I. Objectives
Students will be prepared to (1) design and implement
research studies in aging, (2) design and conduct evaluations
of aging-related programs, (3) interpret and critique research
and evaluations of aging programs, and (4) understand and
appreciate the unique features of doing research and evaluation
with older populations (i.e., sampling, design, measurement,
and analysis).
II. Potential Employment and/or Doctoral Work:
A. Evaluation of private or public aging programs
and services.
B. Research positions in colleges, universities, research
institutes, etc. (e.g., research associate, project director,
evaluator).
C. Sufficient competencies to successfully enter and complete
a doctoral program at an accredited university.
III. Required Statistics Course: (In addition to the
15 credit hour CORE requirements)
Select one of the following statistics courses:
ED PSYCH 6010 (3) Intro to Statistics
A statistics course approved by Supervisory Committee
IV. Elective Courses:
THESIS OPTION
Credit Hours, of witch at least 6 must be from Methodology
Courses (listed below) 3 credits must be from GERON prefix
electives
NON-THESIS PROJECT OPTION
12 Credit Hours, in which 6 are from Methodology Courses (listed
below), and 6 are from GERON prefix electives
Elective Course Selection is Subject to the approval of Supervisory
Committee or Associate director for Graduate Studies
Methodology Electives
(Please contact individual departments to verify schedules)
Special Topics in Research Design and Implementation
ED PS 7410 (3) Single Subject Research Design-Application
of single/within subject principles and strategies in educational
research. Critical issues surrounding the design, implementation
and analysis of single subject research.
ED PS 7420 (3) Qualitative Research in Psychology-Qualitative
research methods in psychology and related fields. Emphasis
on multiple theoretical and practical approaches to qualitative
inquiry, including standards of rigor, reflexivity, data-gathering
(interview, focus-group, participant-observation, and archival
sources) and data-analysis methods. Focus on proposal-writing
and steps in investigation and analysis.
ED PS 7460 (3) Program Evaluation and Consultation-Program
evaluation and consultation is studied from a number of theoretical
and applied perspectives including assessing the organizational
environment and culture, negotiating the evaluation agreement,
developing data collection methods and procedures, analyzing
the information generated, communicating results effectively,
and consulting with various stakeholders in the process.
FP MD 6300 (3) Introduction to Epidemiology-Basic principles
of epidemiology with emphasis on determining causal of chronic
disease. Fundamentals of epidemiologic study design and data
resources.
H EDU 6500 (3) Grant Writing for Health Related Disciplines-Provides
health educators and other human-service personnel with knowledge
and practical skills to understand the grant-writing process,
seek appropriate funding channels, write grant proposals,
and conduct grant reviews. Actual development of a concept
paper and full grant proposal will be completed by students.
H EDU 6570 (3) Research Issues-This course assists students
who are in the process of conducting research, preparing for
presentations at national/regional meetings, and for writing
and submitting manuscripts for publication. Design and measurement
issues associated with research will be explored.
Measurement and Instrumentation
ED PS 6300 (3) Introduction to Measurement-An introduction
to the statistics of measurement including common scale transformations
and interpretations, reliability estimation methods and interpretations,
and validity estimation methods and interpretations. Emphasis
is on learning to evaluate the quality of measures for various
applications based on available psychometric evidence.
ED PS 6320 (3) Instrument Development-This course teaches
students how to develop measure instruments for research use
(theses' and dissertations) when no acceptable published tests
exist. Student projects are emphasized.
ED PS 7300 (3) Psychometric Theory-Theoretical and statistical
bases of common measurement methods. Covers introduction to
scaling, classical test theory and conventional reliability
estimation methods, generalizability theory, and a variety
of conceptual and methodological approaches to investigating
test validity issues. Emphasis is on proper application and
interpretation of psychometric methods.
Multivariate and Advanced Statistics
ED PS 7010 (5) Quantitative Methods I: Foundations of Statistics
and Experimental Design-Covers elementary probability theory,
measures of central tendency and variability, sampling distributions,
point and interval estimation, hypothesis testing, power,
effect sizes, the methods of planned comparisons, and fixed,
random, and mixed model analysis of variance including repeated
measures. Includes computer exercises.
ED PS 7020 (3) Quantitative Methods II: Regression/Correlation
Analysis-Emphasis on analysis of variance for between-group,
within subject, mixed, and hierarchical designs. Covers fixed
and random effects models, effect sizes, and planned and post
hoc comparisons. Includes computer exercises.
FCS 6110 (3) Graduate Multivariate Statistics-Course covers
a range of on analysis. Topics include multiple regression,
conducting regressions diagnostics, multi-collinearity, interaction
effects, repeated measures, and logistic regression. SAS computer
assignments.
MGT 5590 (2 or 3) Regression and Correlation with Management
Applications-Classic two-variable and multivariable regression
models. Problems solved using prepackaged computer programs,
with emphasis on interpretation on use of computer outputs.
Use of categorical variables, use and interpretation of several
coefficients of correlation, and analysis of variance as it
applies to the multiple-regression problem. Emphasis on application
of techniques, but some theoretical aspects covered.
SOC 7120 (3) Advanced Statistics-Technique of multiple regression;
its application, models, extension, and interpretation.
SUMMARY FOR RESEARCH AND EVALUATION
Thesis Option
Gerontology Core 15 credits
Required Statistics 3 credits
Electives 9 credits
Thesis (GERON 6970) 6 credits
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TOTAL 33 credit hours
Non-Thesis* Option Masters Project
Gerontology Core 15 credits
Required Statistics 3 credits
Electives 12 credits
Project (GERON 6975) 4 credits
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TOTAL 34 credit hours
* A Master's Project (non-thesis) within the Research &
Evaluation Track must be a publishable data-based paper, suitable
for publication in peer-reviewed journal.
Track Advisor: Michael Caserta
