Research (RSCH) Courses

RSCH2050 Workshop in Acquiring Social Research Skills

This course explores the concepts, steps and skills required for analyzing and conducting research grounded in the scientific method. The emphasis of this course is on acquiring research skills through practice-based learning. Students attain an understanding of the roles and approaches that distinguish quantitative and qualitative research methods. Students learn how to plan and write a research project prospectus and how to select and interpret data. Students acquire a working understanding of the analytical approaches necessary for evaluating the validity and credibility of primary and secondary research, learning also to use and interpret statistics in specific applied contexts. Students explore current professional ethical norms and practices in research. Students gain appreciation for understanding how research and society are vitally linked, while grasping the importance of the role of public scrutiny in research.
Prerequisite(s): MATH2001 or MATH2010, PSYC1001 or SOC1001 or SOC2005, sophomore status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

RSCH3020 Honors Research Methods

This course prepares honors students to conduct the necessary research to successfully complete the honors thesis requirements for graduation from the Honors Program. Students evaluate a variety of research methods, engage in exercises in working with primary and secondary sources, and review appropriate documentation forms. The professor guides students in their choice of feasible research projects and serves as the major adviser during the development of an honors thesis prospectus. Students complete the honors thesis in RSCH4020 Honors Directed Academic Experience.
Prerequisite(s): ENG1024 or English placement, junior status, honors status, 3.6 cumulative GPA.
Offered at Charlotte, Providence
3 Semester Credits

RSCH3810 Undergraduate Laboratory and Field Research

This course requires students to investigate a problem or question through a laboratory and/or field research study. Students develop skills essential for becoming an active member of the research community and workforce, such as scientific literacy, experimental design, modern research techniques, data collection and analysis, and oral and written communication.
Prerequisite(s): Minimum 57 earned credits and permission of instructor.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3-6 Semester Credits

RSCH3830 Undergraduate Research Experience

Under the supervision of a faculty mentor, students actively engage in all facets of an original research project. Original quantitative or qualitative research projects are permitted, depending on faculty availability. Research projects facilitate the development of critical skills in the field of interest and promote current and future professional development for the student.
Prerequisite(s): Minimum 57 earned credits and permission of instructor.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3-6 Semester Credits

RSCH4020 Honors Directed Academic Experience

The Honors Directed Academic Experience offers honors students the opportunity to develop and complete a capstone project begun in the Honors Research Seminar (RSCH3020). This project is completed under the direct supervision of an individual faculty mentor appropriate to the specialized field of research or other work undertaken by the student. Though students submit portions of the project to the faculty mentor at regular intervals, students are expected to devote a substantial amount of time to research, writing and other appropriate forms of independent engagement with their chosen subject.
Prerequisite(s): RSCH3020, honors status.
Offered at Charlotte, Providence
3 Semester Credits

RSCH4050 Research Seminar in Psychology

This capstone course is designed to complete the major program of study by integrating the student’s prior academic experiences in psychology. A seminar format is used to encourage student participation and interaction with peers and faculty. Each participant chooses a topic within their area of interest. The topic is explored through individual research, periodic presentations and discussion. Discussion focuses on both substantive and methodological concerns as well as interconnections among areas of study.
Prerequisite(s): RSCH2050 or RSCH3020, senior status.
Offered at Charlotte, Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

RSCH5700 Research and Inquiry

This course enables graduate students to develop problem-solving, critical thinking and quality decision-making skills that are important for professionals in all industries. Students evaluate research methodologies and develop techniques in critical thinking to improve their understanding and evaluation of industry information. The course examines the research process from preliminary data-gathering techniques to problem identification and hypothesis development. Students review pertinent data and literature as secondary sources, critique published materials and focus on the nature of primary, empirical research and the elements of research design. Particular attention is given to the student’s perspective of the applicability of research to his/her career endeavors.
Offered at Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

RSCH5800 Evidence-Based Research in Management

This course enables graduate business students to develop problem-solving, critical thinking and quality decision-making skills that are important for professionals in all industries. Students evaluate the credibility of the various sources of organizational information (practitioners, the research literature, organizational data, and stakeholders) and develop techniques in critical thinking to improve organizational decision-making. For each source of information, the course examines the three critical elements of knowledge creation: ask, acquire and appraise.
Offered at Online, Providence
3 Semester Credits

