Statistics I or a comparable course and successful completion of a waiver examination are its prerequisites. The purpose of this course is to present an overview of the variety of research methodologies utilized in social science and social work, with the goal of providing students with the knowledge and competencies needed to develop and conduct their own research. The course leads to a sophisticated understanding of the research process including the formulation of research questions, hypothesis development and testing, and choice of research method, involving both quantitative and qualitative methods. Material on quantitative designs includes experimental and quasi-experimental designs, data collection methodologies, scaling, instrument development, and sampling procedures. Material on qualitative designs addresses focus groups interviews, key informant interviews, participant observation, unobtrusive observation, text and content analysis, and the use of archival and historical data.
Special attention is given to ethical and political issues in the conduct of research.
Students undertake independent significant and methodologically rigorous research involving design, implementation, analysis and dissemination of a research project. The substantive areas include health, mental health or substance abuse. School of Social Welfare faculty, affiliated faculty members from the Health Sciences Center and the University social science departments, and principal investigators in community research projects serve as preceptors. Students spend ten hours each week for two semesters in a practicum setting. Students have a supervised hands on, practical experience with an ongoing research project.