Post Master's Certificate in Research Essentials

3 Credits

This course provides an overview of social science research methodologies and their application in context to the student's degree program. Foundational concepts include the examination and application of theoretical frameworks, critical analysis of scholarly literature and interpretation of data through a theoretical lens. Students also explore quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methods and the core elements of an effective research plan. Competencies: Describe how conceptual and theoretical frameworks provide the foundational elements of social science research and inform the interpretation of data and other research findings. Identify the significance of scholarly literature and how gaps in extant literature provide a direction for new research. Summarize the ethical issues of research involving human subjects. Identify and explain quantitative and qualitative research methods and assess their appropriateness for different research problems Assess quantitative and qualitative research studies and discuss the concepts of methodological rigor, credibility, validity and reliability. Evaluate the research topic, research question, and purpose and problem statements for methodological and theoretical alignment. Establish strategies for formulating clear, concise research questions that are methodologically sound, theoretically grounded and researchable.

3 Credits

This class presumes some basic understanding of the foundations and underlying assumptions in the field of qualitative research as well as examples of practice. Building upon this preexisting foundational understanding, the purpose of the class is to enhance students' understanding and craft through reading, writing, and reflecting on the practice of qualitative inquiry. Specific focus is on the design and development of qualitative research studies. Competency A: Differentiate between the various qualitative designs i.e. phenomenological, case study, ethnographic, grounded theory, and content analysis. Competency B: Evaluate the alignment of the qualitative designs to identified problems. Competency C: Evaluate the components of qualitative data collection and the appropriateness of each approach to an expressed conceptual framework. Competency D: Analyze the limitations of qualitative research and approaches for overcoming research challenges. Competency E: Analyze issues and concerns regarding the concepts of reliability and validity as they relate to qualitative research. Competency F: Address ethical issues that are inherent in qualitative research. Competency G: Develop a research methodology for a study incorporating best practices of the qualitative design chosen.

3 Credits

This course introduces students to an array of quantitative research methods and their appropriate application in empirical research. Students will be introduced to basic statistical concepts, theory and the assumptions that govern the methodology. An overview of descriptive and inferential statistics, including nonparametric statistics will be provided. The analysis of data, data visualization and the language used for the presentation of data in the social sciences will be emphasized.     Competency A: Analyze peer reviewed quantitative research and explain how the results of quantitative analysis can inform data driven decision making. Competency B: Explain the fundamentals of quantitative data analysis procedures, assumptions, and their appropriateness to different types of research design. Competency C: Discuss philosophical theories and fundamentals of quantitative methods and their applications to different types of research problems. Competency D: Determine appropriate data analysis procedures for a quantitative research design and demonstrate how to use various quantitative data analysis procedures. Competency E: Explain parametric and nonparametric statistical procedures and their appropriate use. Competency F: Conduct quantitative data analysis using statistical analysis software (IBM/SPSS) and interpret results. Competency G: Evaluate the reliability and validity of quantitative data analysis techniques. Competency H: Compose brief reports to present results of statistical data analysis.

3 Credits

The course, RES/720, builds on the student's knowledge of quantitative research methods and statistics. The appropriate selection of a research method, design, and analysis - experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational is reviewed. A study's alignment, instrumentation, and threats to reliability and validity will also be discussed. Competency A: Explain the nature of the quantitative research method. Competency B: Demonstrate understanding of research steps from identifying a research problem through to presenting research findings. Competency C: Apply an appropriate quantitative research design and analysis to a substantive area of interest. Competency D: Align inferential statistical procedures and data collection techniques with appropriate types of research designs. Competency E: Distinguish among types of variables and levels of measurement in an analysis. Competency F: Determine an appropriate population and sample within the area of study. Competency G: Evaluate the reliability and validity of instrumentation and the need to pilot test new or modified instruments. Competency H: Evaluate the threats to internal and external validity in research studies. Competency I: Demonstrate understanding of how to present research findings for publication.