All students seeking the Ph.D. in Human Services complete a Foundation course, the Foundation Research Sequence, and three KAMs that focus on the social and behavioral science foundations important to all professions. All students complete the Ph.D. program with a dissertation.
SBSF 8005 Foundations for Doctoral Study (6 cr.)
All beginning Ph.D. in Human Services students are required to successfully complete this course, and are automatically enrolled in it during their first quarter. In this course, students develop a Professional Development Plan and a Plan of Study as their guide to the rest of their program.
Core KAM I: Principles of Social Change (14 cr.)
KAM I offers students perspectives in the social and behavioral sciences and how they influence human values and lifestyles, communication, social networks, and forecasting alternative futures. Students begin to integrate theoretical constructs into practical applications for individual interest areas.
Breadth: SBSF 8110 Theories of Social Change (5 cr.)
Depth: SBSF 8120 Current Research in Social Change (5 cr.)
Application: SBSF 8130 Professional Practice and Social Change (4 cr.)
Core KAM II: Principles of Human Development (14 cr.)
Students examine basic theories and current research on biological, psychosocial, cognitive, and affective human development, including normal developmental patterns and crises that may occur. Students explore developmental questions in the context of both chronological time and underlying physical, social, and psychological experiences.
Breadth: SBSF 8210 Theories of Human Development (5 cr.)
Depth: SBSF 8220 Current Research in Human Development (5 cr.)
Application: SBSF 8230 Professional Practice and Human Development (4 cr.)
Core KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems (14 cr.)
This KAM provides an introduction to systems theories from various disciplines. The primary models of structured system theories are presented as a background and theoretical framework for the other knowledge areas. Also studied are theories that impact micro and macro levels of social, political, and economic systems.
Breadth: SBSF 8310 Theories of Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Depth: SBSF 8320 Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Application: SBSF 8330 Professional Practice and Organizational and Social Systems (4 cr.)
*Criminal Justice Foundational Core KAMs*
Students who plan to declare a specialization in Criminal Justice but do not possess a master’s degree in Criminal Justice or a closely related field, must complete the core KAMs below, instead of the Human Services core KAMs listed above. These KAMs are designed to provide graduate-level foundational knowledge in the areas of social change, human behavior, and organizational and social systems from a criminal justice perspective.
KAM I: Principles of Social Change (14 cr.)
Breadth: SBSF 8110 Theories of Social Change (5 cr.)
Depth: HUMN 8120 Current Research in Social Change: Criminal Justice (5 cr.)
Application: HUMN 8130 Professional Practice and Social Change: Criminal Justice (4 cr.)
KAM II: Principles of Human Development (14 cr.)
Breadth: SBSF 8210 Theories of Human Development (5 cr.)
Depth: HUMN 8220 Current Research in Human Development: Criminal Justice (5 cr.)
Application: HUMN 8230 Professional Practice and Human Development: Criminal Justice (4 cr.)
KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems (14 cr.)
Breadth: SBSF 8310 Theories of Organizational and Social Systems (5 cr.)
Depth: HUMN 8320 Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems: Criminal Justice (5 cr.)
Application: HUMN 8330 Professional Practice and Organizational and Social Systems: Criminal Justice (4 cr.)
The first and second courses are online seminars, requiring students to participate in weekly, Web-based discussions. The third course combines online activities and a 12-hour face-to-face meeting with a Walden residency. Instructors guide discussions, require specific readings and written assignments, and evaluate assignments.
SBSF 8417 Research Seminar I: Human Inquiry and Science (4 cr.)
HUMN 8427 Research Seminar II: Design in Human Services Research (5 cr.)
HUMN 8437 Research Seminar III: Data Analysis in Human Services Research (5 cr.)
HUMN 9000 Dissertation (30 cr.)
