social and behavioral sciences, memberships to organizations such as this one can help connect them with knowledge and expertise in the field.

American Association of Behavior and Social Sciences (AABSS)

The  AABSS  is a scholarly society of professionals in behavior and social science disciplines. The goal of this organization is to promote learning and innovation in behavior and social sciences. Since these fields are constantly changing in response to new knowledge about the human mind and interaction, it’s important for professionals to change with them. 

For graduates, this organization may help advance knowledge in the field through conferences, continuing education and journal studies. Through this organization, professionals can continue learning about the changing policies, regulations and standards in the field. The AABSS offers intellectual growth and professional advancement for graduates in social and behavioral sciences.

Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)

The  ABAI  was established in 1974. This membership organization is dedicated to behavior analysis philosophy, science, application and teaching. ABAI chapters are located in the United States and throughout the world. Members may attend events and continuing education opportunities, access job placement services and scholarly journals in the field, and join special interest groups to exchange information in behavior analysis areas. 

Behavioral Science & Policy Association (BPSA)

The  BPSA  encompasses behavioral science researchers, policy analysts, practitioners and more. Its members are dedicated to applying behavioral science research to serve the public interest. The BPSA works to disseminate information and build communities through its conferences, workshops, task forces and newsletters. 

Last updated February 2021

Social and Behavioral Sciences Concentration

The research-based Social and Behavioral Sciences track within the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences  prepares you to critically assess and explain major theories, trends, and debates regarding the relationship between socially structured inequalities and health.

You’ll address existing challenges to achieving health equity at the behavioral, community and societal levels, and apply methods, analytic tools, and ethical principles to design and improve public health research and evaluation.

Quick Links: Key Skills Professional Development Degree Requirements and Full-Time Sequence Social and Behavioral Sciences Requirements Checklist

"What I loved most about GPH was my practicum experience in a research lab where I could apply what I learned in the classroom and interact closely with faculty.” - Jazmin Rivera (USA), MPH 2016, Social and Behavioral Sciences Concentration

When you graduate with the Social and Behavioral Sciences Concentration, you’ll be prepared to take on leadership roles in public health settings around the globe. You’ll stand out to employers with a skillset that has both breadth and depth, including the following competencies.

• Critically assess the literature related to social and behavioral aspects of health
• Explain major theories, trends, and debates in the social and behavioral sciences literature regarding health
• Assess the means by which structural bias & social inequities undermine health & create challenges to achieving health equity at the behavioral, community & societal levels
• Apply the methods and analytic tools of social and behavioral science to design, implement, and analyze evaluation or research studies
• Apply ethical principles to public health research and evaluation
• Disseminate research findings to diverse audiences

Professional Development

You will benefit from countless opportunities to build skills and experience to prepare you for successful careers in social and behavioral sciences. Learn more about the professional development opportunities available to you at NYU GPH, including internships, fellowships, employment, volunteer opportunities, professional association membership, and more.

Social and Behavioral Sciences Course Checklist

The Social and Behavioral Sciences checklist outlines the requirements for the concentration, as well as which core and concentration courses have pre-requisites. Use this tool as you move along in the program to help keep track of the courses you’ve taken, as well as what’s up next.

• Degree Requirements
• Full-time Course Sequence

Public Health Core (18 Credits)

All students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration take the following core courses (18 credits):

Students who matriculated prior to 2018 may find their degree requirements here . GPH-GU 2106 Epidemiology (3) GPH-GU 2110 Health Care Policy (1.5) GPH-GU 2112 Public Health Management & Leadership (1.5) GPH-GU 2140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3) GPH-GU 2153 Global Environmental Health (3) GPH-GU 2190 Essentials of Public Health Biology (3) GPH-GU 2995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3) GPH-GU 5171 Global Health Informatics Workshop (0) GPH-GU 5175 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health I (0) GPH-GU 5180 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health II (0) GPH-GU 5185 Readings in the History & Philosophy of Public Health III (0)

Concentration Courses (15 Credits)

All students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration take the following courses: GPH-GU 2160 Qualitative and Field Methods (3) GPH-GU 2361 Research Methods in Public Health (3) GPH-GU 2353 Regression I: Linear Regression and Modeling (3) GPH-GU 2354 Regression II: Categorical Data Analysis (3) GPH-GU 2960 Theories in Public Health Practice, Policy & Research (3)

Electives (9 Credits)

