Doctor of Philosophy in Human Services

This entry point course provides the historical context and development of the human services field. This course examines the historical context and the evolution of health and human services professions. Students will study the origins of the profession and evaluate ways in which philosophical and ideological perspectives have defined the fields of practice throughout its history. Students will analyze the ways service delivery and social policy has changed in response to political influence and societal needs. Students will explore the differing political, social, and economic perspectives and their influence on health and human services professions.

This required core course examines cutting edge trends in the formation and execution of human services policy in public and private organizations. Selected topics include the current human services climate, forces driving policy formation and execution, and issues related to the future of human services policy. The topics selected will connect human service policy with culture, change theory, existing organizational strategies, and the process of change in future directions. Effective mechanisms to influence policy are emphasized. Major case study examples of human services policy are included in the learning process. Students will also engage in activities intended to help prepare them for the doctoral journey.

RES 7115 will introduce students to the foundations for conducting effective research. Students will develop critical thinking skills to support doctoral research endeavors, learning how to craft logical arguments based on thorough evaluation of the literature. They will explore different types of sources to develop the background and rationale for doctoral research as applied to their respective program content.  Key outcomes include critical analysis of scholarly research and application of conceptual and theoretical frameworks to support development of individual research aspirations.

Students will apply advanced critical thinking skills in this course designed to expose them to a broad range of essential organizational operations and extend students’ existing knowledge base on the workings of human services administration. In addition to exploration of volunteer recruitment, retention and management, marketing, cross-disciplinary regulations, development, and implementation of policy, change management, fund-raising, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in organizations will be studied. The critical focus will apply to leadership theories and organizational behavior aimed at positions of leadership within an organization.

This course examines the theories and research underlying the political, economic, and social structures related to community groups and organizations within contemporary society. Students analyze methods of creating communities and social organizations that empower and support individuals to work together to initiate change, with or without the assistance of outside advocacy. Students develop skills to create and assess community action plans, incorporate persuasive language into client advocacy, and organize political action groups to seek opportunities for themselves and others. There is a focus on social and economic justice within the context of human services' ethics that supports and sustains the well-being of individuals and communities, especially among diverse populations.

This course involves the advanced study of research design, and the quantitative methods that can be used in addressing research questions. Students will gain experience developing their own research ideas and learning how to select and apply appropriate research designs to test those ideas. Through the process of critiquing research articles, students will also learn how to evaluate which research designs would be appropriate to test various areas of inquire, as well as how to communicate the methods and results of particular quantitative studies. Students will be required to complete a training on ethics in research, as well as complete a quantitative research proposal in an area of interest, which may include dissertation related research.

In this case study-based course on social determinants of human services and aspects of diversity, students will examine the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age in varying US and global social systems and demographics. Students will explore social constructs, correlates of behavior, impact of social and community structure on status, and disparities within diverse communities. Students will apply social and behavioral theories of human service resources, strategies, methods, ethics, and public policy.

This financial and grant management course critically examines and identifies various accounting and financial knowledge related to the establishment and monitoring of financial strategies, policies, and tools within a government or private human services organization or service. In addition, financial management roles and responsibilities, advanced grant writing principles and techniques, and ethical financial practices and accountability will be explored and developed.

This course involves the advanced study of research design, in general, and the qualitative inquiry, in particular, that can be used in addressing research questions. The epistemological assumptions underlying the qualitative methodology will be explored as students become familiar with the philosophical issues underlying how we know what we know. The ability to choose a researchable topic and create associated research questions will be emphasized. Students will become familiar with a variety of approaches including ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenology, narrative, participatory action research, and case study. A variety of common data collection methods will be studied, such as observation, interviews, surveys, and historical document collection. Validation and reliability standards, as well as evaluation criteria for qualitative approaches will be addressed. Students will be required to complete training on ethics in research, as well as complete a qualitative research proposal in an area of interest, which may include dissertation related research.

In this advanced seminar in ethical decision making in the workplace, students will examine a variety of moral problems that arise in organizations through case studies. Students will apply three ethical theories to guide them in identifying solutions that are consistent with their own values but also logically sound and impartial to emotional appeal. This work will prepare students to identify and confront practical moral problems, especially regarding corporate social responsibility and moral leadership, and to articulate their moral positions in argumentative essay form.

This course will provide students with a comprehensive step-by-step approach to performance and quality management in human service organizations that provide services to underserved communities. Students will investigate the quality of service delivery, assess risks, and identify quality/outcome indicators associated with the efficacy of the programs provided by human service organizations. Additional focus will be placed on the areas of methodological, ethical, political, and organizational foundations that enable students to create a performance and management plan to improve service delivery that is supported by research evidence that stakeholders may use to enhance their programs’ effectiveness.

This course demonstrates the value of evidence-based practice as an integral part of formulating human services research and policy. Course work examines the current definition of evidence-based policy and approaches to move the field forward. The course provides an evaluation of evidence-based literature, including case study examples of the application of evidence-based practices in human services. The course also examines actions to further evidence-based policy, including preparing and communicating data more effectively, using existing analytic tools, conducting policy surveillance, and tracking outcomes with different types of evidence.

This course will apply a hands-on approach to understanding the unique needs of vulnerable and underserved populations in the human services field. Students will explore all of the following and select one to complete a practical project incorporating the study of and recommendations for specific needs of: military members and their families, veterans, homeless individuals and homeless families, immigrants, the geriatric community, medically underserved, chronically and severely mentally ill, single parents, the uninsured, economically disadvantaged children and families, those with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], racial/ethnic minorities, incarcerated individuals and their families, or any other instructor approved demographic population.

