The Community Ph.D. Program

The community psychology doctoral program at Wichita State University offers educational, research and practice experiences in real world community organizations and uses an apprenticeship model of education, giving students extensive experience in community research and practice work groups led by faculty mentors.

Educational experiences with community organizations include:

• Strategic planning and visioning with government facilities, human service coalitions, and consumer run organizations;

• Developing, implementing and evaluating innovative programs in prevention, as well as in traditional human services

• Community-based organizations focused on substance abuse prevention, health issues, youth programs, community environmental issues and many other areas.

• Program of research and training to promote patient-centered care giving in gerontology and medicine .

• Learn more about practicum settings: recent Community Psychology practica

Classroom experiences emphasize:

• Theoretical foundations in several core areas of psychology including: social/developmental, cognition/learning, personality/individual differences and the biological bases of behavior;

• Methodological foundations in multivariate analytic techniques including multiple regression, factor analysis, and structural modeling;

• The action research model serves to integrate theory and practice.

• Classroom experiences are interactive and focused on community psychology competencies. 

• Learn more about curriculum: Community Psychology program: curriculum

Wichita provides a rich setting for our program. As a public university WSU has long-established ties to the core leadership of our human service organizations, our medical and educational training facilities, and local business community.

• Learn more about Wichita

• Student Life in Wichita (PDF)

Our graduates have found employment as researchers at NIH, as faculty members at leading universities, as directors of local agencies, and as innovators in human service organizations throughout the region and nation.

Explore more about our department and the Wichita State Community Psychology experience through these videos:

• Voices of Wichita State Community Psychology

For more information: