Oct 12, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Qualitative Research in Education Certificate


Return to: 4140 Department of Educational Policy Studies  

A Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research in Education is available from the College of Education and Human Development to eligible students enrolled in a doctoral program at Georgia State University. To earn the certificate, students must complete a minimum of eight 3-credit-hour doctoral-level qualitative research methods courses with a collective GPA of 3.5 or higher in those courses, with no grade lower than a B in any course to be counted toward the certificate.

In addition, students must successfully defend a qualitative research dissertation. A faculty member from the Research, Measurement and Statistics (RMS) program of the Department of Educational Policy Studies is required to be on the student’s dissertation committee.

Certificate Requirements


Remaining Four Courses


The remaining four courses must be doctoral-level qualitative method courses, bearing a call number of 8000 or higher, from the approved list of certificate courses. The list is updated yearly and available in the Department of Educational Policy Studies. A current list of these courses is provided below:

Eligibility


In order to be eligible to earn the certificate, students must:

  • be enrolled in a doctoral program at Georgia State University
  • have completed at least three courses from the College of Education and Human Development Doctoral Research Core, with a collective GPA in those courses of 3.5 or higher
  • submit the application to the Department of Educational Policy Studies, with the endorsement of an RMS faculty member, prior to defending the prospectus.

Normal Time to Complete Program


Two additional semesters with 5 total courses is estimated to be additional coursework which would be included within the doctoral program timeframe because it is likely that at least 4 courses meet both the certificate and doctoral requirements. The certificate program requires 8 courses. Courses beyond the three courses in the doctoral core which meet the certificate requirements may be included in the doctoral program of study for the student based on each student’s individualized program. Typically, at least one course meeting certificate requirements beyond the three from the doctoral core would be included in the student’s doctoral program for the student’s doctoral degree.

Learning Outcomes and Assessments


The RMS faculty evaluate students on the following learning outcomes for the certificate:

  • Addresses the research question(s) with appropriate methodology
  • Demonstrates knowledge of previous research and/or literature in the field
  • Document adheres to the standards of quality writing
  • Oral presentation communicates research in a manner appropriate for the material and audience
  • Potential for contribution to the discipline
  • Demonstrates knowledge in the field of the certificate program in the dissertation defense

On-Time Graduation Rates


On-time graduation rate is 100% based on the College of Education and Human Development doctoral program time-frame.

Program Costs


Current information is available at sfs.gsu.edu/tuition-fees/what-it-costs/.

Occupations


The Qualitative Research in Education Certificate aids in the preparation of students to be employed as:

  • Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1062)
  • Education Teachers, Postsecondary (SOC 25-1081)
  • Historians (SOC 19-3093)
  • Program Analysts (SOC 13-1111)
  • Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other (SOC 19-3099)
  • Social Science Research Assistants (SOC 19-4061)

You can find additional information on the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) and occupational profiles on these professions at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*Net websites: www.bls.gov/soc and www.onetcenter.org.

Other Certificate Information


There is no state or accrediting agency that requires tracking placement rates. Students who receive a certificate also complete the doctoral program which is a higher credentialed program; thus, calculation of median loan debt for the certificate program is not required.