Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research

The Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research consists of eight three-credit hour online courses (24 credit hours) designed to prepare academics, professional research consultants, and graduate students to understand a variety of qualitative research approaches and to conduct qualitative research studies. Our certificate students will (a) gain insight into the philosophical and theoretical foundations of qualitative research; (b) distinguish and critique qualitative research approaches and products; and (c) apply best practices in qualitative research to design, propose, conduct, and compose qualitative research of their own.

The program will follow the Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences’ graduate requirements: Students must (a) complete all degree requirements within the time limit, (b) have a minimum 3.0 GPA at the time of completion, and (c) not be in financial arrears with any office at NSU. The program will also follow the School’s transfer of credit policy for graduate certificate programs allowing for a maximum of 9 transfer credits.

Dr. Ronald Chenail, SHSS Professor of Family Therapy, will serve as the director of the Graduate Certificate in Qualitative Research Program. Dr. Chenail has taught graduate courses in qualitative research in the School since 1988 and has also served as a chair and committee member on a number of dissertation committees in the school. He is also an Applied Dissertation Adviser and Reader for the Fischler School of Education and Human Services and an adjunct professor in the College of Allied Health and Nursing’s Department of Nursing.

One of his chief interests is the development and application of qualitative research approaches. In 1990 he founded The Qualitative Report, an electronic journal which focuses on qualitative research and critical inquiry. He was also named to the founding editorial board of Sage's new journal, Qualitative Inquiry, in 1994, and in 1999 was named as a member of the Journal of Systemic Therapies' inaugural board of qualitative research reviewers. He was also appointed to the inaugural board of Qualitative Research in Psychology in 2002 and Counseling, Psychotherapy, and Health in 2004 and in 2007 was selected to serve on the editorial board of Qualitative Social Work.

For more information about the program, please feel free to email Dr. Chenail at ron@nova.edu, or call him at 954-262-5389.