GPH-GU 2220/5220 Accelerating Progress Towards Health-Related SDGs (3) GPH-GU 2154 Adolescent Health and Development (3) GPH-GU 3152 Advanced Agent-Based Modeling (3) GPH-GU 2430 Advanced Health & Human Rights (3) GPH-GU 2219 Application of Implementation Science Frameworks to Address Diseases in Global Populations (3) GPH-GU 2372 Applied Bayesian Analysis in Public Health (3) GPH-GU 2368 Applied Survival Analysis (3) GPH-GU 2218/5218 Assessing Community Health Needs and Resources (3) GPH-GU 5325/9325 Behavioral and Communication Strategies for Global Epidemics (3) GPH-GU 2235 Biostatistical Consulting (3) GPH-GU 5240 Budgeting for Sustainable Health Returns on Investment (3) GPH-GU 2363 Causal Inference: Design and Analysis (3) GPH-GU 2265 Climate Change and Global Public Health (3) GPH-GU 3260 Complex Systems, Disasters, and the Social Ecology of Health (3) GPH-GU 2242 Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (3) GPH-GU 2336 Critical Reading of the Biostatistical Literature (3) GPH-GU 5320 Data Utilization in Public Health Practice (3)* GPH-GU 2232 Detection and Control of Waterborne Pathogens (3) GPH-GU 5232 Disease Elimination and Eradication Strategies for Infectious Diseases in LMICs (3) GPH-GU 2135 Dissemination and Implementation Science in Health Care and Public Health (3) GPH-GU 5150 Emergency Preparedness for Healthcare Organizations (3) GPH-GU 9228 Global Food Policy in Public Health (3) GPH-GU 9130 Global Health Diplomacy (3) GPH-GU 5210 Global Health Disaster Preparedness & Response (3) GPH-GU 2342/5342 Global Issues in Public Health Nutrition: Obesity and Diabetes (3) GPH-GU 5312 Global Perspectives in Reproductive Health & Human Rights (3) GPH-GU 2285/9385 Global Women's Health Programs - Analyzing the Evidence to Improve Women's Lives (3) GPH-GU 2319 Grants Writing to Fund Public Health Research (3) GPH-GU 2205 Gun Violence in America: Public Health, Politics, and Pragmatism (3) GPH-GU 2250/5250 Health and Human Rights (3) GPH-GU 2244 Health Care Management Science (3) GPH-GU 2405/5405 Health Communications: Changing Social Norms in Theory and Practice (3) GPH-GU 2282 Health Economics (3) GPH-GU 2126 Healthcare Claims Data Analysis (3) GPH-GU 5120 HIV/AIDS from a Global Perspective (3) GPH-GU 2343 HIV/AIDS Public Health Promotion (3) GPH-GU 2324 Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3) GPH-GU 2450 Intermediate Epidemiology (3) GPH-GU 3040 Intervention and Prevention Science (3) GPH-GU 2152 Introduction to Agent-Based Modeling (3) GPH-GU 2183 Introduction to Statistical Programming in R (2) GPH-GU 2224/9224 Introduction to Urban Health and Equity (3) GPH-GU 2357 LGBTQ Health Disparities (3) GPH-GU 2344 Maternal Child Nutrition in Public Health (3) GPH-GU 3240 Organizational Theory and Behavior in Healthcare (3) - requires permission of instructor GPH-GU 5288 Perspectives in Migrant Health & Human Rights (3) GPH-GU 2349/5349 Program Planning and Evaluation (3) GPH-GU 2326 Public Health Communication for Impact (3) GPH-GU 2227 Psychiatric Epidemiology (3) GPH-GU 2225 Psychometric Measurement & Analysis in Public Health Research and Practice (3) GPH-GU 2345 Public Health Emergency Preparedness & Response: A Global Perspective (3) GPH-GU 2296/5296 Public Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship (3) GPH-GU 3210 Qualitative Analysis: Interviewing & Mixed Methods Approaches (3) GPH-GU 5410 Results-Focused Strengthening of Health Systems in LMIC Countries (3) GPH-GU 1165 Research Ethics (3) GPH-GU 2317 Social Epidemiology (3) GPH-GU 2512 Special Topics: Applied Spatial Statistics for Public Health (1) GPH-GU 3225 Statistical Inference (3) GPH-GU 2132 Stress and Health in Communities (3) GPH-GU 2255 Substance Use and Public Health (3) GPH-GU 2347 Tackling Global Health Disparities through Implementation Science Research (3)  GPH-GU 2248 Teams and Strategy in Public Health Management (3) GPH-GU 2500 Topics in Public Health: The Geopolitics of Pandemics (3) GPH-GU 2270/5271 Translating Research into Practice: Adapting and Implementing Evidence-Based Public Health Interventions (3) GPH-GU 9252 Urban Health: New York and London - A Comparative Perspective (3) GPH-GU 2272 Value-Based Healthcare (3) GPH-GU 2128 Writing and Communication in Public Health Policy and Management (3)

