Students will complete residencies at both San Diego State University (Year 1) and the University of California at San Diego (Year 2). Dissertation units can be taken at both universities. Students must complete a minimum of 60 units and remain in good academic standing (e.g., minimum GPA 3.0)
Program Timeline (typical)
- Year One: 24 semester units at SDSU and mentored research
- Year Two: 36 quarter units at UC San Diego and mentored research
- Year Three: Research and work towards advancing to Candidacy/ Dissertation work (either university)
- Year Four: Dissertation work / Dissertation defense
Fall JDP Courses, SDSU Campus (schedule subject to change)
SW 800 – Etiology and Pharmacology of Substance Use
Prof. Iyas Masannat, 3 units
This seminar is designed to provide fundamental and advanced knowledge about the pharmacology and underlying causes of addiction in the most impactful substances of use and misuse in the U.S. Topics include: opioids and prescription drugs, marijuana, and cocaine among other substances. This class also aims to introduce the students to current research issues related to substance use and treatment of addiction.
SW 801 – Global Approaches to Substance Use Prevention and Treatment
Dr. Mari Zúñiga, 3 units
Using a global health perspective, this course is designed to provide students with an advanced technical understanding of the etiology, epidemiology and prevention and treatment of substance and related problems. The course is comprised of three units reflecting the topical foci and will include: Lectures (guest and by the professor), discussions, student presentation and field trip to a local research & treatment program in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.
SW 880 – Advanced Seminar in Substance Use Research
Dr. Susan Woodruff, 3 units
The purpose of this course is to prepare students to conduct research with focus on substance use topics. This course is designed to introduce students to the process of research as a sequence of events & characterize different approaches to experimental and non-experimental substance use research. Students will learn how to evaluate strengths and weaknesses of various research designs and methods, understand measurement issues, including those related to reliability and validity.
PH 800 – JDP Seminar
Dr. Susan Kiene, 2 units
Research and professional development seminar with Public Health Students
Elective as per mentor and program approval
e.g., statistics, epidemiology, other course relevant to JDP student training needs
Spring 2017 JDP Courses (schedule subject to change)
SW 850 – Theoretical Approaches to Substance Use
Dr. Emily Schmied, 3 units
This broadly focused course will provide students with an overview of current social and behavioral science theories used to understand health-related behavior as well as how these theories can be used to guide the development of behavior change interventions designed to reduce negative health behaviors. We will take an ecological focus (i.e., person-in-environment) for this course and will focus on the application of health behavior theory at multiple levels (person, group, community, etc.). Particular emphasis will be given to discussing health-related disparities and whether current theory is adequate to explain health behavior in light of the disparities in the U.S.
SW 881 – Advanced Multivariate Data Analysis: Applications to Substance Use Research
Dr. Mark Reed, 3 units
This seminar course provides a conceptual overview of advanced multivariate statistical analysis techniques used frequently in substance use/use research as well as application practice. Each week students will learn about a particular data analysis technique and will be asked to analyze data using the technique. Students will read empirical articles in substance use literature which use the multivariate technique discussed during each course session.
SW 702 – U.S.-Mexico Border Health, Emphasis on Substance Use
Dr. Mari Zúñiga, 3 units
The seminar advances understanding of policies and research related to health and substance use in the U.S.-Mexico border region and among migrant populations (e.g. deportation policies on substance use behavior). Students explore intersection of substance use research, policy & substance use risk.
SW 897 – Independent/Dissertation Research
3-6 units
Independent Research (pre-Candidacy) or Dissertation Research (Advanced Candidacy Status); can be taken 6 units maximum per semester (AY)
SW 899 – Dissertation Defense