This course explores the past, present, and future of various human services information technology modalities from the basics of computer literacy, telecommunications, networking, accounting and administrative applications, to security issues and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). With evolving changes in laws and policies, such as implementation of the Affordable Care Act, this course is recommended for those students interested in staying abreast of the latest in cutting-edge technologies that coincide with this and other legislative initiatives impacting the human services field.

This practical program review and evaluation course for the human services discipline will employ a hands-on approach ultimately culminating in a hypothetical program evaluation and service-level improvement by completing weekly process goals, to include analysis of a completed needs assessment survey. The course will provide students with all materials needed in order to evaluate the complex program presented and complete tasks to ultimately modify it by the end of the term.

RES 7120 will build upon fundamental concepts for conducting effective research introduced in RES7115, including critical analysis of ideas and information. Students will incorporate ethical considerations as they explore various research approaches. They will solidify the background and rationale for proposed research aligned with their respective program content, including application of relevant conceptual and theoretical frameworks in an elaborated literature review. Key outcomes include skills for generating research for scholarly and professional application. Prerequisite: RES 7115.

Students with interest in qualitative research, or with a desire to utilize this methodology for their respective doctoral dissertation, will be given an opportunity to greatly expand their existing knowledge base on qualitative research methodology. Students may elect to begin working on a preliminary proposal for their doctoral dissertation (or select and explore a topic of interest that may become the dissertation topic) for the culminating project in this course.

RES 8780 will build upon fundamental skills and knowledge gained throughout the doctoral program of study. Students will advance their research aspirations by constructing concept and literature maps leading to a research design. Key outcomes include research background and rationale, testable research questions that are aligned to appropriate methodologies, and proposed data visualization. Students will demonstrate mastery of the research design life cycle including research and writing skills as applied to their respective program content.

In this course, students begin drafting their dissertation under instructor supervision. Students working individually on their dissertation drafts focus on the description of their topic, refinement of their research questions, and outlining their review of the literature with feedback and recommendations for revisions from their instructor. Final approval of these drafts of portions of the dissertation rests with the student's individual dissertation committees, as described in the current Dissertation Handbook, as revised from time to time. Following the procedures outlined in the Handbook, students may form their committees before, during, or after their enrollment and completion of Dissertation Planning I and II.

In this course students continue drafting their dissertation from Dissertation Planning I under instructor supervision. Students working individually on their dissertation drafts focus on further refinement of the description of their topic, the final draft wording of their research questions, and beginning to write their review of the literature and research methodology with feedback and recommendations for revisions from their instructor. Students will exchange research concepts and proposed approaches about their research methodology with other students proposing similar methods (qualitative, quantitative, mixed, action). Final approval of these drafts of portions of the dissertation rests with the student's individual dissertation committees, as described in the current Dissertation Handbook, as revised from time to time. Following the procedures outlined in the Handbook, students may form their committees before, during or after their enrollment and completion of Dissertation Planning I and II.

Students writing a dissertation must complete a minimum of 5 credits by registering for five terms of dissertation credit, one credit per term. Dissertations are written per the policies, practices, and procedures in the Dissertation Handbook. *Students satisfactorily progressing through the dissertation experience, but not meeting the required milestones in the designated timeframe, will be required to reenroll in the corresponding dissertation experience. Students needing more than two reenrollments in any of the dissertation courses will need to appeal to re-enroll to remain in the program and complete the designated milestone(s). Prerequisites: completion of all required coursework and Dissertation Planning II

Students writing a dissertation must complete a minimum of 5 credits by registering for five terms of dissertation credit, one credit per term. Dissertations are written per the policies, practices, and procedures in the Dissertation Handbook. *Students satisfactorily progressing through the dissertation experience, but not meeting the required milestones in the designated timeframe, will be required to reenroll in the corresponding dissertation experience. Students needing more than two reenrollments in any of the dissertation courses will need to appeal to re-enroll to remain in the program and complete the designated milestone(s). Prerequisites: completion of all required coursework and RES 8971 Dissertation I

Students writing a dissertation must complete a minimum of 5 credits by registering for five terms of dissertation credit, one credit per term. Dissertations are written per the policies, practices, and procedures in the Dissertation Handbook. *Students satisfactorily progressing through the dissertation experience, but not meeting the required milestones in the designated timeframe, will be required to reenroll in the corresponding dissertation experience. Students needing more than two reenrollments in any of the dissertation courses will need to appeal to re-enroll to remain in the program and complete the designated milestone(s). Prerequisites: completion of all required coursework and RES 8972 Dissertation II

Students writing a dissertation must complete a minimum of 5 credits by registering for five terms of dissertation credit, one credit per term. Dissertations are written per the policies, practices, and procedures in the Dissertation Handbook. *Students satisfactorily progressing through the dissertation experience, but not meeting the required milestones in the designated timeframe, will be required to reenroll in the corresponding dissertation experience. Students needing more than two reenrollments in any of the dissertation courses will need to appeal to re-enroll to remain in the program and complete the designated milestone(s). Prerequisites: completion of all required coursework and RES 8973 Dissertation III

Students writing a dissertation must complete a minimum of 5 credits by registering for five terms of dissertation credit, one credit per term. Dissertations are written per the policies, practices, and procedures in the Dissertation Handbook. *Students satisfactorily progressing through the dissertation experience, but not meeting the required milestones in the designated timeframe, will be required to reenroll in the corresponding dissertation experience. Students needing more than two reenrollments in any of the dissertation courses will need to appeal to re-enroll to remain in the program and complete the designated milestone(s). Prerequisites: completion of all required coursework and RES 8974 Dissertation IV