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Qualitative Research, Certificate

College of Education

Increase your competitiveness for research positions in higher education and beyond. This interdisciplinary graduate certificate in qualitative research is the only program of its kind in South Carolina.

Students with a master's degree in any field will learn to conduct qualitative research from experts and tailor projects to meet their personal interests and career goals. Graduates will demonstrate their expertise and compete for roles at universities and policy and research institutes.

Program Highlights

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    Career Options

    Prepare for work in policy institutes, nongovernmental organizations, research institutions, higher education and more.

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    Real Analysis

    Workshop your own original data while developing in-depth knowledge in qualitative inquiry with our expert faculty.

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    Broad Exposure

    Study a range of coursework from ethnography to participatory action research to qualitative case study.

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    Custom Experience

    Explore areas of qualitative research that interests you in three elective courses of your choosing.

What You’ll Study

Courses focus on theory, method and design across different qualitative research methods/methodologies to prepare you in the study and practice of qualitative inquiry. Advanced courses include ethnography, narrative analysis, participatory action research and qualitative case study.

Building Skills

Gain the professional and personal intelligence it takes to have a successful career.

  • Data Analysis

    Examining and interpreting information to uncover insights and inform decision making

    Project Management

    Organizing and overseeing tasks to achieve specific goals

    Research

    Gathering and analyzing information to increase knowledge or solve problems

  • Writing

    Creating professional written content for inclusion in scholarly journal articles, books and reports

    Problem Solving

    Identifying, analyzing and resolving problems or challenges using creative and effective strategies

    Collaboration

    Working with others to achieve a common goal or objective

Using your degree

Make your college experience the foundation for a successful future.

Potential Careers

  • Researcher

Workplace Settings

  • Higher Education
  • Government
  • Research Institutes
  • Private Organization

The certificate has helped to deepen my understandings of qualitative research methods and methodology. The coursework helped me to develop my dissertation study and my broader research agenda. I feel better prepared for completing my Ph.D. as well as for the academic job market.

Dave Osworth
Portrait of Dave Osworth

Is USC Right For You?

There are many reasons we could be your ideal university. There's the award-winning academics, the globally modeled student life, and abundance of study abroad and experiential learning options. Take a closer look at what USC could mean for you.

Degree content is provided for informational purposes only. The Academic Bulletin is the source of record for all degree information.
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