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The Evaluation & Applied Research Methods PhD program focuses on training you in the design and implementation of impactful evaluations that improve the lives of people across a range of settings, including federal health agencies, educational programs, philanthropic foundations, academia, and more.

CGU’s Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences is a globally recognized leader in evaluation and applied research methods for real-world settings. Here, you’ll receive expert training in one of the preeminent evaluation programs in the country. You’ll embark on a lifetime of meaningful scholarship and practice as you participate in leading research with highly regarded faculty-scholars. Our graduates emerge prepared for top leadership positions in evaluation and applied science in government, business, education, health care, foundations, consulting, and at major universities across the globe.

Program Highlights

Program at a Glance

UNITS
72 units

ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME*
5-7 years

*Actual completion times will vary and may be higher, depending on full- or part-time course registration, units transferred, and time to complete other degree requirements.

COURSES BEGIN
Fall | Spring

DIVISION
Division of Behavioral & Organizational Sciences

DEGREE AWARDED
PhD in Psychology

Featured Courses

PSYCH 315Z
Comparative Evaluation Theory

Provides basic understanding of prevalent evaluation theories, systems for categorizing these theories, the process of theory development in evaluation, and more.

PSYCH 308a
Intermediate Statistics

Studies descriptive techniques, probability theory, basic statistical distributions (binomial, t, z, X2, F), measures of central tendency and variability, sampling distributions, selected nonparametric methods, and hypothesis testing.

PSYCH 315ee
Evaluation Procedures

Explores the three facets of evaluation practice as well as the stages of and methods for conducting program evaluations that are theoretically grounded, practical, and useful.

PSYCH 326
Foundations of Evaluation

Examines the prevalent ideas that underpin evaluation and its practice.

PSYCH 306a
Directed Research Seminar: Evaluation

Requires a 10-hour-per-week commitment to developing and executing a research project with a faculty supervisor who is conducting an ongoing program of evaluation research.

PSYCH 302a
Research Methods

Surveys contemporary research methods in psychology, focusing on research conceptualization, design, and measurement and the logic of minimizing the number of viable alternative explanations for a set of findings.

Curriculum

 

Evaluation Core Courses (12 units)
Theory-Driven Program Evaluation (4 units)
Comparative Evaluation Theory (4 units)
Evaluation Procedures (4 units)

Evaluation & Related Electives (32 units)
Students are often encouraged to take elective courses that help meet their specific career goals. These courses can be selected from the home department of any of the other CGU schools, including the School of Educational Studies, the Drucker School of Management, the Division of Politics & Economics, the Center for Information Systems & Technology, the School of Arts & Humanities, and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences.

Statistics & Methodology (20 units)
Research Methods (4 units)
Directed Research Seminar: Evaluation (two 2-unit courses)
Intermediate Statistics (2 units)
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) (2 units)
Applied Multiple Regression (2 units)
Categorical Data Analysis (2 units)
PSYCH 315 Sequence: Four additional units of Advanced Methodology

Field/Teaching Experience (4 units)
Supervised Teaching Seminar (4 units)
or
Field Placement (4 units)

Transdisciplinary Core Course (4 units)
All PhD students are required to enroll in a transdisciplinary core course from the “TNDY” course sequence during their first three semesters at Claremont Graduate University.

Portfolio
In addition to 72 units of coursework, all students must complete a portfolio that represents a cohesive set of experiences balancing training in their area of specialization.

PhD Completion

  • PhD qualifying exam
  • Dissertation proposal
  • Dissertation and oral defense

In the Field Opportunities
Under the supervision of professionals with expertise in your particular areas of interest, you can participate in fieldwork, research, and paid internships at a range of corporations and organizations, including:

  • Claremont Evaluation Center
  • Institute for Research on Social Issues
  • Southern California Edison Company
  • Kaiser Permanente
  • Orange County Rapid Transit District
  • Riverside County Department of Mental Health

Faculty & Research

Core Faculty
Stewart I. Donaldson profile image

Stewart I. Donaldson

Distinguished University Professor
Executive Director, Claremont Evaluation Center
Executive Director, The Evaluators' Institute (TEI)

Research Interests

Positive Organizational Psychology, Health/Well-Being & Positive Functioning Across Cultures, Program Design & Re-Design, Culturally Responsive Theory-Driven Measurement & Evaluation

Tiffany Berry profile image

Tiffany Berry

Dean, School of Social Science, Policy & Evaluation
Full Research Professor

Research Interests

Educational Program Evaluation, K–12 Educational Curricula, Comprehensive School Reform

 

Extended Faculty
Eusebio Alvaro profile image

Eusebio Alvaro

Full Research Professor

Research Interests

Social Influence Processes, Health Promotion, Disease Prevention & Medicine

William Crano profile image

William Crano

Stuart Oskamp Chair of Psychology

Research Interests

Social Influence, Effects of persuasive information on drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, Minority and majority relationships to health information

Jason T. Siegel profile image

Jason T. Siegel

Professor of Psychology

Research Interests

Social Psychology, Health Psychology, Persuasion, Survey Research

Michael Scriven profile image

Michael Scriven

Distinguished Professor

Research Interests

Philosophy, Mathematics, Evaluation methodologies, Critical thinking, Technology studies, Computer studies

Anna Woodcock profile image

Anna Woodcock

Senior Research Fellow

Research Interests

Identity, Identity balance, Stereotypes, Diversity, STEM, Prejudice, Longitudinal Research, Quasi-Experimental Research, Intervention Evaluation, Theory-driven Interventions, Implicit Bias, Implicit identities

Where You Can Find Our Alumni

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Regina Burch

Assistant Director of Admissions
T: 909-607-9421
E: regina.burch@cgu.edu