Culminating Experience (4 Credits)

The culminating experience for students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration consists of: 1) a minimum of 180 hours of a practice experience, completed prior to Thesis I, and 2) a two-semester MPH thesis. GPH-GU 2686 Thesis I: Practice and Integrative Learning Experiences (2) GPH-GU 2687 Thesis II: Practice and Integrative Learning Experiences (2)

46 Credits Total

Full-Time Course Sequence

First year:.

Fall semester (12 credits) GPH-GU 2995 Biostatistics for Public Health (3) GPH-GU 2106 Epidemiology (3) GPH-GU 2190 Essentials of Public Health Biology (3) GPH-GU 2140 Global Issues in Social & Behavioral Health (3) GPH-GU 5171 Global Health Informatics Workshop (0) GPH-GU 5175 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health I (0) Spring semester (12 credits) GPH-GU 2153 Global Environmental Health (3) GPH-GU 2353 Regression I: Linear Regression and Modeling (3) GPH-GU 2361 Research Methods in Public Health (3) Elective (3) GPH-GU 5180 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health II (0) GPH-GU 5185 Readings in the History and Philosophy of Public Health III (0)

Second Year:

Fall semester (11 credits) GPH-GU 2686 Thesis I: Practice and Integrative Learning Experiences (2)* GPH-GU 2960 Theories in Public Health Practice, Policy & Research (3) GPH-GU 2160 Qualitative & Field Methods (3) GPH-GU 2354 Regression II: Categorical Data Analysis (3) Spring semester (11 credits) GPH-GU 2687 Thesis II: Practice and Integrative Learning Experiences (2) GPH-GU 2110 Health Care Policy (1.5) GPH-GU 2112 Public Health Management & Leadership (1.5) Elective (3) Elective (3) * includes 180 hours of public health practice (may also be done in the spring semester.

Part-time Course Sequences

Students completing the Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration on a part-time basis should meet with their advisors to map out a course plan based on the number of credits they would like to take each semester and the number of years they intend to take to complete the degree. Note: all students have a maximum of 6 years to complete the MPH requirements.  

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Behavioral and Brain Sciences Doctoral Program

Diversity and Inclusion Pledge : We seek to create and foster an equitable and inclusive environment for all members and potential members of the BBS program, with respect to historically underrepresented, understudied, underserved, underpowered, and marginalized groups, including, but not limited to, individuals from different social and ethnic backgrounds, of different sexes, sexual orientations and gender identities, political ideologies, creeds and religious affiliations, veteran status, and persons with mental health conditions, and different abilities in an effort to ensure all people feel welcome and safe in our program, department, and university. 

Education : The objective of the doctoral program in Behavioral and Brain Sciences is to prepare students for successful careers as scholars in academic or other professional settings. A feature of our program is flexibility that allows students to devise and pursue personalized training programs. While students are expected to master core topic areas, they work with their Advisory Committees to create individualized programs of study. The result is a graduate program that fosters the development of advanced expertise in a specialty area within the context of each student’s particular skills and aspirations. 

Core Research Areas : The Behavioral and Brain Sciences Program faculty maintain wide-ranging and diverse research programs that are integrated through extensive collaborations that exist within the Program, within the Department and across the University. Areas of research focus are highlighted below with faculty descriptions and a figure illustrating the integrative nature of the program.

Areas of Research Focus

• Developmental  
• Health Psychology
• Behavioral Neuroscience
• Clinical Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Social/Affective Neuroscience
• Social-Personality
• Vision Sciences

Weekly Colloquia Series

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences Program sponsors a weekly speaker series for graduate students, faculty and visiting scholars.

Dr. Michelle vanDellen

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BBS Diversity and Inclusion

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Social and Behavioral Psychology

Religious Leaders Reduce Intimate Partner Violence in Uganda

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Centers & Programs

Kahneman-treisman center for behavioral science and public policy.

The Kahneman-Treisman Center for Behavioral Science and Public Policy explores the gaps between what individuals “should” be expected to do and what people do do — to determine how policy might be better designed and executed to improve outcomes.

