College of Education Health and Human ServicesSchool of Foundations, Leadership and Administration
www.kent.edu/ehhs/fla
About This Program
The Qualitative Research graduate certificate provides advanced training in research methods, data analysis and theoretical approaches to qualitative research across a variety of disciplines. Whether you are a graduate student seeking to enhance your research skills or a professional looking to expand your expertise, this program will help you achieve your goals. Read more...
Contact Information
Program Delivery
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*
Area, ethnic, and cultural studies teachers, postsecondary
- 4.9% about as fast as the average
- 13,400 number of jobs
- $78,840 potential earnings
Education teachers, postsecondary
- 4.8% about as fast as the average
- 77,300 number of jobs
- $65,440 potential earnings
Social sciences teachers, postsecondary, all other
- -0.3% little or no change
- 19,300 number of jobs
- $69,340 potential earnings
Social scientists and related workers, all other
- 0.8% little or no change
- 38,800 number of jobs
- $87,260 potential earnings
Sociologists
- 3.6% about as fast as the average
- 3,200 number of jobs
- $86,110 potential earnings
Survey researchers
- -3.7% decline
- 12,200 number of jobs
- $59,870 potential earnings
Additional Careers
- Epidemiology investigator
- Rural sociologist
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
- Official transcript(s)
- Résumé
- Goal statement
- Two letters of recommendations
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
- Minimum 550 TOEFL PBT score
- Minimum 79 TOEFL IBT score
- Minimum 77 MELAB score
- Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
- Minimum 58 PTE score
- Minimum 110 Duolingo English score
Review of applications will be handled by one of the certificate co-coordinators, who will also evaluate prerequisites (if substitute syllabi are submitted by student).
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester
- Spring Semester
- Summer Term
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Argue for the value of qualitative methodological approaches and help others understand the value of this form of inquiry to enhance understanding within their respective fields.
- Critique and review a wide variety of qualitative research in their respective fields.
- Create and enact a variety of forms of high-quality, ethical qualitative research in their respective fields.
Full Description
The Qualitative Research graduate certificate is for students who wish to improve their ability to design, conduct, analyze and quality-assess qualitative approaches to research used in the context of funded research, educational assessment, program evaluation, critical, creative, exploratory or theoretical endeavors or other applications.
The courses in this program offer students inter- and trans-disciplinary opportunities to learn and develop skills in qualitative methodologies, including grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography and descriptive approach; as well as methods, including observation, interviewing, transcription, data analysis, use of software, analytic memoing and others.