Research Courses at Global Campus

This course involves the study of research design, and the quantitative and qualitative methods that can be used in addressing research questions. Students will be introduced to social scientific inquiry and the research design process, as well as some of the most common quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Through the process of critiquing research articles, students will learn how to determine the appropriate use of research design, recognize errors and biases in conducting research, and communicate the methods and results of particular studies.

This course teaches students how to critically analyze, interpret, and apply statistical concepts to research in education and the social sciences. The focus is on a quantitative approach to the concepts and methods of statistical inference. Topics include sampling, frequency distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing, and probability. Statistical analyses covered include correlation, regression, t-tests, nonparametric tests, and Analysis of Variance. Basic research design issues are also addressed focusing on selecting data analysis techniques to appropriately address research questions and to apply the concepts covered to various psychological problems and realistic situations. Emphasis is on developing skills in interpreting statistical results presented in research articles.

In this course students will learn foundation skills for searching the academic literature and constructing a sound argument. Students will develop a detailed topic outline and an annotated bibliography of resources in an area of interest. This course will give students the opportunity to develop the research skills to succeed in their coursework and complete either an Applied Doctoral Project or Dissertation.

This course will build on the work students began in Scholarly Argument I and the research skills honed throughout the curriculum. Organization of content and formulating a well-researched scholarly argument are key learning outcomes. Students will produce a first draft of a literature review in their content areas and review potential research methodologies for completing either an Applied Doctoral Project or Dissertation.

As the first part of a two-course sequence for students who will do an Applied Doctoral Project (ADP), this course involves the advanced study of research design, and the quantitative and qualitative methods that can be used in addressing research questions. The course covers social scientific inquiry and research design, quantitative methodologies, and qualitative methodologies. Students will apply these approaches to a topic of their choice as a possible direction for developing their own ADP.

This course involves the advanced study of research design, and the quantitative methods that can be used in addressing research questions. Students will gain experience developing their own research ideas and learning how to select and apply appropriate research designs to test those ideas. Through the process of critiquing research articles, students will also learn how to evaluate which research designs would be appropriate to test various areas of inquire, as well as how to communicate the methods and results of particular quantitative studies. Students will be required to complete a training on ethics in research, as well as complete a quantitative research proposal in an area of interest, which may include dissertation related research.

This course involves the advanced study of the theory and practice of psychological measurement. Students review and apply the concepts of measurement (levels of measurement, variables, and validity and reliability of instruments and measurement procedures), and basic principles of statistics (descriptive statistics, univariate inferential statistics for comparisons of sample means, correlation, and regression), as a basis for exploring the proper use of tests and measurements in psychological research. Students will explore published research based on psychometric instruments and other measurement methodologies, and design a quantitative research proposal in an area of interest, which may include dissertation related research.

This course involves the advanced study of research design, in general, and the qualitative inquiry, in particular, that can be used in addressing research questions. The epistemological assumptions underlying the qualitative methodology will be explored as students become familiar with the philosophical issues underlying how we know what we know. The ability to choose a researchable topic and create associated research questions will be emphasized. Students will become familiar with a variety of approaches including ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenology, narrative, participatory action research, and case study. A variety of common data collection methods will be studied, such as observation, interviews, surveys, and historical document collection. Validation and reliability standards, as well as evaluation criteria for qualitative approaches will be addressed. Students will be required to complete training on ethics in research, as well as complete a qualitative research proposal in an area of interest, which may include dissertation related research.

This course emphasizes inferential statistical concepts related to methods most appropriate to data and theories. The focus is on a quantitative approach to the concepts and methods of statistical inference. Topics include hypothesis testing, probability, multiple correlation and regression, t-tests, Analysis of Variance, Analysis of Covariance, and Multivariate Analysis of Variance, and nonparametric tests. Research design issues are addressed, with a focus on selecting data analysis techniques to appropriately address research questions and apply the concepts covered to various research problems and real life situations. Emphasis is on developing skills for interpreting statistical results presented in scholarly research articles.

