方法研究领域开发并应用创新的定性和定量方法进行公共心理健康研究，重点是统计方法和经济模型。这些方法应用于其他计划领域，对于生成研究问题的准确答案至关重要。方法领域的教师解决有关随机试验中数据丢失和不遵守的复杂性，并教学生如何分析复杂数据（例如DNA或复杂纵向数据），如何测量和建模无法直接观察到的变量以及如何建立预防性干预措施的成本与收益权衡模型。方法研究领域与该部门的其他小组之间有着紧密的联系，例如物质使用研究小组，预防和早期干预中心以及青少年暴力预防中心。
The PhD degree is a research-oriented doctoral degree. In the first two years, students take core courses in the Departments of Mental Health, Biostatistics, and Epidemiology, in research ethics, and attend weekly department seminars. Students must complete a written comprehensive exam (in January of their second year), a preliminary exam, two presentations and a final dissertation including presentation and defense. Throughout their time in the department, we encourage all doctoral students to participate in at least one research group of the major research programs in the department: Substance Use Epidemiology, Global Mental Health, Mental Health and Aging, Mental Health Services and Policy, Methods, Prevention Research, Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetic Epidemiology, Psychiatric Epidemiology, and Autism and Developmental Disabilities. The Methods research area develops and applies innovative qualitative and quantitative methods for public mental health research, with a focus on statistical methods and economic models. These methods, applied across other program areas, are crucial for generating accurate answers to research questions. Faculty in the methods area address complications regarding missing data and non-adherence in randomized trials, as well as teach students how to analyze complex data such as DNA or complex longitudinal data, how to measure and model variables that are not directly observable and how to model the cost and benefit trade-offs of preventive interventions. There are strong links between the methods research area and other groups in the Department, such as the substance use research group, the Center for Prevention and Early Intervention and the Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence.