Applied Social Science Research
Earn a Certificate in Applied Social Science Research
The Interdisciplinary Certificate in Applied Social Science Research facilitates the development of methodological skills applicable to social research in a wide range of settings. Skills include but are not limited to: research design, interviewing, experimental design, ethnography, survey design, coding, program evaluation, inferential statistical analysis, and effective translation of data for a variety of audiences. The certificate also offers explicit opportunities to cultivate ethical, rigorous research collaborations with community partners.
Students majoring in Math, Computer Science, or a social science discipline may be a particularly good fit for the certificate.
Career Outlook
The Applied Social Science Research certificate prepares students for various career paths, including government, business, law, humanitarian organizations, journalism, the arts, teaching, and many more.
Develop Your Research Skills
Participating students take courses in methodological approaches in at least two disciplines. They will hone multiple methodological skills, learn to apply them in a variety of different situations, fully realize their value, and develop an ability to articulate that value for a range of community and professional settings.
Curriculum
The Applied Social Science Research certificate requires a minimum of 12 semester hours and 4 courses selected from the list below, one of which must be SSCI 300 (Applied Social Research Workshop). With the approval of the certificate coordinator, other courses may be taken to meet the certificate’s requirements. The combination of courses must comply with the catalog guidelines for all interdisciplinary certificates. Students are responsible for completing necessary prerequisites for all courses or for obtaining a waiver from the instructor.
Certificate at a Glance
- Minimum of 12 credit hours from four courses
- Courses must represent at least two different disciplines
- No more than 8 hours from a declared major or minor may count
- At least 3 hours at the 300-400 level.
- All courses must be completed at UNC Asheville
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all certificate courses
Required Courses
Foundational Course
Electives
STAT 185 – Introductory Statistics (4)
Fall and Spring
- Prerequisite: STAT 185 or 225
STAT 325 – Introduction to Regression Models (3)
Odd years Fall
- Prerequisite: 3 to 4 hours in any other Statistics course
STAT 326 – Statistics for Experimenters (3)
Even years Spring
- Prerequisite: STAT 185 or 225
STAT 329 – Big Data Analytics (CSCI 329) (3)
- Prerequisites: STAT 185 or 225, and one course from CSCI 182, 183, or 185, or permission of instructor.
CSCI 183 – Introduction to Programming: Data Science (3)
Fall and Spring
CSCI 201 – Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming (3)
Fall and Spring
- Pre- or co-requisite: CSCI 182, 183, 185, or ECE 209
CSCI 329 – Big Data Analytics (STAT 329) (3)
- Prerequisites: STAT 185 or 225, and one course from CSCI 182, 183, or 185, or permission of instructor
ECON 355 – International Macroeconomics & Finance (4)
Every other year
- Prerequisite: ECON 103
ECON 365 – Econometrics (4)
Fall
- Prerequisites: ECON 103; STAT 185 or 225
HS 310 – Community Health Promotion: Theory and Practice (4)
Every year
- Prerequisite: HS 222
HS 245 – Research Methods (4)
Fall and Spring
POLS 290 – Political Analysis (4)
Fall and Spring
- Prerequisite: one course from POLS 220, 235, 240, 261, or 281
POLS 337 – ReStorying Community (4)
POLS 396 – Quantitative Reasoning: Telling Stories with Numbers (4)
- Prerequisites: POLS 290; STAT 185 or STAT 225
PSYC 201 – Research Methods I (4)
Fall and Spring
- Prerequisite: 4 hours in psychology
PSYC 202 – Research Methods II (4)
Fall and Spring
- Prerequisite: 6 hours in psychology including PSYC 201
ANTH 336 – Ethnographic Methods (4)
Spring
- Prerequisite: ANTH 225 or SOC 225.
SOC 338 – Social Research Methods (4)
Fall and Spring
- Prerequisites: SOC 100; ANTH 225 or SOC 225
BUS 367 – Introduction to Business Analytics (2)
Odd Years Spring
- Prerequisite: grade of C or better in STAT 185 or 225
BUS 388 – AI for Business (4)
Fall
Supporting Majors
Ready for what's next?
An Applied Social Science Research certificate equips students with problem-solving skills that address contemporary societal issues on both local and global levels.