As the second part of a two-course sequence for students who will do an Applied Doctoral Project (ADP), this course involves exploring project approaches specific to ADP development. Approaches include: Systematic Literature Review; Program Evaluation; Action Research; Program development; and Handbooks. Students will apply at least two of those approaches to their possible ADP topic and be equipped to explore a chosen approach deeper as part of future completion of their ADP.

Students with interest in qualitative research, or with a desire to utilize this methodology for their respective doctoral dissertation, will be given an opportunity to greatly expand their existing knowledge base on qualitative research methodology. Students may elect to begin working on a preliminary proposal for their doctoral dissertation (or select and explore a topic of interest that may become the dissertation topic) for the culminating project in this course.

This course demonstrates the value of evidence-based practice as an integral part of formulating human services research and policy. Course work examines the current definition of evidence-based policy and approaches to move the field forward. The course provides an evaluation of evidence-based literature, including case study examples of the application of evidence-based practices in human services. The course also examines actions to further evidence-based policy, including preparing and communicating data more effectively, using existing analytic tools, conducting policy surveillance, and tracking outcomes with different types of evidence.

This interactive workshop contributes to a student’s commitment toward lifelong learning. As practitioners, leaders, and scholars, students will engage in self-awareness and learn to become active participants in supporting their personal, professional, and academic goals. Students will consider what it means to be a participant of a scholarly community, and how becoming a scholar-practitioner can impact the students’ professional community and future goals. Students will engage in scholarly skills of writing, critical thinking, and research as they learn how to explore topics within their own discipline. Students will formulate questions and provide structured responses, discuss the results and impact of data, recognize the need and scope of research problems, and search for scholarly articles and documents. The Dissertation or Applied Doctoral Project process will be introduced as students will connect their Dissertation or Applied Doctoral Project preparation to the rest of their scholarly journey.

In the second workshop of the In-Residence series, students will continue to build on scholarly competencies, focusing on critical thinking skills and developing more advanced research skills involving assessment and feedback. Through discussion, assessment, feedback, and reflective activities, students will learn a variety of skills, both insight- and action-based, with a core focus on critically assessing oneself and others in order to serve as leaders and scholars in their communities of practice. Students will evaluate a problem statement, critique a scholarly paper, interpret data, and synthesize ideas through the development of a literature review.

This workshop is optional. The session provides an opportunity for students to return to the University of Arizona Global Campus community to support the Dissertation or Applied Doctoral Project process, specifically enhancing the quality of their research question, research design, methodology, and/or the analysis. This open-forum, community-based workshop provides the setting to support student-faculty interaction and personalized solutions in assisting students who desire additional faceto-face support.

This interactive workshop contributes to a student’s commitment toward lifelong learning. As practitioners, leaders, and scholars, students will engage in self-awareness and learn to become active participants in supporting their personal, professional, and academic goals. Students will consider what it means to be a participant of a scholarly community, and how becoming a scholar-practitioner can impact the students’ professional community and future goals. Students will engage in scholarly skills of writing, critical thinking, and research as they learn how to explore topics within their own discipline. Students will formulate questions and provide structured responses, discuss the results and impact of data, recognize the need and scope of research problems, and search for scholarly articles and documents. The Dissertation or Applied Doctoral Project process will be introduced as students will connect their Dissertation or Applied Doctoral Project preparation to the rest of their scholarly journey

In the second workshop of the In-Residence series, students will continue to build on scholarly competencies, focusing on critical thinking skills and developing more advanced research skills involving assessment and feedback. Through discussion, assessment, feedback, and reflective activities, students will learn a variety of skills, both insight- and action-based, with a core focus on critically assessing oneself and others in order to serve as leaders and scholars in their communities of practice. Students will evaluate a problem statement, critique a scholarly paper, interpret data, and synthesize ideas through the development of a literature review.

