​​Welcome to the KU Department of Applied Behavioral Science​

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Welcome to the Department of Applied Behavioral Science​​ at the University of Kansas. This is the website of the Community Health & Development Specialty Area. You will find information about faculty, courses, certifications and practicum opportunities in this specialty.​

The Community Health and Development ​specialty area​​ in the Department of Applied Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas helps to prepare students interested in building healthy and well-functioning communities. Students and faculty in this specialty area contribute to addressing a myriad of socially important problems and goals in communities (e.g., substance abuse, violence, education, child and youth development, independent living of people with disabilities, well-being of older adults). The premise for social problem solving supported by the faculty and students in this specialty area is that problems don't occur or reside within individuals or groups, but rather in the environment in which individuals or groups behave and operate. Therefore, students in this specialty are trained to systematically examine problems in communities based on the principles and methods of applied behavioral science.