Prevention Science Minor

Prevention science is defined for the purposes of this program as the scientific study of systematic efforts to reduce the incidence of unhealthy or maladaptive behavior, and to promote health and adaptive behavior in populations across the life span through designing and evaluating interventions, and utilizing knowledge about them more strategically.

The fundamental assumption of this free-standing minor is that future researchers and scholars will be most able to meet the challenges and changes occurring in society and in their chosen professions and disciplines if their training is comprehensive and transdisciplinary.

Prevention science is a rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field and this program will increase opportunities for the University's academic researchers to partner with communities to address the complex issues facing society.

Six areas of concentration will be offered. Students will be expected to select one as a major emphasis. Areas of concentration are: 1) promotion of mental health and well being across the life span; 2) interventions in education, health, and social services; 3) social policy; 4) family and community studies (early stage research, needs assessments, action research); 5) methodology; 6) individualized concentration.

For more information about these areas of concentration, visit https://www.cehd.umn.edu/fsos/programs/phd/prev-sci-minor.html