The Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Studies is designed so that you can develop qualitative research skills through increasing levels of understanding, but also develop a specific approach in some detail. Courses are taught by faculty in the School of Education, School of Nursing, Department of Sociology, Department of Anthropology, and Department of American Studies (Folklore).
A program advisor will work with you to determine how to best structure your certificate based on your research and career goals. A maximum of 9 credit hours may be drawn from required coursework in your graduate program.
The curriculum requires five courses, across four levels. You are also required to participate in at least one culminating experience through the Interpretive Research Suite and Carter Qualitative Thought Lab (QuaLab).
Level 1 Course
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EDUC 830: Qualitative Research Methods I: Philosophical Foundations of Qualitative Research (or an approved equivalent)
Level 2 Course
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EDUC 868: Qualitative Research II: Data Collection (or an approved equivalent)
Level 3 Course
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EDUC 869: Qualitative Research III: Data Analysis (or an approved equivalent)
Level 4 Courses
Select Two
- EDUC 878: Seminar in Educational Studies (Meta-Ethnography)
- EDUC 883: Case Study Methods
- EDUC 905: Discourse Analysis
- EDUC 977: Autoethnography Educational Research
- ANTH 808: Researching and Writing Lives
- ANTH 809: Ethnographic Methods
- ANTH 860: (FOLK 860) Art of Ethnography
- ANTH 897: Seminar in Selected Topics (Ethnographic Research Design)
- FOLK 841: Performance Ethnography
- NURS 977: Qualitative Approaches to Knowledge Development
- NURS 979: Qualitative Analysis
- SOCI 720: Participant Observation & In-Depth Interviewing
- Or approved equivalent(s)
QuaLab Requirements
In addition to completing course work, you are required to participate in activities sponsored by the Interpretive Research Suite and Carter Qualitative Thought Lab (QuaLab). You will also have the opportunity to attend any guest lectures, workshops, and discussion groups facilitated by the QuaLab (attendance is not required, but highly encouraged).
You must participate in one of the following types of activities in order to complete all requirements for the certificate:
- a research-oriented activity related to the I-SEEC Change project (Innovative Studies for Engaging Educational Community Change), the overarching signature research project of the QuaLab;
- a teaching-oriented activity during which you would develop mastery of specific software and then teach that software in workshops, within courses and/or to small groups;
- and a service-oriented activity where you would contribute to the on-line repository of teaching ideas, practices, units, exercises, etc. of qualitative research methods maintained by the QuaLab.