Graduate Catalog
2023-2024
 
Policies, Procedures, Academic Programs
Educational Research
ERC
Address:
Educational Research and Evaluation, 1750 Kraft Drive, Corporate Research Center
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Contact this Certificate
Phone Number(s):
• Dr. David Kniola:
540/231-2246

Overview of the Certificate

The Graduate Certificate in Educational Research and Evaluation (EDRE) is designed to recognize graduate students who have acquired methodological expertise that goes beyond the methodological skills obtained in introductory methodology courses. More specifically, the certificate recognizes the completion of specialized coursework in evaluation/assessment, measurement, qualitative methods, and/or statistics. The certificate is also intended for students who already hold a graduate degree but who would like to obtain a credential in research methodology, to benefit their careers.

Learning Outcomes

The EDRE Graduate Certificate demonstrates that a graduate student has achieved a level of proficiency in research methodology that exceeds what is possible at an introductory level. Learning outcomes for the certificate include the following:

  • Understand basic and advanced methodological concepts that are associated with evaluation/assessment, measurement, qualitative, and/or statistical research.
  • Understand and effectively use a variety of methodological techniques and practices that are associated with evaluation/assessment, measurement, qualitative, and/or statistical research.
  • Understand basic and advanced research design issues and effectively design an evaluation/assessment, measurement, qualitative, and/or statistical study.
  • Develop an effective research proposal for evaluation/assessment, measurement, qualitative, and/or statistical research.
  • Understand and effectively use a variety of data collection and data analysis methods and techniques that are associated with evaluation/assessment, measurement, qualitative, and/or statistical research.
  • Develop an effective research report of evaluation/assessment, measurement, qualitative, and/or statistical research.
  • Develop an effective oral and/or visual presentation of evaluation/assessment, measurement, qualitative, and/or statistical research.
  • Understand and use appropriate criteria to effectively evaluate the quality of research proposals and research reports for evaluation/assessment, measurement, qualitative, and/or statistical research.

 

How to Apply for the EDRE Graduate Certificate:
Complete the online application for participation in the certificate program.

 

How to Apply:
Fill out the online application for participation in the certificate program.
Upon processing of the application, you will be contacted
with information about the submission of additional
required materials. Thank you for your interest.

Admission Requirements

Graduate students who are accepted into any other graduate program at Virginia Tech will be admitted to the EDRE Graduate Certificate program on the basis of acceptance into their home department.

A recommendation for admission of nondegree-seeking students to the EDRE Graduate Certificate program will be made by the EDRE Graduate Admissions Committee based on academic transcripts, a letter of interest, and the minimum admission requirements that are specified in the Graduate Catalog. Please note that these admission requirements differ from the EDRE program's degree admission requirements in that GRE scores and letters of recommendation are not required.

After completing all of the EDRE Graduate Certificate requirements, a student must apply for the certificate using the Graduate Certificate Application form that is available from the Virginia Tech Graduate School website.

Course Requirements

Number of Credit Hours: The EDRE Graduate Certificate requires nine credit hours of specialized EDRE coursework. This excludes introductory EDRE courses (i.e., EDRE 6605 (Quantitative Research Methods in Education I), EDRE 6606 (Quantitative Research Methods in Education II), EDRE 6504 (Qualitative Methods in Education Research I), EDRE 6704 (Evaluation Methods in Education Research I), and all 5000-level EDRE courses other than EDRE 5644 (Questionnaire Design and Survey Research in Education)) that are prerequisites for specialized EDRE courses. Please note that EDRE 6634 (Advanced Statistics in Education - Regression) is required for all upper-level measurement and statistics courses and counts toward the certificate.

A grade of B or higher is required for each course that is used for the certificate; hence, courses that are audited or graded as Pass/Fail cannot be used for the certificate. Also, transfer credit or credit for courses that have been completed outside of the EDRE program is not permitted.

Recommended Combinations of Specialized EDRE Courses

Evaluation/Assessment: EDRE 5644, EDRE 6684, EDRE 6794 (Evaluation Methods in Education Research II), EDRE 6794 (Assessment in Higher Education)

Measurement: EDRE 6624, EDRE 6634, EDRE 6654, EDRE 6684, EDRE 6754, EDRE 6774

Qualitative Methods: EDRE 6524

Statistics: EDRE 6634, EDRE 6654, EDRE 6664, EDRE 6674, EDRE 6694, or a relevant Advanced Issues EDRE course

The section that follows includes a description of each course that can be used for the EDRE Graduate Certificate, as well as its prerequisite(s).

Courses That Can Be Used for the EDRE Graduate Certificate and Their Prerequisites

EDRE 5644

Questionnaire Design and Survey Research in Education (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 5404)

This course provides an overview of survey research that is useful for gathering empirical data for non-experimental purposes in education and related settings. This project-based course focuses on questionnaire design including question formulation, sampling, data collection and analysis, and report writing.

EDRE 6524

Qualitative Methods in Education Research II (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6504)

Provides an advanced treatment of qualitative inquiry in education and the social sciences in general. It examines the theoretical orientations of major qualitative research traditions and provides students with advanced skills in data analysis and other phases of inquiry. Offered spring, yearly.

EDRE 6624

Measurement Theory in Education (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6634)

Methods and theories of estimating and enhancing test score characteristics, particularly reliability and validity of aptitude and achievement tests. Problems associated with test construction, use, and score interpretation will be emphasized. Offered spring, yearly.

EDRE 6634

Advanced Statistics for Education (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6606)

Multiple regression procedures for analyzing data as applied in educational settings, including curvilinear regressions, dummy variables, multicollinearity, and introduction to path analysis. Offered fall and spring, yearly.

