Program Evaluation Certificate

Purpose

The Certificate in Program Evaluation provides graduate-level training in the basic concepts and skills necessary to conduct formative e and summative evaluations of educational or social service programs and program improvement efforts. The program is designed for professionals and graduate students who have - or will have - significant evaluations responsibilities. The required coursework represents the skills involved in designing, executing, and reporting evaluation studies. This is a non-degree program, consisting of 15 credits that can be completed at the student's own pace within a five year period.

Brief description of Certificate Program:

The Certificate in Program Evaluation provides graduate level training in the basic concepts and skills necessary to conduct formative and summative evaluations of programs and program improvement efforts. The certificate is designed for employees and graduate students who have, or will have, significant evaluation responsibilities, but little or no training in skills related to the design, data analysis and reporting of program evaluation studies.

Required prerequisites:

Any graduate student in good standing at Florida State University, of any individual eligible to enroll as a special student (non-degree seeking), is eligible to apply for admission to the Program Evaluation Certificate program.

Courses included in the Certificate:

15 total credit hours required

Core Courses in Evaluation Theory & Methods:

Electives:

Also required is a minimum of one of the following courses in data collection methods and one course in data analysis methods. None of the courses on the program of studies may be satisfied by transfer credit from other universities.

Other Evaluation Theory & Methods:

EDF 5626 Economic Evaluation of Educational Programs (3)
EDF 6937r Research and Evaluation Seminar: Evaluation of Training (3)
EVT 6790 Evaluating Vocational Education (3)
EDA 5422 Decision-Oriented Educational Research (3)
ADE 5932 Methods of Participatory Research (3)
EDF 5481 Methods of Educational Research (3)
EDF 5432 Measurement Theory I (3)

Data Collection:

EDF 5445 Assessment of Learning Outcomes (3)
EDF 5449 Survey Research Methods (3)
EDF 6475 Qualitative Methods in Educational Research (3)

Additional Course Electives:

Data Analysis

EDF 5400 Basic Descriptive and Inferential Statistics Applications (4)
EDF 5401 General Linear Modeling Applications (4)
EDF 5410 Nonparametric Analysis Application (2)

Standardized test requirements:

None

Certificate courses that will apply toward graduate degree:

All courses are applicable to a graduate degree. Students, however, should consult with their major professor to determine which courses are applicable to specific graduate programs.

Time limit for completion of Certificate:

Completion of 15 approved semester hours with a grade point average of 3.25 and no grade lower than a "B". The program of studies must be complete within a five-year period and include two of the three required core courses in evaluation theory and methods.

Course locations (where the certificate program is offered):

Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies,
College of Education,
114 Stone Building,
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4452

Contact information:

Dr. Linda B. Schrader, Assistant Professor in Program Evaluation
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies,
College of Education,
114 Stone Building,
Florida State University,
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4452.
Tel: (850) 644-8780
E-mail: lschrade@mailer.fsu.edu