The certificate in intermediate survey methodology is designed for the working professional whose education omitted courses in the newly developing field of survey statistics and methodology. The program is a short but comprehensive treatment of the field at the intermediate level. Courses cover all the key areas of survey methodology, from the beginning of the design to the completion of the estimation phase. The program is taught at the graduate level but is significantly less intensive than the M.S. program in survey methodology offered by JPSM.

Prerequisites for the Certificate Program

In addition to capacity limitations of JPSM courses, the admission to this certificate program will be limited to those who have at least a baccalaureate degree from an accredited undergraduate institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better. In addition, the student must have completed at least 7 credit hours in mathematical or applied statistics and have at least one year of work experience in a position dealing with survey or census design, collection, or analysis. In addition, the student must complete the course Fundamentals of Survey Methodology with a grade of B or better.

The Curriculum

The certificate program consists of 18 credit hours, five required courses and one elective. The five required courses are:

Fundamentals of Survey Methodology
(SURV 400) Fall and Spring

This course introduces the student to a set of principles of survey design that are the basis of standard practices in the field. The course exposes the student to research literatures that use both observational and experimental methods to test key hypotheses about the nature of human behavior that affect the quality of survey data. It will also present important statistical concepts and techniques in sample design, execution, and estimation, as well as models of behavior describing errors in responding to survey questions.

Thus, both social science and statistical concepts will be presented. The course uses the concept of total survey error as a framework to discuss coverage properties of sampling frames, alternative sample designs and their impacts on standard errors of survey statistics, alternative modes of data collection, field administration operations, the role of the survey interviewer, effect of nonresponse on survey statistics, the effect of question structure, wording and context on respondent behavior, models of measurement error, postsurvey processing, and estimation in surveys.

Introduction to Statistical Methods Using Computers
(SURV 699N)Spring

This course introduces the student to basic statistical concepts and practices emphasizing the analysis of real data and the written description of statistical findings in a manner that correctly and efficiently communicates them. The course will also provide training in the use of the SAS statistical analysis system which will be used for the analysis conducted in the course. The data sets used in the class will expose the student to practical problems of stratification, clustering, and weighting in survey analysis.

Data Collection Methods in Survey Methodology
(SURV 623) Fall and Summer

This course reviews alternative data collection techniques used in surveys. It concentrates on the impact these techniques have on the quality of survey data, including measurement error properties, levels of nonresponse, and coverage error.  The course reviews the research literature in face-to-face interviewing, telephone surveys, and self-administered questionnaires.  Special attention is paid to the statistical and social science literatures on interviewer effects and nonresponse.  Current advances in computer assistance in data collection will also be reviewed, including computer assisted telephone interviewing (CATI), computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI), touch tone data collection, and other methods.  Students in the course will read and discuss the methodological research literature in the field and complete exercises that study the effects of different modes of data collection on survey data quality.

Applied Sampling
(SURV 625)Spring and Summer

The emphasis of this introductory course is on practical aspects of sample design rather than on theoretical derivations. Topics covered include probability sampling (including simple random, systematic, stratified, clustered, multistage and two-phase sampling methods), sampling with probabilities proportional to size, area sampling, ratio estimation, sampling error estimation, frame problems, nonresponse, and cost factors. Practical sample designs for a variety of household and some establishment surveys will be discussed.

Questionnaire Design
(SURV 630) Fall

This course examines the stages of questionnaire design: item development, question writing, question evaluation, pretesting, and questionnaire ordering and formatting. It reviews the literature on questionnaire construction, the experimental literature on question effects, and the psychological literature on information processing. In addition, the course reviews the effects of essential design features on questions and questionnaires, including mode of data collection, the use of computer assisted interviewing techniques, and self vs. proxy respondent selection. Students will both critique existing questions and questionnaires and follow the stages of questionnaire design in developing their own questionnaire.