Mail Code: 94305-5411
Phone: 650-498-9059
Web Site: chpr.stanford.edu
Courses offered by the Stanford Prevention Research Center within the Department of Medicine are listed under the subject code CHPR on the Stanford Bulletin’s ExploreCourses website.
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Community Health and Prevention Research (CHPR) covers the study and treatment of leading risk behaviors (e.g., poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, stress, distress) to prevent the prevailing causes of morbidity and mortality (e.g., cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, lung disease, mental illness) with a focus on engaging and advancing health in diverse communities.
Community health and prevention research are complementary fields increasingly integrated to promote health and prevent chronic diseases in individuals, families, local communities, states, and countries, globally. Community health refers to the scientific discipline of safeguarding and enhancing the wellbeing of diverse communities and populations through education, the promotion of healthy lifestyle habits, and the extensive study of disease and disease determinants. Prevention research is a multidisciplinary scientific field that aims to enhance the health of populations through the study of genetic, behavioral, lifestyle, environmental, and policy factors that lead to disease or vitality.
The M.S. in CHPR is designed for students pursuing health-related careers focusing on chronic disease prevention, health and wellness promotion, and the pursuit of health equity. We anticipate the M.S. in CHPR will be attractive to Stanford’s current (coterminal) undergraduates and graduate students, students in the health professions (e.g., medical students), health care providers seeking a second degree, and individuals who will later seek advanced degrees in medicine, nursing, or health/science-related doctoral programs.
The M.S. in CHPR is available to:
- Current Stanford undergraduates (who must complete the M.S. as a coterminal master’s program)
- Current Stanford graduate students (i.e., master’s, doctoral, and medical students)
- External applicants.
All students in the program must complete the M.S.’s core curriculum and program requirements.
The University requirements for the M.S. degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.
Master of Science in Community Health and Prevention Research
The Stanford Prevention Research Center within the Department of Medicine offers a Master of Science (M.S.) in Community Health and Prevention Research (CHPR). The M.S. in CHPR is available to external applicants, to current undergraduates via the coterminal master's program, and to graduate students at Stanford.
The purpose of the M.S. in CHPR is to:
- engage students from a range of backgrounds in didactic and experiential learning opportunities with the goal of gaining an in-depth understanding of community health and prevention research applications in diverse practice settings
- prepare future public health professionals to responsibly and effectively address health challenges faced by diverse communities across the life course.
In the M.S. in CHPR, students:
- study patterns of chronic diseases in diverse communities and settings and examine how prevention can optimize health and promote health equity at the individual, family, community, and population level
- critically interpret and evaluate research on community health and prevention
- become involved in research teams that encourage health equity promotion and social responsibility
- gain and hone methodological skills including research study design, study implementation, and data analysis related to community health and prevention research
- utilize translational research and applied science in a community-based research internship with the expectation that they design, implement, and assess health and wellness solutions addressing preventable community health challenges
-
complete a master’s thesis.
Admission for External Applicants
The application deadline for Autumn 2016-17 entry into the M.S. program is December 1, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST). As part of their program application, all applicants (not including coterminal applicants) must submit the following required application materials. Instructions on how to submit these application materials can be found on Stanford's Graduate Admission's web site.
- 3 letters of recommendation
- At least one letter of recommendation should be from a faculty member at the last school you attended as a full-time student (unless you have been out of school for more than five years).
- GRE scores (valid MCAT scores may be submitted in lieu of GRE scores)
- TOEFL scores (if necessary)
- Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- Statement of purpose
- The statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at Stanford, your preparation for this field of study, research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
- Official transcript(s) from all postsecondary institutions you have attended as a full-time student for one year (i.e., three quarters or two semesters) or longer.
- You must upload one scanned version of your official transcript(s) in the online application and mail two official copies to the Stanford Prevention Research Center within the Department of Medicine.
- $125 application fee
- This application fee is assessed regardless of admission decision.
University Coterminal Requirements
Coterminal master’s degree candidates are expected to complete all master’s degree requirements as described in this bulletin. University requirements for the coterminal master’s degree are described in the “Coterminal Master’s Program” section. University requirements for the master’s degree are described in the "Graduate Degrees" section of this bulletin.
