Introduction
Qualitative research design and implementation can be intimidating. From questions of ethics to practical application and adopting the latest-and-greatest software, the whole process can be overwhelming whether you’re embarking on your first or fiftieth project. The Department of Sociology & Anthropology at ETSU has brought together experts from across campus and disciplines to provide a comprehensive curriculum designed to help students reach their personal learning objectives. The Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Methods is intended for current graduate students, working professionals and faculty who would like to update their research skills. It provides training in the foundations of qualitative research design, data collection, analysis, interpretation, writing, and integrates the latest research technologies throughout the process. The certificate takes an interdisciplinary approach and emphasizes rigorous empirical study design to answer research questions in the social sciences and health sciences. It is a 12-credit hour program and can be completed fully online, or through a hybrid of online and in person courses. There is no professional accreditation for this program.
About the Program
The Graduate Certificate is designed with two paths to completion—hybrid or fully online. Whether you are a working professional, a returning student looking to test the waters of graduate-level coursework, a current graduate student, or a faculty member wanting to refresh their research skills, the certificate can be completed over 4 semesters taking just a single, 3-credit course at a time.
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Learning Outcomes
At the completion of this graduate program, Graduate Students are expected to do the following:
- Critically assess the rigor and quality of completed qualitative research studies.
- Generate a digital research workflow to organize, manage and implement qualitative research studies using qualitative data analysis software.
- Design and conduct qualitative research studies in an ethical, reflexive manner.
- Articulate the philosophical foundations of qualitative inquiry paradigms.
- Generate research questions that can be answered with qualitative research designs and methods.
- Analyze which qualitative research designs are best suited to answer social science research questions: e.g., participatory, applied/translational research, action research, phenomenology and community-based research designs.
- Collect a variety of qualitative data types: e.g., observations, photo-elicitation, oral history, interviews, focus groups, archival documents, social media/online conversational data.
- Analyze qualitative data using a variety of methods: e.g., thematic analysis, discourse, narrative, content analysis methods.
- Write up, represent, and communicate research findings in a way that is appropriate to the audience: e.g., film- making, journal articles, social media reels.
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Program of Study
Approved Program of Study:
Foundations, 3 credits, choose one of the following:
SOCI 5230 Qualitative Research Methods ANTH 5627 Ethnographic Methods NRSE 6040 Qualitative Methods in Nursing Research (for Nursing students only) ELPA 7812 Qualitative Research (for Doctoral students only) Digital Qualitative Research Methods, 3 credits, choose one of the following:
SOCI 5260 Digital Qualitative Research Tools SOCI 5544 Qualitative Social Media Analysis Advisor-Approved Electives, 6 credits, choose two of the following:
ANTH 5627 Ethnographic Methods APST 5690 Appalachian Community Engagement COMM 5300 Qualitative Research in Communication COBH 6220 Methods in Community Health Research NRSE 6040 Qualitative Methods in Nursing NRSE 6045 Advanced Qualitative Data Analysis in Nursing RTVF 5100 Documentary Film Research and Production SOCI 5057 Applied Sociology SOCI 5230 Qualitative Research Methods SOCI 5260 Digital Qualitative Research Tools SOCI 5544 Qualitative Social Media Analysis ELPA 7812 Qualitative Research (for Doctoral students only) ELPA 7814 Advanced Qualitative Research (for Doctoral students only) Total: 12 credit hours
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Course Sequence
The program of study is broken down into a two-year sequence.
Year One:
Fall 2024 Spring 2025 Summer 2025 Online SOCI 5260 Digital Qualitative Research ANTH 5627 Ethnography NRSE 6045 Advanced qualitative data analysis in nursing - SOCI 5057 Applied sociology (community-based participatory research) ELPA 7812 Educational leadership, Qualitative research 1 - SOCI 5544 Social media analysis ELPA 7814 Educational leadership, Advanced qualitative research - NRSE 6040 Qualitative methods in nursing - - ELPA 7812 Educational leadership, Qualitative research 1 - In Person SOCI 5230 Qualitative research methods - - SOCI 5057 Applied sociology (community-based participatory research) - - APST 5690 Appalachian community engagement - - COMM 5300 Qualitative research in communication - - COBH 6220 - Advanced Qualitative Methods in Community Health - - RTVF 5100 Documentary film research and production - - Year Two:
Fall 2025 Spring 2026 Summer 20226 Online SOCI 5260 Digital qualitative research SOCI 5057 Applied sociology (community-based participatory research) NRSE 6045 Advanced qualitative data analysis in nursing SOCI 5230 Qualitative field research SOCI 5544 Social media analysis ELPA 7812 Educational leadership, Qualitative research 1 - NRSE 6040 Qualitative methods in nursing ELPA 7814 Educational leadership, Advanced qualitative research - ELPA 7812 Educational leadership, Qualitative research 1 - In Person SOCI 5057 Applied sociology (community-based participatory research) ANTH 5627 Ethnography - APST 5690 Appalachian community engagement - - COMM 5300 Qualitative research in communication - - COBH 6220 Advanced Qualitative Methods in Community Health - - -
Application Requirements
Apply through the ETSU Application Portal; more information coming soon.
Note: The Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research is in-process for Financial Aid approval, but is not approved at this time.
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Faculty Information
Dr. Rebecca Adkins Fletcher
Appalachian Studies
Dr. Adkins Fletcher teaches APST 5690: Appalachian Community Engagement.
Contact: fletcherra1@etsu.edu or 423-439-7994
Dr. Roger L. Blackwell
Community & Behavioral Health
Dr. Blackwell teaches COBH 6220: Advanced Qualitative Methods in Community Health.
Contact: blackwer@etsu.edu or 423-439-4915
Dr. Jill Channing
Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis
Dr. Channing teaches ELPA 7812: Qualitative Research and ELPA 7814: Advanced Qualitative Research.
Contact: channing@etsu.edu or 423-439-7623
Dr. Brianna Cusanno
Communication & Performance
Dr. Cusanno teaches COMM 5300: Qualitative Research in Communication.
Contact: cusanno@etsu.eduor 423-439-7676
Shara Lange, MFA
Media & Communication
Professor Lange teaches RTVF 5100: Documentary Film Research and Production.
NOTE: Dr. Lange is out on a Non-Instructional Assignment (NIA) for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Dr. Trena Paulus
Sociology & Anthropology
Dr. Paulus is the coordinator for the Qualitative Research Graduate Certificate. She teaches ANTH 5627: Ethnographic Methods, SOCI 5260: Digital Qualitative Research Tools, and SOCI 5544: Qualitative Social Media Analysis.
Contact: paulust@etsu.edu or 423-439-6733
Dr. Florence Weierbach
Graduate Nursing
Dr. Weierbach teaches NRSE 6040: Qualitative Methods in Nursing.
Contact: weierbach@etsu.edu or 423-439-4588
Note: This page is under construction. More updates coming soon.