EDRE 6654

Multivariate Statistics for Applications to Educational Problems (3H, 3C)(Pre: EDRE 6634)

Multivariate statistical procedures presented in an applied research setting. Oriented toward the logical extension of univariate tests of significance and estimation procedures to multivariate problems. Emphasis on using existing computer software packages. Offered spring, yearly.

EDRE 6664

Applications of Structural Equations in Education (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6634)

Applications of structural equation causal models in educational research and discussion of the methodological questions pertaining to such models. Topics include recursive and nonrecursive models, measurement errors in causal models, latent unobserved variables, and covariance structures. Offered fall and spring, yearly.

EDRE 6674

Longitudinal Data Analysis (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6634)

Introduction to longitudinal data analysis (LDA) as applied to the behavioral and social sciences, including education, psychology, human development, sociology, and health sciences. Topics covered include advanced methods of LDA such as growth models in hierarchical linear modeling (or multilevel modeling), latent curve models in structural equation modeling, and econometric fixed effects models. Other methods will be covered when appropriate.

EDRE 6684

Instrument Development and Validation (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6634)

Provides experience in developing instruments, or tests, that are designed to measure educational and psychological constructs, such as knowledge, skills, attitudes, and traits. Issues and practices related to construct specification, instrument design and administration, and analysis and summary of validity study data are emphasized. Offered fall, yearly.

EDRE 6694

Hierarchical Linear Modeling (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6634)

Provides a conceptual framework of hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), some important statistical theory behind the HLM, and hands-on training for applying HLM techniques through analyzing example data sets and projects. The course includes the formulation of statistical models for typical applications such as two-level organizational study, two-level growth model, and three-level growth model within contexts and prepares students to be able to use multilevel analysis to address research questions in their fields and write coherent summaries and interpretations of the results. Offered fall, yearly.

EDRE 6754

Advanced Item Response Theory (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6624 or EDRE 6684)

Provides students with the concepts and skills to carry out Item Response Theory (IRT) analyses using specialized software, and an introduction to research in measurement. Topics will include binary and polytomous models, item and ability parameter estimation, model fit, and scaling and equating. Offered every other year, spring.

EDRE 6774

Advanced Issues in Psychometric Research (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6624 or EDRE 6684)

Provides an in-depth examination of one or more research topics in psychometrics, or the statistical foundations of educational and psychological tests. Students will become familiar with current research, acquire specialized psychometric analysis skills, and learn how to conduct psychometric research. Topics covered may vary from term to term. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Offered irregularly, spring.

EDRE 6794

Advanced Topics in Educational Research (3H, 3C) (Pre: varies)

Advanced treatment beyond standard courses in topics such as questionnaire design, survey sampling, factor analysis, and meta analysis. May be repeated with different topics for up to 6 hours of credit.

EDRE 6794

Evaluation Methods in Education Research II (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6704)

EDRE 6794

Assessment in Higher Education (3H, 3C) (Pre: EDRE 6704)

Designed to provide an overview of theoretical, philosophical, practical, and policy issues that are appropriate to outcomes assessment methodology in higher education and that are transferable to other educational and non-governmental settings. The course emphasizes understanding of assessment to enhance the educational environment and support academic quality.


Certificate Application Form

Additional Application Materials

The EDRE program is required to assess the knowledge and skills that students acquire from coursework that is completed for the EDRE Graduate Certificate. This requirement involves an additional step in the certificate application process, but several options are available. You can submit either an empirical or a non-empirical work sample as part of your application. Please note that the work sample submitted must have been completed within the last two years and must be (a) a methodologically-oriented paper from one of the courses that you have taken for the EDRE Graduate Certificate, (b) a conference paper, or (c) a manuscript that has been submitted to an academic journal for review or that is in press or in print with an academic journal.

The work sample that you submit will be evaluated by an EDRE faculty member who has relevant expertise, using the appropriate criteria that are discussed below. Please note that a minimum score is not stipulated for this evaluation.

Learning Outcome #1

The student will be able to understand, apply, and/or evaluate a specific research paradigm, research methodology, data collection method, or data analysis method.

The methodological portion of an empirical work sample will be evaluated using a five-point scale:

1) Was the research methodology that was used appropriate for investigating the research problem and/or research question(s)?

2) Was the research methodology understood and used correctly?

A non-empirical work sample will be evaluated using a five-point scale:

1) Was the research paradigm, research methodology, data collection method, and/or data analysis method described/explained accurately?

2) If relevant, was the research paradigm, research methodology, data collection method, and/or data analysis method critiqued/evaluated effectively?

Learning Outcome #2

The student will be able to understand and/or apply fundamental methodological concepts that are associated with a specific research paradigm, research methodology, data collection method, or data analysis method (e.g., validity, reliability, generalizability, HLM, SEM, or IRT, as they are understood within a specific methodological tradition).

The Results, Discussion, Limitations, and Conclusion sections of an empirical work sample will be evaluated using a five-point scale:

1) Were the results interpreted correctly?

2) Were the results discussed in relationship to the stated research problem and/or research question(s)?

3) Did the above sections of the work sample demonstrate an understanding of, and adherence to, the methodological requirements for validity, reliability, generalizability, and/or other fundamental methodological concepts (e.g., those that are associated with HLM, SEM, or IRT)?

A non-empirical work sample will be evaluated using a five-point scale:

1) Were fundamental methodological concepts described/explained accurately?

2) If relevant, were fundamental methodological concepts critiqued/evaluated effectively?