DCS Degree Program Online

Develops the skills in futuring through a variety of techniques. Introduces formal methods of innovation and diffusion of innovation.

This course provides a general understanding of both quantitative and qualitative methods within the context of research designs. Research design is the plan for the selection and application of accepted research practices. Research methods provide models for the appropriate collection, organization and analysis of data for decision-making, replication, and contribution to a knowledge base. Additionally, this course supports doctoral students’ abilities to demonstrate an understanding of the research purpose, nature and forms of research design and their relationship to research questions, methods for data collection and data analyses.

This course examines the fundamental principles of qualitative inquiry differentiating among various qualitative research designs.  Includes active engagement and practice with capturing qualitative data including being a participant observer and an interviewer. Students will learn how to minimize threats to the internal validity of qualitative studies, focusing on specific techniques for interpretation of data that contributes to the authenticity of qualitative studies.

Students will learn fundamental concepts of designing, collecting and assessing quantitative data. The course covers descriptive measures as well as various forms of probability and inferential analysis. Exploration of multivariate statistics will be practiced via large datasets using statistical analysis software.

RES863 is the third course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course: clarifies the research focus, defines the research question(s)/objective/hypotheses, produces a review of the literature.

RES864 is the fourth course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires: fine tuning the research question(s)/objective/hypotheses, strengthening the review of the literature, drafting a methods chapter (min), and drafting a chapter one. Students may surpass this description as they are able.

RES865 is the fifth course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires the student to focus on: producing a defense-ready draft of Chapters 1, 2 & 3 (the research proposal), undertaking the Proposal Defense, undertaking modifications required by the dissertation committee, achieving an approved IRB application.

RES866 is the sixth course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires the student to focus on: undertaking the Proposal Defense, undertaking modifications required by the dissertation committee, achieving an approved IRB application, proceeding with Data Collection and Analysis.

RES867 is the seventh course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires the student to focus on: proceeding with Data Collection and Analysis, working on initial drafting of chapters 4 & 5, and preparing for Final Defense.  Course is pass/fail.

RES868 is the eighth course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires the student to focus on: completing Data Collection and Analysis as needed, completing work on chapters 4 &5, undertaking the Final Defense, modifying document as required by the committee, editing of final document for publishing, and University sign off.  Course is pass/fail.