Students can select from one of the two concentrations that the Department of Educational Research Methodology (ERM) provides, program evaluation or measurement and quantitative methods. Each concentration includes enough flexibility to customize the curriculum with courses from the other track, allowing students to get a degree aligned with their professional goals. The rigor of academic training in ERM is enhanced by hands-on, practical evaluation, measurement, and assessment work with clients in a variety of diverse local, national, and international program settings. Our internationally recognized faculty have developed a comprehensive range of academic and hands-on program experiences to enrich student understanding of the field of educational research methodology in either program evaluation or measurement and quantitative methods.
Program Evaluation Measurement and Quantitative Methods
Whichever concentration you choose, distinguishing features of the ERM program include:
- Most students receive graduate assistantships that include tuition waivers and stipends
- Extensive training in multiple methodologies, with opportunities for hands-on experience in both qualitative and quantitative research
- A diverse student body, with opportunities to interact with people of many different cultures
- An active ERM Graduate Student Association that builds community through social events, provides a weekly professional development series, and provides access to numerous student resources
- Facilitated summer internships with both national and international organizations
Through the Office of Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Services (OAERS), a division of the Department of Educational Research Methodology (ERM), we offer valuable research and evaluation support while providing training opportunity for our students. OAERS houses and supports a comprehensive internship matching program that matches internship opportunities of professional organizations with ERM graduate students seeking practical experience in assessment, program evaluation, or research methodology.
Admission Process
Programs begin in the fall semester of each year. We do not accept spring admissions to our programs. To be considered for admission, you should submit a completed application by December 15 for Ph.D. applications and March 15 for M.S. applications. M.S. applications are considered on a rolling basis, so, submitting your application materials prior to March 1 is advantageous. M.S. admission decisions may begin as soon as January for competitive candidates.
The application process is completely electronic. Please follow these steps to apply online:
- Visit the Graduate School website at https://grs.uncg.edu
- Click Start your Application
*International Applicants: International Applicants are required to accompany all transcripts with a transcript evaluation conducted by an NACES-affiliated credential evaluation service. More information concerning the procedures for international applicants can be obtained from the Graduate School, http://grs.uncg.edu/prospective/international/.
FAQs
Here are frequently asked questions about the ERM admissions process.
Can I enroll part-time in ERM?
While most of our students are enrolled full-time, we do have a small number of students who are enrolled on a part-time basis. Part-time students are not eligible for departmental financial funding opportunities. In addition, because some courses are offered during the day, part-time students who are employed during regular business hours must ensure that they have adequate flexibility in their schedule to allow them to meet all of the degree requirements.
Can I begin an ERM degree program in the spring semester?
Course sequences of ERM degree programs begin with courses offered in the fall semester, and thus beginning in the spring semester is typically not an option.
What is the ideal academic preparation for an ERM degree?
There is no single academic background that is ideal for students entering into ERM. Students entering the M.S. program come from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, often times being in applied fields such as education and psychology. Our M.S. degree assumes only an introductory background in statistics, and thus is well suited to individuals coming from applied fields of study. Naturally, students with previous training in mathematics and statistics will be more familiar with some of the content covered in the M.S. curriculum. However, in depth training in math or statistics is not necessary for students entering the M.S. program. Students entering the Ph.D. program also come from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, but they are expected to have previous training in statistics that is similar to that offered by ERM’s M.S. program.
What level of GRE® scores is required for admission to ERM?
The admissions process for ERM is highly competitive, and we consider all academic and professional accomplishments when reviewing applications. The GRE® is just one of many sources of information we consider when evaluating applications. While we do not have particular criteria for the GRE® scores, successful applicants to the Ph.D. and M.S./Ph.D. programs typically have combined Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning GRE® scores that exceed 1200 (Old Scale) and 310 (New Scale). Successful applicants to the M.S. program typically have combined Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning GRE® scores that exceed 1000 (Old Scale) and 300 (New Scale).
Do graduate programs in ERM offer hands-on learning experiences?
ERM offers all of its students opportunities for hands-on, applied learning experiences through internships, practicums, and field experiences focusing on research methodology. Offering applied learning experiences for our students is a central component of training in ERM, and for this reason ERM has established an entire division of the Department that focuses on providing hands-on, applied learning experiences for our students. This division of ERM is the Office of Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Services (OAERS), which serves to support and facilitate out-of-classroom learning experiences for our students. OAERS coordinates funded research projects, internship opportunities, and contracted consulting projects for which ERM students serve as methodologists under the mentorship of ERM faculty. These projects span the areas of program evaluation, research methodology, education measurement, and psychometrics. In addition to OAERS, many ERM students gain practical experience through competitive internships with research organizations and educational testing companies. In the past few years, ERM students have secured summer internships with companies and organizations such as ETS, The College Board, The Program Evaluation Division of the North Carolina General Assembly, CTB/McGraw-Hill, Pearson, Measured Progress, and The Government Accountability Office in Washington DC.