Social Research Methodology
Graduate School of Education
& Information Studies
Moore Hall, Box 951521
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1521
phone: 310-825-2817
fax: 310-206-6293
About the SRM Division
The Division of Social Research Methodology (SRM) is committed to the study and practice of methods of inquiry in educational research. The SRM curriculum emphasizes conceptualization of educational problems, design and conduct of research and evaluation, development and application of new methodological techniques (both quantitative and qualitative), and analysis and interpretation of data in the context of educational theory and practice. The purpose of the Division is to prepare individuals who can critically examine educational research and evaluation, develop data collection designs and instruments, and conduct conceptual and methodological analyses appropriate to the field of education and other behavioral and social sciences.
One of the greatest strengths of the SRM division lies in the close partnering of methodological innovations with practical applications. The division's location within the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies ensures that the methodologies under development are motivated by and progress in conjunction with substantive research questions. That is, substantive social theories and empirical methods are advanced simultaneously. Within the division are core and affiliated faculty who specialize in either statistical-inferential or qualitative-interpretive methods of social and educational research and a multiple-methods approach is emphasized to more effectively deal with the complex dimensions of social science research. As a faculty we are interested in the multiple ways one comes to knowledge about educational questions, in the development of a reflective cast of mind about research, and in the ways one might most effectively represent that research in writing.
The division offers both the Ph.D. and an M.A. See our degree programs for course requirements.
The SRM Division offers a wide range of foundational, intermediate, and advanced courses in quantitative and qualitative methods, policy methods, philosophical issues in inquiry, program evaluation, and the conceptualization and writing of educational research. These courses are widely respected and taken not only by SRM students, but also by students from across the divisions in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies and from graduate programs in other schools and departments at UCLA.
The methodological training provided within the SRM Division prepares students to contribute to inquiry across the range of problems, processes, and practices that are central to other disciplines and to other divisions within the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies. Students might combine this methodological training with a particular focus on educational issues gained through elective course work in other divisions and participation in relevant research projects. Alternatively, students with primary interests in specific disciplines (e.g., psychology, sociology) or with levels of the educational system (e.g., higher education) or with features of educational practice (e.g., curriculum, teaching, administration) might consider enrolling in the division offering the training in their substantive areas of interests - though they would still fulfill their research methods requirements through course work in the SRM Division.
Those students pursuing the doctorate in SRM often take courses in research design, statistics, naturalistic observation methodology, measurement and evaluation. Each student's program is individually arranged to develop his or her particular needs and interests. Instruction is primarily through course work and seminars, apprenticeships, and mentoring. Students are expected to engage in research throughout the program, and a variety of research assistantships are available to do so.
SRM students' dissertations grow out of their own and faculty research, and cover a wide range of topics.
Students who have received their doctorates through SRM have been placed quickly and teach at universities such as: Indiana University, Northwestern University, University of Colorado, University of Delaware, Claremont Graduate University, University of Florida, University of Hawaii, University of Newcastle (England), U.C. Berkeley, U.C. Davis, UCLA, and various branches of the California State University system.
Other positions our students presently hold are research or consultant positions at organizations and agencies such as: American Council on Education, Association of American Medical Colleges, Center for Disease Control, Educational Testing Service, Rand Corporation, and Stanford Research Institute.
For further information, contact the Division Assistant:
Kim Mattheussens
GSEIS @ UCLA
2005 Moore Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1521
310-825-2817
Or for application materials, please contact the Office of Student Services:
UCLA Graduate School of Education & Information Studies
Department of Education
Office of Student Services
1009 Moore Hall
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1521
or phone: 310-825-8326
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Social Research Methodology |