The Department requires that all students, regardless of degree or program, complete an overview in a research methods course. Organizational Psychology majors are required to take ORLJ 4009, which emphasizes experimental and quasi-experimental research designs. Other majors are strongly advised to take ORL 5521, which emphasizes applied research designs.
All Ed.D. students are required to complete an introductory statistics course and a two-course sequence in research design (data collection and analysis) in a methodology that is relevant to their dissertation. Students should work with their advisor and dissertation sponsor to select one of seven possible methodological designs: experimental and quasi-experimental survey research, applied qualitative research, ethnography, evaluation, action research, and historical research.
Faculty. This course meets a departmental requirement for an introductory course on empirical research in education and organizational studies. The goal is to help students be able to access, comprehend, synthesize, and utilize research, to support and facilitate the research efforts of others, and to begin to prepare to conduct their own research. Students read exemplars of published research, along with texts about research design, data collection and analysis, and strategies for assessing the validity and trustworthiness of research. The course covers qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches to research, such as experiments, surveys, case studies, ethnography, and action research.
Faculty. Provides an overview of major evaluation models and social research methods useful in developing, monitoring and studying effects of programs, services and institutions in education, health and other fields. This is the second course in a three-course sequence in assessment and evaluation methods offered through the Organization and Leadership department. The prerequisite is the 4000-level course on testing, assessment and accountability or an instructor-approved substitute. Offered twice annually.
Faculty. This evaluation research seminar, conducted in actual client contexts, provides laboratory and field experiences in planning, designing, execution, and reporting of various components of evaluations. This course is the third and culminating course in a three-course sequence in assessment and evaluation methods offered through the Organization and Leadership department. The prerequisite is ORL 5522, Evaluation methods I or an instructor-approved substitute. Offered once biennially, typically in fall.
Faculty. Provides hands-on seminar experiences in the design and validation of instruments to measure educational, psychological, health and social contracts. The type of instrument can vary according to student interests (e.g., multi-part surveys, attitude scales, behavior ratings scales, performance assessments or tests of cognitive abilities and achievement). The prerequisites are intermediate level courses in measurement/statistics or instructor-approved substitutes. Offered once biennially, typically in the fall.
Professor Yorks. An introduction to qualitative research methods conceptualization and data collection procedures and design. Students learn various qualitative data collection techniques and conduct a pilot study.
Professor Marsick and Dr. Maltbia. Prerequisite: ORL 6500. Strategies and procedures for qualitative data analysis, within and across case studies, individual and group interview analyses, data display, and methods of presenting and reporting findings.
Faculty. Techniques and methods of preparing and analyzing case studies of organizations and institutions.