Courses

CASS 9XX Research Foundations and Literacy for Social Justice

This course addresses the fundamentals of research in the social sciences: theory, research design, methods, and criticism. The course includes an introduction to academic research methods, including formulation of research questions and hypotheses, design of research approach, literature review, other research tools, written presentation of research plans, oral presentation skills, and research ethics.

CASS 9XX Quantitative Methods

The course provides an overview of some of the most widely used quantitative methods for the social sciences, with an emphasis on regression analysis. Additional efforts to focus on quantitative program evaluation and assessment are pursued.

CASS 9XX Qualitative Methods

The social sciences, and certainly social justice, cannot entirely be understood through the quantification of variables. A “thick description” is needed for thorough understanding of factors that threaten social justice and actions that achieve it. This course will emphasize interviews, field observations, and contextual analysis, among other qualitative methods.

CASS 9XX Research Design, Program Evaluation, and Scholarly Writing

The course provides intensive training on the approaches used to pursue research questions, understand and evaluate public programs, and produce quality academic writing. The primary outcome of this course is the development of a dissertation proposal, which students must successfully pass in order to advance to the dissertation stage of the program.

CASS 9XX Critical Race Theory

The course explores the foundations and central tenets of Critical Race Theory, including and especially considering current applications, debates, and evolutions, with particular attention to CRT’s intersections with the other areas of inequality and injustice (e.g. gender, sexual identity, class, etc.). CRT helps to provide a toolkit for pursuing scholarship, and leading and implementing efforts of social justice.

CASS 9XX Social Change and Leadership

This is a strategy-focused course that leans heavily on the “how to” of addressing injustice and inequality though various and particular professions and environments. Students will learn how to utilize assessment data and how to develop and implement policy to create real change through any leadership platform.