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Social & Behavioral Sciences Breadth

The Social & Behavioral sciences breadth requirement is intended to give students a basic foundation for identifying issues and problem solving through various socio-behavioral disciplines, encouraging thought about population health issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. As such, the courses do not need to have a clear or direct connection to health.  These requirements may be satisfied by numerous courses , of which, we have  suggested  a few in each area below:

One 5-credit course from EACH department, at least 4 of the 5  must  be 200-level or above.

• ANTH 150 Culture and Rights: Exploring the Meaning and Practice of Human Rights
• ANTH 202 Principles of Sociocultural Anthropology
• ANTH 204 Reading Ethnography
• ANTH 207 Class and Culture in America
• ANTH 209 Anthropology Through Visual Media
• GEOG 123 Introduction to Globalization
• GEOG 270 Geographies of International Development and Environmental Change
• GEOG 271 Geography of Food and Eating
• GEOG 280 Introduction to the Geography of Health and Healthcare
• GEOG 315 Explanation and Understanding in Geography
• POL S 201 Introduction to Political Theory
• POL S 202 Introduction to American Politics
• POL S 203 Introduction to International Relations
• POL S 204 Introduction to Comparative Politics
• POL S 270 Introduction to Political Economy
• PSYCH 101 Introduction to Psychology
• PSYCH 209 Fundamentals of Psychological Research
• PSYCH 210 The Diversity of Human Sexuality
• PSYCH 245 Introduction to Social Psychology
• PSYCH 250 Racism and Minority Groups
• SOC 110 Survey of Sociology
• SOC 266 Introduction to Labor Studies
• SOC 271 Introduction to the Sociology of Deviance and Social Control
• SOC 300 Foundations of Social Inquiry
• SOC 316 Introduction to Sociological Theory

University of South Florida

College of Behavioral and Community Sciences

Main navigation, cbcs programs advance in us news & world report best graduate schools rankings.

• April 9, 2024
• College News , Communication Sciences and Disorders , School of Social Work

Several programs in the USF College of Behavioral and Community Sciences are increasingly considered among the best in the nation according to rankings by U.S. News & World Report.

Two programs, social work and speech-language pathology, jumped multiple spots in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Graduate Schools rankings released today. Social work moved up 11 spots in the rankings, from 94 to 83, and speech-language pathology moved up three spots, from 55 to 52. Several other programs are also ranked in the top 50: criminology (#18), rehabilitation and mental health counseling (#46), and audiology (#22).

“Today’s rankings are a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our faculty,” said Julie Serovich, dean of the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences. “Students who graduate from these programs benefit not only from high-quality instruction, but also real-world experience that prepares them for exceptional careers in some of the most in-demand fields. I am so proud of the education we provide.”

USF features 23 graduate programs ranked inside the top 100 among all public and private institutions, including 11 ranked in the top 50. The university's highest-ranked programs are industrial and organizational psychology, criminology, and audiology.

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About College of Behavioral & Community Sciences News

The Mission of the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences (CBCS) is to advance knowledge through interdisciplinary teaching, research, and service that improves the capacity of individuals, families, and diverse communities to promote productive, satisfying, healthy, and safe lives across the lifespan. CBCS envisions the college as a globally recognized leader that creates innovative solutions to complex conditions that affect the behavior and well-being of individuals, families, and diverse communities.

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Social and Behavioral Sciences

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The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Northwest University educates individuals to serve within the mental health and human services professions both locally and internationally. The college is home to the School of Counseling and Psychology and the School of Global Studies, each providing education that is distinctly Christian.

Overview of CSBS program offerings:

With each degree program is designed to espouse an ethos of care and service-leadership within the construct of globalization, the college offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in psychology and a graduate program in international community development.

Students have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of cultural immersion projects as well as both local and international internship placement sites.

Whether serving locally or internationally, graduates of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences are prepared to respond to the call of Christ through service-leadership in a rapidly globalizing world.

The School of  Counseling and Psychology

The School of Counseling and Psychology is built upon the integration of psychology, culture, and social justice.

Programs offered:

• Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology
• Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (Center for Online and Extended Education)

The School of Global Studies

The School of Global Studies is designed to equip people from a wide variety of professions to work for social change and justice across cultural boundaries.

Program offered:

• Master of Arts in International Community Development*

* SEE APPLICABLE GRADUATE CATALOG FOR DETAILS

School Of Global Studies Department

School of counseling and psychology department.