After accepting admission to this coterminal master’s degree program, students may request transfer of courses from the undergraduate to the graduate career to satisfy requirements for the master’s degree. Transfer of courses to the graduate career requires review and approval of both the undergraduate and graduate programs on a case by case basis.
In this master’s program, courses taken three quarters prior to the first graduate quarter, or later, are eligible for consideration for transfer to the graduate career. No courses taken prior to the first quarter of the sophomore year may be used to meet master’s degree requirements.
Course transfers are not possible after the bachelor’s degree has been conferred.
The University requires that the graduate adviser be assigned in the student’s first graduate quarter even though the undergraduate career may still be open. The University also requires that the Master’s Degree Program Proposal be completed by the student and approved by the department by the end of the student’s first graduate quarter.
Coterminal Admission
The application deadline for Autumn 2016-17 entry into the M.S. program is December 1, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).
Stanford undergraduates may apply to the M.S. program once the following conditions have been met:
- Applicants must have earned 120 units toward graduation (UTG) as shown on the undergraduate unofficial transcript. This includes allowable Advanced Placement (AP) and transfer credit.
- Applicants must have a major(s) declared.
- Applicants must have completed six non-Summer quarters at Stanford (or two non-summer quarters at Stanford for transfer students).
As part of their program application, applicants must submit the following required application materials. Instructions on how to submit these application materials can be found on the CHPR program web site.
- Application for admission to coterminal master's program (paper format)
- Supplemental online application form (see CHPR program website)
- Statement of purpose
- The statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at Stanford, your preparation for this field of study, research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
- Resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
- Preliminary program proposal
- Two letters of recommendation from Stanford professors
- 1 copy of your Stanford transcript (unofficial transcripts are acceptable)
- $125 application fee (this fee is assessed by the Registrar's Office to those accepted and matriculated into the program).
Admission for Current Stanford Graduate Students
- Current Stanford graduate students include master’s, doctoral, and medical students who are currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at Stanford. Current Stanford postdoctoral scholars must apply as external applicants.
- The application deadline for Autumn 2016-17 entry into the M.S. program is December 1, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).
- On a case-by-case basis, current Stanford graduate students may be allowed to apply to the program after the December 1, 2015 application deadline.
Required Application Materials: Instructions on how to submit these application materials can be found on the CHPR program web site.
- Completed Current Graduate Student Online Application Form
- Resume/CV
- Transcript (unofficial transcripts are acceptable)
- Valid GRE, MCAT, or GMAT scores (i.e., the test scores students submitted to their original graduate program at Stanford)
- Statement of Purpose
- The Statement of Purpose should describe succinctly the reasons for applying to the proposed program at Stanford, preparation for this field of study, research interests, future career plans, and other aspects of the applicant's background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
- 2 letters of recommendation from Stanford professors
- $125 application fee
Core Curriculum and Program Requirements (45 units)
To complete the M.S. in CHPR, students must complete a minimum of 45 units, conduct a two-quarter community-based research internship, and write a master’s thesis. All students in the M.S. in CHPR must also fulfill the course requirements below. Students are advised to check the prerequisites for all CHPR courses, especially the Biostatistics courses.
