Community Psychology Program Highlights

​A Strong Commitment to Service and Diversity

DePaul’s Community Psychology program emphasizes cultural diversity throughout its curriculum, research, coursework and fieldwork experiences.

Its philosophy and values align with DePaul’s urban and Vincentian mission — focusing on providing services to and preventing problems among disenfranchised people and communities.

Extensive Research Opportunities

Research in the program focuses primarily on social issues and provides services to underserved populations and nonprofit organizations. You’ll have the opportunity to obtain external funding through government agencies and private foundations, teach and/or conduct research abroad through our Global Growth Experience, mentor graduate and undergraduate students in their research and applied community work, and work on one of the leading journals in community psychology — the Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, which is housed at DePaul.

Faculty members have received national awards for distinguished contributions in research, teaching and service, and serve on the American Psychological Association and Society for Community Research and Action governance boards and committees. They also serve as editors and members on a variety of editorial boards for journals in the field.

You’ll also have the opportunity to do research and evaluation work outside the department at the Steans Center for Community Based Service Learning, the Egan Urban Center, the McNair Scholars Program and the DePaul Family and Community Services.

Research Collaboration

The Community Psychology program collaborates with departments and centers within the university, such as the Center for Community Research, the McNair Scholars Program, the Center for Access and Attainment Research Lab, the DePaul Family and Community Services center and the Center for Urban Education, as well as with more than 50 nonprofit community based organizations, including:

• Chicago Public Schools
  
• Department of Children and Family Services
• Local and National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Myalgic Encephalopathy Organizations
• Oxford House
  
• The Dax Program
  
• Local Rape Crisis Centers and Sexual Assault Response Teams
  
• Other Local, National, and International Universities
  

A Broad Funding Base

Recent faculty research has been funded by:

• Chicago Public Schools
• Department of Justice
  
• National Institutes of Health (e.g., NIDA, NIMH, NICHD, NINDS)
  
• National Science Foundation
  
• Spencer Foundation