COURSES
Thirty credits (ten courses of three credits each)
are required for the M.A. Eight of these courses (24 credits) are usually
"in class."Of the remaining two courses (6 credits), one must be an
independent research project (Thesis Research), while the other can be an
internship or another "in class" course. Students also have the
opportunity to tailor their programs to specific interests by taking courses in
other departments and enrolling in independent study courses with members of
the faculty. Courses offered in
the department include:
This is a two-term sequence
which gives students "hands-on" experience in the design, conduct,
and analysis of research used routinely by advertising agencies, marketers,
social agencies, government departments, educational institutions, and others.
The course teaches up-to-date computer skills and enables students to
"interact" with data and analyze them in a meaningful manner.
This
two-term sequence introduces students to the main areas of applied social
research, including market research, evaluation research, and allied fields.
The projects used for teaching are similar to those implemented by major market
research firms and social research agencies.
Concentrates
on improving students' written and oral skills as preparation for entry into
the professional arena. Through a variety of writing assignments and reviews,
students learn the principles of concise and effective communication.
Acquaints students with work in social theory
relevant to the social researcher.
Teaches
students how to apply the skills learned in other courses to the design and
conduct of their own research projects. The course takes an integrated look at
the entire research process as it is carried out by social researchers, and
often includes presentations by leading professional researchers from various
areas of applied social research.
Is
usually carried out by the student for a client, and is the final requirement
for the
Focuses
on the U.S. population and how it has changed during recent decades, most
particularly in the New York metropolitan area. This course is useful for
anyone designing and carrying out research. (Not necessarily offered each
semester)
Demonstrates
how the techniques of social research are used to evaluate social programs, a
burgeoning field of applied social research. (Not necessarily offered each
semester)
Using
Geographical Information Systems (GIS) it examines the way population is
distributed throughout the New York metropolitan area. It focuses on
neighborhood and residential clustering, using a variety of social factors such
as race, language, ethnicity, income, and the like. As these systems are being
used more and more in social research, the department has a small GIS and
multimedia laboratory for instruction in this area. (Not necessarily offered
each semester).