The certificate is intended to satisfy professional development needs as well as preparing candidates to apply for employment in:
institutional research
student affairs assessment, or
academic assessment.
The course contents were designed in consideration of ACPA's ASK Standards, the NASPA Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community Assessment Education Framework, as well as competencies identified in publications by the Association for Institutional Research. The interdisciplinary certificate is a collaborative program drawing from both Evaluation and Measurement and Higher Education Administration — students from both programs are welcome, as well as students from other disciplines.
The Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research is an 18-credit hour program through which graduate students gain expertise in qualitative research methodology. Graduate students in this program develop understandings and skills as related to designing, conducting, and assessing qualitative research. This is an interdisciplinary certificate with courses offered through many different programs throughout the university. The program is available to current Kent State master’s and doctoral students, and also as a stand-alone program for new graduate students. Current students may be able to apply course credit to both their primary program and the certificate program. Pursuing this certificate will provide valuable interdisciplinary experience in qualitative research as well as a credential for those pursuing faculty positions, grant funding, and further graduate education.