| Units | ||
|---|---|---|
| CHPR Foundation Core | ||
| Take 5 courses, 14 total units | ||
| CHPR 210: Prevention Across Medical Disciplines (Spring) | 3 | |
| CHPR 225 | The Role of Causal Inference, Study Design, & Outcomes in Community Research (Autumn) | 4 |
| CHPR 228 | Theoretical Foundations and Design of Behavioral Intervention Trials (Winter) | 3 |
| CHPR 240 | Prevention Research and Public Health: the Science of Healthy Living (Winter) | 3 |
| CHPR 255 | The Responsible Conduct of Research for Clinical and Community Researchers (Autumn, Spring) | 1 |
| Biostatistics and Research Methods | ||
| Take 3 of the 5 courses or other approved Biostatistics and Research Methods courses, minimum 9 total units | ||
| CHPR 206 | Meta-research: Appraising Research Findings, Bias, and Meta-analysis (Winter) | 3 |
| MED 247 | Methods in Community Assessment, Evaluation, and Research (Spring) | 3 |
| CHPR 254 | Disease control systems: epidemics, outbreaks, and modeling for public health (Autumn) | 4 |
| HRP 259 | Introduction to Probability and Statistics for Epidemiology (Autumn) | 3-4 |
| CHPR 290 | Advanced Statistical Methods for Observational Studies (CHPR students must take course for 3 units) (Spring) | 2-3 |
| Weekly Internship Course | ||
| Take course for 3 quarters, 3 total units | ||
| CHPR 239 | Program Internship and Engagement (Autumn, Winter, Spring) | 1 |
| Community-Based Research Internship | ||
| Take course for 2 consecutive non-summer quarters, 6 total units | ||
| CHPR 299: Community-Based Research Internship (Autumn, Winter, Spring) | 3 | |
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Take course for 1 or more quarters, minimum 3 total units | ||
| CHPR 399: Graduate Research (Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer) | 1-3 | |
Community-Based Research Internship
Students must complete a consecutive two-quarter long community-based research internship under the supervision of an SPRC faculty mentor. Students will receive 6 total units for their internships, which are all unpaid positions. The primary learning goal of these internships is for students to apply their coursework and implementation science in a community or lab setting by engaging community members and faculty to create innovative, research-based, chronic disease prevention solutions addressing community health challenges.
SPRC has currently identified over 40 placement opportunities for potential internships. Our community partners include K-12 schools, social service agencies/shelters, religious and ethnic community organizations, advocacy/activist groups, health care organizations, SPRC’s WELL Living Lab, campus partners at Stanford, and many more.
- CHPR students (not including coterminal students) enroll in CHPR 239 Program Internship and Engagement during the Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters and CHPR 299 Community-Based Research Internship during the Winter and Spring quarters.
- Coterminal students must fulfill the following requirements in order to enroll in CHPR 239 Program Internship and Engagement and CHPR 299 Community-Based Research Internship:
- Complete or be enrolled in one of the following courses:
- Complete or be enrolled in at least 1 approved Biostatistics course.
- For the 2015-16 academic year, the earliest that students may begin their community-based research internships is in the Winter Quarter.
- For coterminal students who plan to begin their community-based research internships in the Winter Quarter 2016, it is highly recommended that they follow the below sequence:
- Autumn Quarter: Take at least one of the following courses:
- Winter Quarter: If only CHPR 225 or CHPR 254 is completed in Autumn Quarter, it is recommended that students take the following Winter Quarter course:
- If CHPR 225 is completed in Autumn Quarter, then take CHPR 206 Meta-research: Appraising Research Findings, Bias, and Meta-analysis.
- If CHPR 254 is completed in Autumn Quarter, then take CHPR 228 Theoretical Foundations and Design of Behavioral Intervention Trials.
Master's Thesis
Students are required to complete and present a master’s thesis. The master’s thesis allows students to demonstrate knowledge, application, and thoughtful scholarly communication of theoretical principles central to community health interventions, study design, research and analytic methods, as well as depth in a substantive area of community health and prevention research. The thesis is intended to be 30 pages in length (i.e., article-length), double-spaced, including supporting tables, figures, and references. The thesis can take one of the following forms:
- Analysis of original data collected via a student’s internship
- Comprehensive literature review with meta-analysis of data or critical reanalysis of data
- Evaluation of a methodological problem using data
- Comprehensive literature review with a grant proposal (NIH-style format) for a new study to bridge a gap in existing knowledge
- Organizational health improvement and evaluation plan written for a student’s internship organization
- Faculty mentor approved, independently designed thesis.
The program encourages students to use extant data sets for their projects. Students are not limited to quantitative data sets; many SPRC faculty possess qualitative data sets that may be analyzed for an M.S. thesis project. Students also have the option of collecting original data, for example, through the use of surveys. Students are encouraged to develop their thesis into a manuscript for publication or a credible research grant application, and mentorship is provided to do so.
