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Research Methodology Ph.D. Program


Welcome! We thank you for your interest in our Research Methodology program and hope you'll consider joining us! The purpose of the Research Methodology doctoral program is to prepare students for upper-level professional positions in the fields of educational measurement, evaluation and statistical methods. Such positions are generally found in colleges and universities, state and federal agencies, large public and private school systems, test publishing firms, and research and evaluation centers.

Dr. ZhangBo Zhang, Ph.D.Associate Professor and Area ChairDepartment of Educational Psychology
P.O. Box 413
UW-Milwaukee
Milwaukee, WI 53201
boz@uwm.edu


Program Goals
The specialization in quantitative research methodologies is designed to provide students with the knowledge and experience necessary to research existing analytical techniques, as well as to develop and apply new methodologies in educational measurement and statistics. Students will learn about:
  • Standards and procedures for the developing and utilizing psychological tests and measuresStudents and faculty conducting research together.
  • Procedures for collecting and analyzing test data including classical test theory, generalizablity theory, item response theory, skills diagnosis, and computer adaptive testing.
  • Procedures to develop and/or apply quantitative methods and advanced statistical models to educational data.
  • Advanced descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, including both traditional methods such as MANOVA and the general linear model and more modern methods such as structural equation modeling, longitudinal data analysis, and categorical data analysis.
  • Procedures to optimally design research studies in the social sciences, with a particular emphasis on issues related to urban educational research.
    Students who select this area will acquire the skills and abilities to enable them to conduct basic research on the development and application of mathematical and statistical models for educational data, including local, state, and national large-scale longitudinal databases.

    Students completing the doctoral degree are capable of independently conducting research, constructing measurement instruments, translating sophisticated research findings, replicating research studies, contributing to the theory of research methodology, and teaching basic courses in measurement, statistics, and research design.