Certificate in Applied Social Science Research

Full program details are available in the Calendar and the Overview of the Certificate in Applied Social Science Research
Students who plan to complete CASSR, must:
  1. Fill out the Intention to Complete Google form PRIOR to completion of either SOC 415 or other Capstone course, or by Fall of your intended year of graduation, whichever comes first.
  2. Submit the Faculty of Arts Undergraduate Student Services office 'Declaration or Change of Certificate(s)' on-line google form. This step is necessary to have the Certificate awarded at the time of graduation.  This should be done as early as possible, but no later than the last term of your program.
What is the Certificate in Applied Social Science Research (CASSR)?
This interdisciplinary embedded Certificate is aimed at developing students' research skills in the social sciences through a combination of course work and hands-on research experience. The Certificate is open to undergraduate students across Faculties, but is primarily geared towards those enrolled in the Faculty of Arts. Completion of the Certificate provides students with marketable skills and experiences in applied social research and strong preparation for graduate study in the social sciences or other employment pathways.
Why add this Certificate to your degree?
Through a combination of coursework and experiential learning, this Certificate will provide a strong methodological background for students seeking further education in the social sciences or health sciences. The Certificate's experiential component also provides hands-on learning experiences through which students can develop practical research and critical thinking skills that are in demand among employers and policymakers.
What do I need to do to obtain this Certificate?

A) Students must complete *15 of course work that includes the following:

*3 One introductory statistics course 
*3 One introductory overview course in social science methodology course
*6 Two advanced methods or statistics courses
*3 Completion of SOC 415: Applied Research Internship OR other approved Capstone course involving either a research based project or internship

B) Presentation

All students completing the Certificate, whether via SOC 415 or other Capstone course, must publicly present their project at a venue (e.g. a conference) approved by the Certificate Advisor. Students who take SOC 415 will meet this requirement through completion of the presentation component in the course.

Full program details are available in the Calendar and the Overview of the Certificate in Applied Social Science Research

 

See all Faculty of Arts Certificates, including the:

Community Engagement Service-Learning Certificate

The Community Service-Learning (CSL) program started as a pilot program in Sociology in 2003 and has since supported courses in fifteen departments. Faculty and instructors in the Sociology Department have continued to play an active role in actively adapting a variety of courses to include a CSL component.

Community service-learning is a pedagogy that integrates volunteer and social action work into academic courses. Typically, students in CSL-designated courses dedicate about twenty hours each into community-based projects or activities that have been intentionally designed to match the goals of the course. When effectively adopted as a key element of a course, CSL not only enlivens course material but also develops critical thinking and engages students in questions of social change.

The Community Engagement Service-Learning Certificate allows students to demonstrate that they have significantly integrated community service-learning (CSL) into their postsecondary education. The knowledge and experience students gain through service-learning are relevant and applicable to a wide range of careers, including those in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the volunteer sector, business and government, and academic institutions. Students enrolled in any undergraduate program at the University of Alberta are eligible for the Certificate, which is received upon graduation and noted on the student transcript.

CASSR students

Certificate Advisor:

Dr. Michelle Maroto
Email: cassr@ualberta.ca