Director of the Stanford Prevention Research Center: John Ioannidis
Core Faculty and Academic Staff
Professors: John Ioannidis, Randall Stafford, Marcia Stefanick
Associate Professors: Judith J. Prochaska (Program Faculty Director)
Assistant Professors: Mike Baiocchi, Sanjay Basu
Senior Research Scientists: Wes Alles, Michaela Kiernan
Instructors: Lisa Goldman Rosas, Sonoo Thadaney (Program Staff Director)
Courses
CHPR 125. The Role of Causal Inference, Study Design, and Outcomes in Community Research. 3-4 Units.
(Same as CHPR 225) Provides foundational concepts and principles of epidemiology and other disciplines as they pertain specifically to research on the prevention of chronic disease. Focuses on application of this perspective in multiple disease and health behavior contexts to diverse communities across the life course. Provides foundational skills in epidemiology, including the measurement of disease and health behaviors, measures of association, and study design with close attention to minimizing error. Readings focus on the need and opportunity for interdisciplinary prevention and treatment approaches and illustrates how to conduct innovative research. Students enrolling for 4 units complete review paper on a specific topic mutually agreed upon with the instructor. Graduate students enroll in CHPR 225.
CHPR 200. SPRC/GMD Research Seminar. 1 Unit.
Focus is on research on prevention of chronic disease and related topics. Guest speakers present material. CHPR students enroll for a letter grade.
CHPR 206. Meta-research: Appraising Research Findings, Bias, and Meta-analysis. 3 Units.
Open to graduate, medical, and undergraduate students. Appraisal of the quality and credibility of research findings; evaluation of sources of bias. Meta-analysis as a quantitative (statistical) method for combining results of independent studies. Examples from medicine, epidemiology, genomics, ecology, social/behavioral sciences, education. Collaborative analyses. Project involving generation of a meta-research project or reworking and evaluation of an existing published meta-analysis. Prerequisite: knowledge of basic statistics.
Same as: HRP 206, MED 206, STATS 211
CHPR 212. Methods for Health Care Delivery Innovation, Implementation and Evaluation. 2 Units.
Preference given to postgraduate fellows and graduate students. Focus is on implementation science and evaluation of health care delivery innovations. Topics include implementation science theory, frameworks, and measurement principles; qualitative and quantitative approaches to designing and evaluating new health care models; hybrid design trials that simultaneously evaluate implementation and effectiveness; distinction between quality improvement and research, and implications for regulatory requirements and publication; and grant-writing strategies for implementation science and evaluation. Students will develop a mock (or actual) grant proposal to conduct a needs assessment or evaluate a Stanford/VA/community intervention, incorporating concepts, frameworks, and methods discussed in class. Priority for enrollment for CHPR 212 will be given to CHPR master's students.
Same as: HRP 218, MED 212
CHPR 213. Healthy/Sustainable Food Systems: Maximum Sustainability across Health, Economics, and Environment. 4 Units.
(HumBio students must enroll in HUMBIO 113S) Discussion-based seminar. Focus on problems with and systems-based solutions to food system issues. Four particular settings are addressed: University, worksite, hospital, and school food. Traditional vs. disruptive food system models compared and contrasted. The goal is to determine how best to maximize sustainability across several dimensions, including health, economics, and the environment. Underlying class themes include social justice and the potential for changing social norms around food production and consumption.
Same as: HUMBIO 113S
CHPR 223. Obesity in America: Clinical and Public Health Implications. 3-4 Units.
(HumBio students must enroll in HUMBIO 123.)Interdisciplinary clinical, research, and policy approaches. The prevalence, predictors, and consequences of obesity and diabetes; biological and physiological mechanisms; clinical treatments including medications and surgery; and the relevance of behavioral, environmental, economic, and policy approaches to obesity prevention and control. Prerequisite: Human Biology core or equivalent, or consent of instructor.
Same as: HUMBIO 123
CHPR 225. The Role of Causal Inference, Study Design, & Outcomes in Community Research. 3-4 Units.
