Requirements - Graduate Certificate in Participatory Research

Graduate students admitted to the Certificate must complete the following requirements:

1) Current Issues in Participatory Research

Students should plan on taking this one-credit introductory course during their first semester, or as soon as possible thereafter. Current Issues is typically offered every fall semester.

2) Decolonizing Methodologies

With a focus on the fundamental connection between critical social theory and qualitative inquiry, in this team-taught core course students will explore the challenges of decolonization, the promise of participatory methodologies, and the politics, problems, and practice of engaged research.
To ensure GCPR students have priority enrollment for this popular course, applications are required for admittance. Instructors announce the opening of the application process each fall ahead of Spring registration. Students who are currently enrolled in the GCPR and those who have applied are given preference for enrollment.

3) Practicum in Participatory Methods

Students are required to complete a 3-credit hour Practicum in Participatory Methods.
Set up as an independent study, the student will develop a practicum contract with supervising faculty that outlines the Practicum’s scope of work, methods for working with the community, learning objectives, and anticipated products.
At the completion of the Practicum, the student will submit a final portfolio that includes the following documents: completed practicum contract, one-page executive summary, reflection, copies of all products submitted to the community, at least 2 statements from community members and/or collaborators assessing the student’s work, and copies of all progress reports.
The core course, Decolonizing Methodologies, should be completed in advance of the Practicum.
Additional information regarding the practicum and its components can be found under the Practicum in Participatory Methods tab of our website.

4) Elective

Students take one approved elective course that provides additional in-depth exposure to participatory research and methods, and enriches each student’s specific interests in participatory research.
A list of courses satisfying the elective requirement can be found under the Elective Courses tab of our website and is updated every semester. We welcome student and faculty suggestions for courses that may be a good fit for a Certificate elective; such suggestions should include a syllabus and rationale.

5) Workshops

Students participate in at least two workshops on some facet of participatory research. An updated list of current workshop opportunities can be found under the Workshop tab of our website and is regularly updated.
Students are responsible for documenting their participation in each workshop by completing the Workshop Completion Form, including information about the workshop and a reflection on the workshop’s significance for participatory research.

Sample plan of study for GCPR for a 2 year program. Long description in following paragraph.

The above Sample Plan of Study is designed for students in a 2-year graduate program. In the Fall of Year 1, students should take the Current Issues in Participatory Research course and submit their Decolonizing Methodologies application. They should also plan to submit their GCPR application by December 1. In the Spring of Year 2, students should take the core course, Decolonizing Methodologies. Students should then complete the required Practicum in Participatory Methods over the summer. In the Fall of Year 2, students should enroll in the corresponding independent study for their practicum and complete the elective requirement. Workshops can be completed in the Fall and Spring of Year 1. Students should submit the corresponding forms as they progress through certificate requirements. Final practicum products should also be submitted to their supervising faculty. Doctoral students and graduate students enrolled in degree programs lasting more than two years can wait to complete the required Practicum in Participatory Methods after Year 2 or as part of their pre-dissertation or dissertation research.