In the third workshop of the In-Residence series, students will continue to build on scholarly competencies with clarity and accuracy about data or complex ideas, focusing on the Dissertation or Applied Doctoral Project process and how this definitive scholarly product supports the community in which students serve. As leaders in scholarship and in their communities, it becomes increasingly essential for students to recognize the complexity of the people with whom they interact. In this advanced workshop, students explore their understanding of different populations and the impact of diversity on their research and professional experiences by creating relevant questions. Students will learn to write a problem statement as well as a scholarly paper with a focus on the ethical and legal access and use of information. Students will further explore how to generate, and implement new knowledge as well as create visuals of data in a variety of contexts for scholarly and professional application.

This workshop is optional. The session provides an opportunity for students to return to the University of Arizona Global Campus community to support the Dissertation or Applied Doctoral Project process, specifically enhancing the quality of their research question, research design, methodology, and/or the analysis. This open-forum, community-based workshop provides the setting to support student-faculty interaction and personalized solutions in assisting students who desire additional face to-face support. Equivalent to RES 8004.

In this course, students begin drafting their dissertation under instructor supervision. Students working individually on their dissertation drafts focus on the description of their topic, refinement of their research questions, and outlining their review of the literature with feedback and recommendations for revisions from their instructor. Final approval of these drafts of portions of the dissertation rests with the student's individual dissertation committees, as described in the current Dissertation Handbook, as revised from time to time. Following the procedures outlined in the Handbook, students may form their committees before, during, or after their enrollment and completion of Dissertation Planning I and II.

In this course students continue drafting their dissertation from Dissertation Planning I under instructor supervision. Students working individually on their dissertation drafts focus on further refinement of the description of their topic, the final draft wording of their research questions, and beginning to write their review of the literature and research methodology with feedback and recommendations for revisions from their instructor. Students will exchange research concepts and proposed approaches about their research methodology with other students proposing similar methods (qualitative, quantitative, mixed, action). Final approval of these drafts of portions of the dissertation rests with the student's individual dissertation committees, as described in the current University of the Rockies Dissertation Handbook, as revised from time to time. Following the procedures outlined in the Handbook, students may form their committees before, during or after their enrollment and completion of Dissertation Planning I and II.

In this course students will begin drafting their Applied Doctoral Project under instructor supervision. Students will work individually on their Applied Doctoral Project drafts and their Project Justification drafts, focusing on the description of their project, refinement of their research questions, and a draft of their review of the literature. Students are encouraged to work closely with their chair during this course.

In this course students continue drafting their Applied Doctoral Project and Project Justification from Applied Doctoral Project Planning I. Students will further refine the description of their topic, their review of the literature and their Project Justification. At the end of this course, students should have a Project Justification in close to its final form.

Students completing the Applied Doctoral Project must complete a minimum of 5 credits by registering for five terms of Applied Doctoral Project credit, one credit per term. Applied Doctoral Projects are written per the policies, practices, and procedures in the Applied Doctoral Project Handbook. *Students satisfactorily progressing through the ADP experience, but not meeting the required milestones in the designated timeframe, will be required to reenroll in the corresponding ADP experience, Students needing more than two reenrollments in any of the ADP courses will need to appeal to enroll in the Applied Doctoral Project Extension, RES 8986/8987 to remain in the program and complete the designated milestone(s). Prerequisites: completion of all required coursework and Applied Doctoral Project Planning II.

Students needing more than two reenrollments in RES 8981, RES 8982, or RES 8983 will need to appeal to enroll in the Applied Doctoral Project Extension, RES 8986 to remain in the program and complete the designated milestone(s). Equivalent to RES 8987

Students needing more than two reenrollments in RES 8984 or RES 8985 will need to appeal to enroll in the Applied Doctoral Project Extension, RES 8987 to remain in the program and complete the designated milestone(s). Students registered for RES 8987 are no longer charged the Applied Doctoral Project Support Fee. Equivalent to RES 8986

Students writing a dissertation must complete a total of 5 credits by registering for five consecutive terms of dissertation credit, one credit per term. Dissertations are written per the policies, practices and procedures in the Dissertation Handbook.