College of Arts & Sciences

Social Science Research Certificate

12

Total hours

4

Total courses

5

Participating colleges

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This interdisciplinary certificate gives students the opportunity to learn a range of basic social science skills, and focus their efforts in primary research opportunities. Undergraduates are increasingly seeking out research experience, whether to prepare for graduate or professional school, or further employment, and many majors in the social sciences offer research experiences as part of their core requirements. Through 4 courses in the scientific methods, students learn a broad range of research methods used in social science studies, understand how social science research is conducted, and present their research in a public forum.

Who May Participate?

Undergraduates pursuing any of the following Social Science majors may participate:

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES:

  • Anthropology
  • GWS
  • Geography
  • Linguistics
  • Psychology
  • Political Science
  • Sociology
  • International Studies
  • Environmental and Sustainability Studies
  • Health, Society and Populations
  • Economics
  • Mathematical Economics

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD, AND ENVIRONMENT:

  • Agricultural Economics

GATTON COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS:

  • Economics

COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION:

  • Communication

COLLEGE OF EDUCATION:

  • Curriculum and Instruction
  • Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation
  • Educational, School, & Counseling Psychology

Curriculum Requirements*

  1. One research design/ methods class. Choose from:
    • ANT 302
    • ANT 541
    • ANT 585
    • COM 365
    • COM 553
    • EDP/EPE/KHP 520
    • GEO 311
    • GEO 406
    • GWS 400
    • LIN/SOC 508
    • PS 372
    • PSY 215
    • SOC 302
       
  2. One quantitative/ technical methods course. Choose from:
    • AEC 490
    • ECO 391
    • EPE/EDP/EDC 522
    • EPE/EDP 557
    • EPE/EDP 558
    • GEO 309
    • GEO 310
    • GEO 409
    • PSY 216
    • SOC 303
    • SOC 508
    • STA 296
  1. One independent research project, 3 credits. Choose from:
    • AEC 395
    • ANT 399
    • ANT 581
    • COM 395
    • ECO 395
    • ENS 395
    • GEO 499
    • GEO 560
    • GWS 395
    • HSP 499
    • LIN 395
    • PS 395
    • PSY 393
    • PSY 394
    • PSY 395
    • PSY 495
    • PSY 496
    • SOC 395
    • SOC 565

      Included as part of this course requirement is the program requirement for a presentation of research in a public forum. This requirement must be included in the learning contract for the Independent Study/ Research course.
       
  2. One “outside area course” which must be a course from a department other than the student’s major, chosen from the courses listed above.

*Please note that some of these courses may be restricted to majors only, or may require certain prereqs. It may be worthwhile to speak with the instructor prior to enrolling in a course outside your own discipline; many courses admit students “with consent of instructor”.

It is recommended that the student complete at least ONE methods course (chosen from the lists in 1 or 2) prior to enrolling in the Research course (listed in 3). Ideally the student will complete BOTH methods courses before pursuing independent research. This is a recommendation, not a program requirement however.

Finally, the student must receive permission from a faculty member prior to enrolling in a 395 (or equivalent) under that faculty member’s supervision.

Admissions Criteria

  • A minimum second-semester freshman
  • 3.0 overall GPA and in good academic standing
  • An application submitted through the Central Advising Office in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Additional Notes

  • The student must complete 12 credit hours of letter graded work to earn the certificate.
  • All courses for the certificate must be completed with a combined GPA of 3.2 or better.
  • If a class is only offered as a pass/fail, then a student may include a ‘pass’ grade in that class. However, 12 credit hours for the certificate must be completed in graded course work.
  • All credit hours must be at 200+ level; 6 of these credits must be at 300+ level.
  • At least one course (3 credit hours) must be from a department other than the student’s major; no more than 9 credits may also satisfy requirements for the student’s major.
  • The certificate requires that a minimum of 3 credit hours be an independent research project, and that students make a presentation of their research in a public forum (this must be included in the learning contract for the independent research project).
  • The student must make a presentation of the research in a public forum to earn the certificate; many opportunities are available (on campus or off).

 

Admission Application

Contact

Photo of Dr. Alice Turkington

Dr. Alice Turkington

Department of Geography

Program Contact

College of Arts & Sciences