Program Design & Evaluation

EVAL 500: Seminar on Identifying and Characterizing Challenges or Problems

This course provides an overview of key challenges of our time; delving deeply into selected issues to identify and understand applied research approaches to these issues. You will consider theoretical frameworks used to understand and characterize challenges and problems with particular emphasis on contextual factors that create or surround the problem.

EVAL 501: Informed Solution Identification

Focus on models of decision science and solution identification in applied settings. Examine how these models have been applied to prominent challenges, or problems, of the time. You will also learn about models of behavior and system change, and considerations of solution feasibility and contextual parameters as they pertain to the viability of potential solutions. Learn how to apply these models to challenges you are interested in, such as creating sustainable agriculture, reducing homelessness and increasing healthy behaviors.

EVAL 520: Planning, Implementation Science and Scale Up

This course focuses on frameworks and methods of planning, implementation science and project scale up. You will apply these frameworks and approaches to critique and improve policy or program intervention.

EVAL 521: Monitoring and Evaluation

In this course, you will cover the methods and tools of monitoring and evaluation used to address identified challenges or problems. This course will survey different goals of monitoring and evaluation including, for example, practice or program improvement and impact assessment.

EVAL 602: Research Dissemination and Translation to Facilitate Change

Learn the models and methods of disseminating research findings to inform movement to address a challenge or problem. You will learn about audience, the audience and goal-specific messaging framing, data analytics, and findings presentation.

EVAL 551: Community-Based Participatory and Action Research

This course will introduce students to the history and practice of community-based participatory and action research (CBP-AR). Students will critique research approaches to selected challenges using the lens of CBP-AR, and will recommend solutions to better align research with communities.

EVAL 552: Culturally Responsive Engagement with Diverse Populations

EVAL 698: Capstone

MA students will select a challenge or problem area of focus to collectively plan one of several things: a process for informed problem solving, solution scale up, monitoring and evaluation plan, or needs assessment. This should be accomplished with a coalition or partner organization.