Bachelor of Arts

• •  Psychology, BA
• •  Psychology, Minor (Kirkland Campus, Online)
• •  Sociology, Minor

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Liberal Arts — Social/Behavioral Science

Exploring Human Behavior

• Program Duration: 2 Year Program
• graduation cap Degree Type: Associate in Arts (A.A.)
• Total Credit Hours: 61

About This Program

Our Liberal Arts – Social/Behavioral Science program will teach you how to study human behavior and human societies. You will learn how cultures have developed, discover how economic and political systems operate, and investigate how people learn and change over time. You will also study sexuality and the experiences of minority and majority groups in societies and cultures around the world. As you progress through the program, you will be able to individualize your studies with many social science electives, such as Anthropology, Environmental Conservation, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, Women's studies, and Sociology. The Liberal Arts - Social/Behavioral Sciences program offers a flexible, balanced academic course of study that fully prepares you for transfer to a four-year college.

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• Online Learning 100%
• General Contact Call 215-751-8010

Transfer Opportunities

A private university known for its diverse academic programs and global perspective, located in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

Public university in Pennsylvania offering diverse programs.

A private Catholic university in Radnor, Pennsylvania, known for its commitment to social justice and community engagement.

A private liberal arts college located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, offering a variety of undergraduate and graduate programs.

Private Christian university known for its faith-based education.

Students are required to satisfy placement at the time of admission. Students identified as needing developmental course work must satisfactorily complete the appropriate English and mathematics courses in the first 24 credits as a part of their degree program.

All general education requirements necessary for graduation are met through the courses in the program as indicated above. Students who wish to take courses that differ from the general education courses indicated above must complete a course substitution request form. To access the form, login to the  MyCCP portal , and in the  Student  tab, under  Electronic Forms , click on the  Records and Registration Forms  link, then choose  Request For Course Substitution Of Graduation Requirement  link. A  more detailed explanation  of the College's general education requirements is also available.

Liberal Arts—Social/Behavioral Science students are required to enroll in FYE 101: First Year Experience within the first twelve credits and must complete required courses ENGL 101, ENGL 102, college-level math, CIS 103, PSYC 101, SOC 101, the first in the Humanities pair, and the Communication course within the first 24 credits. To qualify for the Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree in Liberal Arts—Social/Behavioral Science, a student must complete a minimum of 61 credit hours as prescribed and attain a grade point average of 2.0 ("C" average).

The Liberal Arts – Social/Behavioral Science degree program provides a structured and coherent path for students at Community College of Philadelphia who want broad exposure to social sciences in areas such as social work, sociology, urban studies, political science, geography, anthropology, economics, history, or related fields. This major is especially recommended for those who plan to transfer to baccalaureate programs in social work.

Liberal Arts—Social/Behavioral Science students are required to enroll in FYE 101: First Year Experience within the first twelve credits and must complete required courses ENGL 101, ENGL 102, college-level math, CIS 103, PSYC 101, SOC 101, the first in the Humanities pair, and the Communication course within the first 24 credits so that they are free to choose the courses that best fit their long-term educational goals for the remainder of the program.

Students are expected to consult with an academic advisor or counselor upon entry to the program and in subsequent semesters. Transfer planning should begin early so that the student can make the most informed choices. The Liberal Arts – Social/Behavioral Science curriculum contains a number of electives and allows students and advisors to shape the selection of courses to meet individual goals. Students who follow the Liberal Arts – Social/Behavioral Science curriculum and plan to attend a specific four-year college after graduation should choose electives that duplicate as closely as possible those in the first two years of the program of that college.

Note: Many, but not all, transfer institutions require some knowledge of a world language (from one semester to two years of study at the college level or the equivalent). Students planning to transfer should be aware of world language requirements that may affect their acceptance into certain colleges and programs.

Upon completion of this program graduates will be able to:

• Demonstrate critical analysis of arguments and evaluation of an argument's major assertions, its background assumptions and the evidence used to support its assertions.
• Communicate effectively through written and oral means including essays, research papers and classroom presentations.
• Identify principles of human behavior and social structures.
• Explain how the scientific method is used to study human behavior and social structures.

Launch Your Career in Social/Behavioral Science

• Child, Family, and School Social Workers – est. salary $55,898
• Healthcare Social Workers – est. salary  $60,546*
• Social and Human Service Assistants – est. salary $37,553

Career Outlook

Median Salary of a Healthcare Social Worker

Number of Jobs in the Region

10-year Job Outlook in the Region for Healthcare Social Workers

Healthcare Social Worker

Provide individuals, families, and groups with the psychosocial support needed to cope with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses. Services include advising family care givers, providing patient education and counseling, and making referrals for other services.  

