Roger Weissberg, Program Director
(312) 413-1012 phone
rpw@uic.edu e-mail
(312) 413-4122 fax

For application materials contact:
Lee Tonon
(312) 996-2434 phone
leetonon@uic.edu e-mail
(312) 413-4122 fax

UIC’s Community and Prevention Research doctoral training prepares students for a variety of action research activities. Program graduates may pursue action research careers in academic settings (e.g., universities, teaching colleges) or in non-academic institutions (community-based organizations, policy institutes, governmental agencies). The doctoral program provides training in the theories and methods of community and prevention research so as to strengthen students’ abilities in creative, critical social thinking. Experience working in community settings is a primary focus in both research and coursework.

Three guiding principles shape this program to facilitate the development of clear, incisive conceptual thinking about community issues. Persons receiving a Ph.D. from this program are expected to be conversant with these themes and issues. These three principles include: (1) Understanding the Social Influences on Human Behavior: (a) The role of an ecological analysis for understanding individuals and communities. (b) The role of historical, social, developmental, and cultural contexts on the expression of individual, organizational, and community behavior. (c) The role of culture, race/ ethnicity, gender, social class, and sexual orientation as resources and constraints for the development of individuals, organizations, and communities. (2) Understanding the Methodologies and Epistemologies of Community and Prevention Research: (a) The role of multiple methods and multidisciplinary perspectives in community and prevention research and action. (b) The role of post-positivistic epistemologies in community and prevention research and action. (c) The role of collaborative research models (participation with citizens, clients, coalitions, organizations, social movements) in community and prevention research and action. (3) Developing Successful Preventive Interventions and Promoting Social Change: (a) The strategies for the creation, implementation, and evaluation of community-based interventions and other methods of creating social change. (b) The dissemination of community-based interventions and other methods of creating social change.

The UIC doctoral program in Community and Prevention Research is committed to education, research, and action to promote diversity and social justice. Our program philosophy and activities emphasize issues of diversity as central for faculty and students. All our core faculty study issues of diversity concerning race, gender, class, sexual orientation, and/or disability. Five of our nine core faculty and eight of our twenty current students are persons of color. We require a course on culture and development for all students. Diversity issues are also included in other coursework. All current students do research and/or engage in community interventions in which issues of diversity are relevant. We are part of one of the most diverse urban campuses in the country in one of the most richly multicultural cities of the world. We believe that only a diverse community psychology can be successful in understanding and collaborating with the multifaceted mosaic of contemporary societies. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds.

One special appeal of the UIC Ph.D. Program in Community and Prevention Research is the strength and diversity of out nine core faculty. Roger Weissberg is an international leader in developing school- community partnerships to strengthen urban children’s mental health. Rob Jagers has received the APA Minority Fellowship Achievement Award for his cutting-edge research on the prosocial development of African-American youth. Olga Reyes is well known for her research and intervention o n the development of and mentoring of Latino/a and African-American adolescents. An emerging leader in community evaluation and an early career award winner from the American Evaluation Association. Robin Miller directs a major research and intervention program on community-based AIDS prevention for young adults and adolescents. Robin and Roger direct the largest NIMH training program in prevention research in the U.S.

Fabricio Balcazar leads a major research and intervention program promoting the empowerment of minority populations and persons with disabilities. Chris Keys is internationally recognized for his work studying and supporting the empowerment of persons with disabilities. Stephnie Riger, a major feminist theorist in community psychology, currently is investigating the impact of welfare reform on violence against women and the evaluation of services for women who have been subject to violence. Becki Campbell, a recipient of the SCRA dissertation award, studies the community response to rape victims and other community issues concerning women and violence. Jim Kelly is a founder of the field of community psychology and an eminent social ecology theorist. Recipient of many national and international honors, he currently is examining the development of grassroots leaders in substance abuse prevention in the African-American community. We are thankful that we have such talented, accomplished faculty who are committed to providing a top quality education to doctoral students in community psychology. We encourage students interested in doctoral study in community and prevention research to contact us.