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410.615.01
Research Design in the Social and Behavioral Sciences

Location
East Baltimore
Term
3rd Term
Department
Health, Behavior and Society
Credit(s)
3
Academic Year
2012 - 2013
Instruction Method
TBD
Class Time(s)
W, F, 10:30 - 11:50am
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Prerequisite

Two terms biostatistics or consent of instructor. Social or behavioral sciences recommended.

Description
Provides an overview of the design and conduct of research in the social and behavioral sciences, as applied to public health. Drawing primarily from the research perspectives and methodologies of sociology, anthropology, and psychology, students examine the formulation of a research question; selection of a research design, study site, and population; and issues and methods of data collection. Evaluates the major types of social sciences research design (experimental, quasi-experimental, observation), and discusses the ways in which each social science perspective shapes the conduct and results of research, compared to other disciplines in public health, such as epidemiology.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
  1. compare different scientific philosophies in social and behavioral sciences, and the theories and methods of research derived from those philosophies
  2. define and design theory, hypotheses, constructs, and measurement strategies relevant to scientific inquiry in the social and behavioral sciences
  3. evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a wide range of research designs in the social and behavioral sciences, and consider the strength of scientific evidence presented by these research activities