Overview
The major in Community and Applied Psychological Studies (CAPS) focuses on the promotion of healthy development and well-being. It prepares students to work with people in multiple contexts and settings:
- health and human services
- schools, universities, and community programs
- government and non-government agencies
- grass-roots movements
- socially responsible business and entrepreneurial organizations
By exploring the scholarly and practical interconnections among individual, interpersonal, social, and community approaches to change, students learn to identify barriers to well-being and to implement effective change-oriented strategies and policies. CAPS coursework emphasizes theory, research, and skills. It culminates in a practicum in a setting related to students’ area of interest and prepares them for both graduate studies and careers.
CAPS students must declare an approved second major or a minor either in the School of Education or through any other school or college.
Curriculum Requirements
Community and Applied Psychological Studies
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements 39-42 Credits | ||
| EPS 201 | Psychosocial Change and Well-being | 3 |
| EPS 270 | Lifespan Human Development | 3 |
| EPS 291 | Community and Character Development | 3 |
| EPS 311 | Group Processes and Development | 3 |
| EPS 321 | Understanding Human Service Organizations | 3 |
| EPS 361 | Community Psychology and Development | 3 |
| EPS 371 | Applied Social Research Methods | 3 |
| EPS 411 | The Psychology of Diversity (Or EPS 412, EPS 430 to fulfill the diversity requirement) | 3 |
| or EPS 412 | Migration, Well Being, and Human Development | |
| or EPS 430 | Creating Belonging Through Dialogue | |
| EPS 440 | Listening and Helping Skills. | 3 |
| EPS 452 | Community Program Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| EPS 578 | Human and Social Development Practicum | 3-6 |
| EPS 579 | Human and Social Development Practicum Seminar | 3 |
| And choose (1) course from EPS electives list: EPS 280, EPS 306, EPS 340, EPS 365, EPS 411, EPS 412, EPS 420, EPS 430, EPS 462, MGT 304, EPS 504, EPS 587 | 3 | |
| Other Required Courses | ||
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| MTH 101 | Algebra for College Students (or elective) | 3 |
| EPS 351 | Introduction to Statistics and Research Design 1 | 3 |
| Arts and Humanities Cognate Courses | 9 | |
| STEM Cognate Courses | 9 | |
| Minor | 15 | |
| General Electives | 36 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- 1
This course fulfills the Quantitative Skills requirement.
Suggested Plan of Study
Community and Applied Psychological Studies
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| EPS 201 | Psychosocial Change and Well-being | 3 |
| EPS 270 | Lifespan Human Development | 3 |
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| MTH 101 | Algebra for College Students (or elective) | 3 |
| UMX 100 | The University of Miami Experience | 0 |
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EPS 311 | Group Processes and Development | 3 |
| CAPS Elective | 3 | |
| STEM Cognate | 3 | |
| WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| EPS 291 | Community and Character Development | 3 |
| EPS 361 | Community Psychology and Development | 3 |
| EPS 351 | Introduction to Statistics and Research Design | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| STEM Cognate | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EPS 321 | Understanding Human Service Organizations | 3 |
| EPS 411, 412, or 430 | The Psychology of Diversity (or EPS 412, EPS 430) or Migration, Well Being, and Human Development or Creating Belonging Through Dialogue | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Minor Course or General Elective | 3 | |
| STEM Cognate | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| EPS 371 | Applied Social Research Methods | 3 |
| A&H Cognate | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EPS 440 | Listening and Helping Skills. | 3 |
| Minor Course | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| EPS 452 | Community Program Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EPS 578 | Human and Social Development Practicum | 6 |
| EPS 579 | Human and Social Development Practicum Seminar | 3 |
| Minor Elective (if needed) | ||
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Mission
The major in Community and Applied Psychological Studies (CAPS) seeks to train leading thinkers, professionals, and future scholars in the pursuit of innovative, scientific, and practical approaches to the promotion of healthy development and well-being. Students are exposed to scholarly and applied knowledge bases regarding the interconnectedness of personal, interpersonal, institutional, and community change, barriers to healthy development and well-being at these levels, and strategies and policies that promote well-being in individuals, families, and communities.
Goals
The CAPS major prepares students to enter competitive graduate programs and to work with people in multiple contexts and settings, including:
- health and human services
- schools, universities, and community programs
- government and non-government agencies
- grass-roots movements
- socially responsible corporations.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the field including intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, and community development and well-being; common barriers to well-being at various ecological levels; and strategies to promote healthy development and well-being in individuals, institutions, and communities.
- Students will demonstrate reflective and critical thinking skills.
- Students will demonstrate superior and skillful writing proficiency using language and grammar accurately, efficiently and effectively.
