Concentration in Research Methodology

Program Description

The Ph.D. in Behavioral Science is a research-intensive program with a strong focus on topics in health psychology and methodology. The research methodology concentration provides a rigorous base of both broad knowledge and specialized expertise in methodological and data analytic skills and equips students to produce scholarly research in the development and application of advanced quantitative methodology.

Degrees Offered

PhD

Faculty and Research Interests

  • Theodore Walls: Intensive longitudinal data, device-based tracking studies, citizen-centered health science, developmental aspects of health behavior
  • Manshu Yang: missing data analysis, longitudinal data analysis, causal inference in clinical trials, psychometrics
  • Christopher Urban: statistical models for understanding and predicting complex behavioral patterns, machine learning methods for behavioral data
  • Mixed methods: The program has been approved for a new hire in mixed methods, to start in fall 2025

We also have affiliated faculty from departments of computer science, statistics, education, and pharmacy, with interests in machine learning, big data, Bayesian statistics, categorical data, survival analysis, and differential equation modeling.

Admissions Information

GRE scores are optional. See specific admission requirements at: https://web.uri.edu/psychology/academics/ph-d-program/behavioral-science/admission/. Applications are due December 1. Applicants are strongly encouraged to identify faculty members that they are interested in working with in their application materials. Faculty follow up in January and February, offers are rolled out through March. Students have until mid-April to decide. A limited number of application fee waivers may be available for international applicants.

Funding

Departmental and university assistantships and fellowships, as well as loans, are available to help finance doctoral education. Students seeking departmental funding typically receive at least two years of support in the form of teaching assistantships. Support beyond two years is usually available through a variety of mechanisms, including faculty grant support, assistantship positions from other University departments and offices, and external placements. Nearly all students are supported over the full course of their studies. Program faculty will work with students to identify sources of support.

Mentoring / Student Engagement Philosophy

Students will work closely with a major professor who has overall responsibility for shaping and approving student progress and providing research guidance. Occasionally two faculty members will co-mentor if desired. Students will be offered many opportunities for research collaboration with multiple faculty members and other graduate students, either within the psychology department or across disciplines.