Starting Pay: $36,991

Typical Tasks

• Collaborate with other professionals to evaluate patients' medical or physical condition and to assess client needs.
• Advocate for clients or patients to resolve crises.
• Refer patient, client, or family to community resources to assist in recovery from mental or physical illness and to provide access to services such as financial assistance, legal aid, housing, job placement or education.
• Investigate child abuse or neglect cases and take authorized protective action when necessary.
• Counsel clients and patients in individual and group sessions to help them overcome dependencies, recover from illness, and adjust to life.

Related Programs

• Liberal Arts
• Behavioral Health/Human Services
• Addiction and Recovery Studies Academic Certificate
• Human Services Leadership: Youth, Family, and Community Engagement Proficiency …

Let's Get Started

• School of Public Health

Dr. Matthew Rossheim

Associate professor, health administration & health policy.

Education & Experience: I completed a PhD program in Public Health Sciences at the University of North Texas Health Science Center, as well as a BA in Economics and MPH with a concentration in Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Florida. Prior to joining the UNTHSC School of Public Health as a faculty in 2021, I was a faculty member at George Mason University.

Teaching Areas & Public Health Interests: My primary public health interests are alcohol and tobacco prevention and control. I have taught numerous courses at the undergraduate- and graduate-level on public health research methods as well as health behavior theories. I have also taught courses on statistics, tobacco prevention and control, and injury and violence prevention. As an instructor, I strive to develope interactive lessons for students that help them apply course content to address real-world public health problems.

Professional Activities & Awards: In addition to my research, I have also helped numerous community organizations advocate for laws that help reduce alcohol and tobacco use and related harms in their communities. As an example, I was the project lead on an American Cancer Society grant to support the Tobacco-Free Mason Project, designed to help George Mason University work towards implementing a 100% tobacco-free campus policy. I have also delivered presentations to local alcohol coalitions about my research on “supersized alcopops,” as well as consulted on community assessments and helped develop data books related to alcohol marketing and reports related to the prevention of drinking and driving. I have been an active full member of the American Academy of Health Behavior (AAHB) since 2015.

Scholarly Interests: I have 15 years of experience conducting substance use research to help inform prevention and control efforts, delivering more than 100 presentations and publishing more than 60 peer-reviewed manuscripts on this topic. My research is designed to help guide policies that prevent underage and excessive alcohol use, as well as tobacco and cannabis use initiation. My research focuses on the marketing of substances frequently used by young people including supersized alcopops, electronic cigarettes, and derived psychoactive cannabis products such as delta-8 THC. My research has been cited in reports by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and World Health Organization, as well as in city and county ordinances. Some of my studies on supersized alcopops were cited by the Canadian Government in their regulations that reclassified and restricted the alcohol content of these products to 1.5 standard alcoholic drinks throughout Canada. My research has also been featured in The New York Times, CBS, NBC, CNN, BBC, Washington Post, Newsweek, NPR, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

Link to Dr. Rossheim’s Curriculum Vitae :

Link to Dr. Rossheim’s University Profile :

Link to Derived Psychoactive Cannabis Products :

This page was last modified on January 30, 2024

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Liberty’s graduate programs in counseling, social work receive eight-year accreditations from CACREP, CSWE

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April 15, 2024 : By Office of Communications & Public Engagement

In March, Liberty University’s School of Behavioral Sciences received the maximum of eight additional years of accreditation for all five of its graduate counseling programs through the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs  (CACREP): M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling , (both online and residential formats), M.A. in Marriage, Couple & Family Counseling (residential), M.Ed. in School Counseling (online), and Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision (online).

Additionally in March, Liberty’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program received an eight-year accreditation of its own from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). Achieving full accreditation is a significant achievement with great benefits to MSW students, serving as a testimony to the high quality of the program and enabling students to obtain future licensure as Licensed Master Social Workers and/or Licensed Clinical Social Workers. The B.S. in Social Work, offered both residentially  and  online , received an eight-year accreditation by CSWE last year.

“These accreditations are the national gold standard of quality for these programs, and we look forward to the way this will facilitate our students serving as Champions for Christ in these fields,” said Dr. Kenyon Knapp, dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences. “I am so grateful for the hard work and dedication of our counseling and social work faculty. Although the entire departments were involved, special recognition should go out to the CACREP Liaison team of Dr. David Brown, Dr. Shannan Shiderly, and Dr. Patricia Kimball, as well as to Dr. Christine Fulmer for writing the CSWE self-study and (Department of Social Work chair) Cheryl Nitz for her leadership and coordination.”

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