Social Science Research Methods

Catalog description

An introduction and exploration into the ways in which social scientists conduct research including various designs, including interviewing, observation, survey design, and content analysis. Emphasis will be placed on quantitative analysis and the decisions faced by social scientists when designing and applying social research. The course will cover methods of problem and hypothesis formulation, data collection and instrumentation. There will also be an emphasis placed on ethical issues in research. Prerequisite: Junior level standing, a 3.2 GPA, and permission of the instructor. This graduate-level course may meet concurrently with an undergraduate course, but students may not enroll in both the undergraduate and graduate courses simultaneously. Undergraduate students who enroll in the graduate course must have instructor permission, submit all required documentation, and are required to complete all the graduate coursework. Undergraduate students may be able to count hours toward a graduate degree (but this is not guaranteed). Prerequisite: Junior level standing, a 3.2 GPA, and permission of the instructor