(Same as CHPR 125) Provides foundational concepts and principles of epidemiology and other disciplines as they pertain specifically to research on the prevention of chronic disease. Focuses on application of this perspective in multiple disease and health behavior contexts to diverse communities across the life course. Provides foundational skills in epidemiology, including the measurement of disease and health behaviors, measures of association, and study design with close attention to minimizing error. Readings focus on the need and opportunity for interdisciplinary prevention and treatment approaches and illustrates how to conduct innovative research. Students enrolling for 4 units complete review paper on a specific topic mutually agreed upon with the instructor. CHPR students enroll in CHPR 225 for a letter grade.
CHPR 226. Promoting Health Over the Life Course: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. 3 Units.
(HUMBIO students must enroll in HUMBIO 126.) Disease prevention and health promotion topics pertinent to different stages of the life span emphasizing healthy lifestyle and reducing risk factors in both individuals and communities. Focus is on scientific investigation, the application of behavioral science to risk reduction strategies, and the importance of health promotion as a social and economic imperative. Topics include: epidemiology of chronic diseases; social determinants of health, behavior change; obesity, nutrition, and stress; children, young adult, mid-life and aging health issues; health care delivery and public health system; workplace wellness programs; and other additional issues. Prerequisite: Human Biology core or equivalent, or consent of instructor.
Same as: HUMBIO 126
CHPR 228. Theoretical Foundations and Design of Behavioral Intervention Trials. 3 Units.
Focuses on the knowledge and skills, respect and thoughtful practice of designing health promotion interventions that are relevant, theoretically-informed, have broad impacts, and can endure. Provides an in-depth review of intervention approaches for health promotion and disease prevention and covers the leading theories of behavior change. Follows an integrative model to demonstrate similarities and differences between the theoretical approaches, seeking what is useful and worthwhile in each theoretical model rather than looking primarily for what is most easily criticized. Practical in nature with emphasis on the specifics of needs assessments and intervention development and delivery and how these may vary across community settings, with diverse populations, addressing different behaviors, and leveraging traditional and emerging delivery channels. Explores intervention creation, delivery, effectiveness, and sustainability to identify and better understand the resources and other practical considerations necessary to produce, deliver, monitor, and disseminate an intervention with demonstrated effectiveness. Examples drawn from across the behavioral spectrum and include tobacco control, physical activity, healthy diet, stress and distress, as well as consideration of the complexities of extending interventions to target multiple risk behaviors. Students develop a foundational understanding of behavior change theory, rigorous research methods, and creative design strategies to advance the health of individuals and communities.
CHPR 231. Human Nutrition. 4 Units.
The study of food, and the nutrients and substances therein. Their action, interaction, and balance in relation to health and disease. Emphasis is on the biological, chemical, and physiological processes by which humans ingest, digest, absorb, transport, utilize, and excrete food. Dietary composition and individual choices are discussed in relationship to the food supply, and to population and cultural, race, ethnic, religious, and social economic diversity. The relationships between nutrition and disease; ethnic diets; vegetarianism; nutritional deficiencies; nutritional supplementation; phytochemicals. HUMBIO students must enroll in HUMBIO 130.
Same as: HUMBIO 130
CHPR 239. Program Internship and Engagement. 1 Unit.
Enrollment limited to students in Master of Science in Community Health and Prevention. This course is designed to provide students in the Master of Science In Community Health & Prevention Research program with supervision and guidance as they conduct their Internships. Focus is on skills which will help students conduct productive Internships with community partners and faculty. Provides a space where students can reflect on their internship experiences and consider how they may connect with their coursework and/or future career aspirations. Students in this course engage regularly in peer learning and mentoring and receive feedback from PIE course instructors. Guest speakers and professional development workshops also an important component of this course.
Same as: PIE
CHPR 240. Prevention Research and Public Health: the Science of Healthy Living. 3 Units.
Features the research of faculty in the Stanford Prevention Research Center and focuses on key health issues over the life course (prenatal through childhood, young to middle-aged, older and elderly adults). Topics include chronic disease (global and U.S.) epidemiology; application of behavioral science to risk reduction; nutrition; weight management; physical activity; stopping smoking; public health; community health and community-based prevention; national prevention strategy; applying communication technology to health promotion.
