Graduate Sociology Certificate

Graduate Certificate

Employers are increasingly seeking job candidates trained in research methods. Both qualitative and quantitative methodological skills improve one's prospects of forming well-paid and rewarding careers. The Department of Sociology’s Graduate Certificate in Social Science Research Methods provides graduate students training in research design, data collection, and data analysis utilizing a variety of statistical and text analysis software. The certificate is available to graduate students in any degree program as well as non-degree seeking students.

  • Describe in-detail the core features, strengths, and limitations of traditional and novel methods of data collection used in social science research
  • Articulate and implement methods of data analysis common to qualitative or quantitative methods of social inquiry
  • Design effective methods of scientific communication including intuitive data visualization and exposition of qualitative research findings, and articulate complex empirical results into language that is interpretable to non-scientific audiences

Required courses include SOCY 5024: Research Methods and either SOCY 5183: Quantitative Data Analysis *or* SOCY 5193: Qualitative Data Analysis. Course substitutions from other departments are allowed.

In addition, students must complete two graduate methods electives in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences (CLAS).
Elective options include SOCY 5183, SOCY 5193, SOCY 5220: Population Analysis, SOCY 5022: Federal Data for Health Research & Policy, and courses throughout CLAS from Economics, Anthropology, Communication, Geography, and Psychology.

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