RSCH6100 Research and Theories in Addiction Counseling

This course builds on previously acquired knowledge about research methods in the field of counseling. Emphasis is placed on critically examining research and research instruments, with an overall goal of developing the skills necessary to design a research study, and collect and analyze data. Students are prepared to use data to assess and improve performance in their chosen field, especially as it relates to addiction counseling.
Offered at Providence
3 Semester Credits

RSCH6150 Research and Theories in Mental Health Counseling

This course builds on previously acquired knowledge about research methods in the field of counseling. Emphasis is placed on critically examining research and research instruments, with an overall goal of developing the skills necessary to design a research study, and collect and analyze data. Students are prepared to use data to assess and improve performance in their chosen field, especially as it relates to mental health counseling.
Offered at Providence
3 Semester Credits

RSCH7110 Research Design

This course prepares students to identify, synthesize and analyze research and apply it to issues and challenges in business settings. The focus of the course is on the identification and analysis of researchable problems, formulating research questions, critiquing existing research studies, and using research to improve policies, programs and practices.
Offered at Online
3 Semester Credits

RSCH7130 Quantitative Research Methods

This course focuses on quantitative research methodologies, instrumentation, data collection and analysis processes, and the interpretation and presentation of results. Common statistics topics for doctoral students are covered, including when and how to use them in the context of practical business decisions. These include probability and descriptive statistics, forecasting methods, sampling distributions, hypotheses testing, analysis of variance and regression analysis. Statistical analysis software is used to interpret results and evaluate reliability and validity. Case studies are reviewed to support learning.
Offered at Online
3 Semester Credits

RSCH7150 Qualitative Research Methods

This course focuses on the use of qualitative research inquiry for discovering, observing and analyzing a variety of organizational phenomenon. Topics include ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenology, case study, focus group and narrative research approaches, employing interviewing, discourse/content analysis and participation observation methods. Assumptions of qualitative inquiry, standards of sampling, ethics and trustworthiness are discussed. Students practice using data analysis software and conduct research (data collection, analyzation and interpretation) to support learning.
Offered at Online
3 Semester Credits

RSCH9008 Dissertation Research and Writing

This course runs in eight-week segments to allow students to work directly with advisors to actively progress through dissertation milestones. Students are registered for this course three times to work through the dissertation components listed in the course objectives. Through the three-term enrollment, the dissertation research and writing course enables advisors to provide guidance and practical support for doctoral candidates in the various phases of the dissertation project with emphasis on refining the problem of practice and grounding the study, developing a dissertation proposal, completing the DBA Program Review Process, submitting an application to the JWU Institutional Review Board (IRB) for permission to conduct the study, completing any other ethical research practices and protocols in accordance with the protection of human subjects and informed consent procedures, piloting instruments for data collection (if applicable), conducting data collection for the approved study, transforming the dissertation proposal into chapter 1 and using the proposal to outline/develop the literature review (chapter 2) and the methodology (chapter 3) for the dissertation. Lastly, students analyze their data and report the findings. Workshops are provided on special topics related to data collection, instrument design and sampling strategies, as well as scholarly writing support and APA formatting/guidelines. The DBA Program and Dissertation Handbook should be referenced for specific dissertation information. A final dissertation course (RSCH9010) guides students through chapter 5, final manuscript completion, and the dissertation defense.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of all core courses.
Offered at Online
3 Semester Credits

RSCH9010 Dissertation Completion

This final course in the program is designed to support students in the development and completion of their doctoral dissertation. In this course, students complete the dissertation process. Students formulate and explain the implications and value of the research findings for management practice and make specific recommendations to improve management practice. Prior to the end of the module, students submit the final manuscript, defend the dissertation research successfully, and begin the publishing process.
Prerequisite(s): Completion of 9 credits RSCH9008.
Offered at Online
3 Semester Credits

RSCH9011 DBA Dissertation Advisement

When necessary, this course allows students to extend dissertation work time beyond their anticipated completion term. This course is generally applicable after the third program year and provides ongoing dissertation advisement and continuous enrollment. The dissertation course series provides students with structured support and moves students toward degree completion.
Offered at Online
0 Semester Credits