Social Sciences Research Certificate

The Undergraduate Certificate in Social Sciences Research will enhance the educational goals of any University of Kentucky student interested in obtaining research experience in the Social Sciences. The certificate is designed to ensure that students receiving it have mastered basic social science research skills, and have demonstrated their ability to apply those skills in independent undergraduate research. The purpose of this initiative is to encourage and recognize those students who have an interest in developing their scholarly and research pursuits in the Social Sciences, and have an interest in pursuing their scholarship in an advanced degree program or in their chosen career. The certificate provides students with the opportunity to learn a range of basic social science skills and focus their efforts in primary research activities.

Admissions Criteria

A minimum second semester freshman;
3.0 overall GPA and in good academic standing;
An application submitted through the Central Advising Office in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Program

The Undergraduate Certificate in Social Sciences Research requires a minimum of 12 credit hours. All courses for the certificate must be completed with a combined average GPA of 3.2 or better. If a class is only offered as a pass/fail, then a student may include a ‘pass’ grade in that class. However, 12 credit hours for the certificate must be completed in graded course work. All credit hours must be at 200+ level; 6 of these credits must be at 300+ level. At least one course (3 credit hours) must be from a department other than the student’s major; no more than 9 credits may also satisfy requirements for the student’s major. The certificate requires that a minimum of 3 credit hours be an independent research project, and that students make a presentation of their research in a public forum (this must be included in the learning contract for the independent research project). Students must successfully complete a Bachelor’s degree to earn the certificate.

1. One research design/methods course, chosen from the following:

ANT 302 - ETHNOGRAPHIC METHODS: DOING ANTHROPOLOGY Credit(s): 3
ANT 525 - APPLIED ANTHROPOLOGY Credit(s): 3
ANT 541 - ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD AND THEORY Credit(s): 3
ANT 543 - CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT Credit(s): 3
ANT 585 - FIELD LABORATORY IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH Credit(s): 3 - 6 (Variable)
COM 365 - INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION RESEARCH METHODS Credit(s): 3
COM 553 - MEDIA THEORY AND CRITICISM: (SR) Credit(s): 3
EDP 520 - PROGRAM EVALUATION Credit(s): 3
OR
EPE 520 - PROGRAM EVALUATION Credit(s): 3
OR
KHP 520 - PROGRAM EVALUATION Credit(s): 3
GEO 311 - QUALITATIVE METHODS IN GEOGRAPHY Credit(s): 3
GEO 406 - FIELD STUDIES IN GEOGRAPHY (SUBTITLE REQUIRED) Credit(s): 3
GWS 400 - DOING FEMINIST RESEARCH Credit(s): 3
LIN 508 - DISCOURSE ANALYSIS Credit(s): 3
OR
SOC 508 - DISCOURSE ANALYSIS Credit(s): 3
PS 372 - INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL ANALYSIS Credit(s): 3
PSY 215 - EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Credit(s): 4
SOC 302 - SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH METHODS Credit(s): 3

2. One quantitative/technical methods course chosen from the following:

AEC 490 - QUANTITATIVE METHODS AND PRICE ANALYSIS Credit(s): 3
ECO 391 - ECONOMIC AND BUSINESS STATISTICS. Credit(s): 3
EPE 522 - PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EDUCATIONAL TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS Credit(s): 3
OR
EDP 522 - PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EDUCATIONAL TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS Credit(s): 3
OR
EDC 522 - PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EDUCATIONAL TESTS AND MEASUREMENTS Credit(s): 3
EPE 557 - GATHERING, ANALYZING, AND USING EDUCATIONAL DATA Credit(s): 3
OR
EDP 557 - GATHERING, ANALYZING, AND USING EDUCATIONAL DATA Credit(s): 3
EPE 558 - GATHERING, ANALYZING & USING EDUCATIONAL DATA II Credit(s): 3
OR
EDP 558 - GATHERING, ANLYZG & USING EDUC DATA Credit(s): 3
GEO 309 - INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS Credit(s): 3
GEO 310 - DATA EXPLORATIONS AND APPLICATIONS IN EVERYDAY LIFE Credit(s): 3
GEO 409 - GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND SCIENCE: FUNDAMENTALS Credit(s): 3
PSY 216 - APPLICATIONS OF STATISTICS IN PSYCHOLOGY. Credit(s): 4
SOC 303 - SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH METHODS II Credit(s): 3
STA 296 - STATISTICAL METHODS AND MOTIVATIONS Credit(s): 3

3. One independent study

One independent study (or equivalent), chosen from the following. Included as part of this course requirement is the program requirement for a presentation of research in public forum. This requirement will be included in the learning contract for the independent study/research course.

AEC 395 - INDEPENDENT RESEARCH IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS Credit(s): 1 - 3 (Variable)
ANT 399 - FIELD BASED/COMMUNITY BASED EDUCATION IN ANTHROPOLOGY Credit(s): 1 - 15 (Variable)
ANT 581 - INDEPENDENT WORK IN ANTHROPOLOGY Credit(s): 1 - 4 (Variable)
COM 395 - INDEPENDENT WORK Credit(s): 1 - 3 (Variable)
ECO 395 - INDIVIDUAL WORK IN ECONOMICS Credit(s): 1 - 6 (Variable)
ENS 395 - INDEPENDENT WORK Credit(s): 1 - 4 (Variable)
GEO 499 - SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR Credit(s): 3
GEO 560 - INDEPENDENT WORK IN GEOGRAPHY Credit(s): 3
GWS 395 - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH IN GENDER AND WOMEN’S STUDIES Credit(s): 1 - 3 (Variable)
HSP 499 - HEALTH, SOCIETY AND POPULATIONS CAPSTONE (SUBTITLE REQUIRED) Credit(s): 3
LIN 395 - INDEPENDENT WORK Credit(s): 3
PS 395 - INDEPENDENT WORK Credit(s): 1 - 6 (Variable)
PSY 393 - RESEARCH IN NEUROSCIENCE Credit(s): 1 - 3 (Variable)
PSY 394 - RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY Credit(s): 1 - 3 (Variable)
PSY 395 - INDEPENDENT WORK IN PSYCHOLOGY Credit(s): 1 - 3 (Variable)
PSY 495 - SENIOR THESIS SEMINAR Credit(s): 4
PSY 496 - SENIOR THESIS RESEARCH Credit(s): 4
SOC 395 - INDEPENDENT WORK Credit(s): 1 - 3 (Variable)
SOC 565 - INDEPENDENT WORK Credit(s): 1 - 3 (Variable)

4. One outside area course

One ‘outside area course’, which must be a course from a department other than the student’s major, chosen from the courses listed above.