CHPR 247. Methods in Community Assessment, Evaluation, and Research. 3 Units.
Development of pragmatic skills for design, implementation, and analysis of structured interviews, focus groups, survey questionnaires, and field observations. Topics include: principles of community-based participatory research, including importance of dissemination; strengths and limitations of different study designs; validity and reliability; construction of interview and focus group questions; techniques for moderating focus groups; content analysis of qualitative data; survey questionnaire design; and interpretation of commonly-used statistical analyses.
Same as: MED 147, MED 247
CHPR 254. Disease control systems: epidemics, outbreaks, and modeling for public health. 4 Units.
(HumBio students must enroll in HUMBIO 154A.)This course teaches operations research and modeling techniques to improve public health programs and disease control systems. Students will engage in in-depth interdisciplinary study of disease detection and control strategies from a "systems science" perspective, which involves the use of common mathematical modeling and operations research techniques such as optimization, queuing theory, Markov and Kermack-McKendrick models, and microsimulation. Lectures and problem sets will focus on applying these techniques to classical public health dilemmas such as how to optimize screening programs, reduce waiting times for healthcare services, solve resource allocation problems, and compare macro-scale disease control strategies that cannot be easily evaluated through randomized trials. Readings will complement the lectures and problem sets by offering critical perspectives from the public health history, sociology, and epidemiology. In-depth case studies from non-governmental organizations, departments of public health, and international agencies will drive the course. Open to upper-division undergraduate students.
Same as: HUMBIO 154A
CHPR 255. The Responsible Conduct of Research for Clinical and Community Researchers. 1 Unit.
Engages clinical researchers in discussions about ethical issues commonly encountered during their clinical research careers and addresses contemporary debates at the interface of biomedical science and society. Graduate students required to take RCR who are or will be conducting clinical research are encouraged to enroll in this version of the course. Prequisite: research experience recommended.
Same as: MED 255C
CHPR 260. Prevention Across Medical Disciplines. 3 Units.
Coordinated seminar series presenting evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention guidelines by research and clinical faculty of multiple divisions of Stanford's Department of Medicine, including cardiovascular medicine, oncology, nephrology, immunology and rheumatology, infectious diseases, endocrinology, gerontology and metabolism, gastroenterology and hepatology, hematology, blood and marrow transplantation, pulmonary and critical care medicine, general medical disciplines (including family medicine). Key prevention issues addressed in primary care and outcomes research, biomedical informatics research and the Stanford Prevention Research Center also presented. Enrollment priority given to CHPR Master's students. CHPR students must enroll for letter grade.
CHPR 266. Food and Society: Exploring Eating Behaviors in Social, Environmental, and Policy Context. 4 Units.
(HumBio students must enroll in HUMBIO 166.) The class examines the array of forces that affect the foods human beings eat, and when, where, and how we eat them, including human labor, agriculture, environmental sustainability, politics, animal rights/welfare, ethics, policy, culture, economics, business, law, trade, and ideology, and psychology. The class addresses the impact of current policies and actions that might be taken to improve human nutrition and health; macro-scale influences on food, nutrition, and eating behavior.
Same as: HUMBIO 166
CHPR 290. Advanced Statistical Methods for Observational Studies. 2-3 Units.
Design principles and statistical methods for observational studies. Topics include: matching methods, sensitivity analysis, instrumental variables, graphical models, marginal structural models. 3 unit registration requires a small project and presentation. Computing is in R. Pre-requisites: HRP 261 and 262 or STAT 209 (HRP 239), or equivalent. See http://rogosateaching.com/somgen290/.
Same as: EDUC 260B, STATS 266
CHPR 298. Directed Reading. 1-18 Unit.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
CHPR 299. Community-based Research Internship. 1-18 Unit.
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
CHPR 399. Community Health and Prevention Research Master's Thesis Writing. 1-18 Unit.
Thesis writing for Community Health and Prevention Research Program. Students enroll in thesis advisor's section. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
