LEAPS: Social Research

LEAPS (Liberal Arts and Professional Success)

The LEAPS programs are an optional component of the Compass General Education Curriculum. Please see the LEAPS (Liberal Arts and Professional Success) section of the Compass Curriculum for more information.

Social Research

Students engaged in this program will learn the essential elements of social research design including survey construction, interviewing, participant observation, qualitative and quantitative data analysis skills, and data visualization. The LEAPS provides a strong grounding in the ethical requirements and dilemmas of conducting equitable and inclusive research with, on, and for people. This LEAPS will prepare students for careers in a number of nonprofit, governmental, and for-profit arenas where they will be able to conduct research and to analyze and communicate the results to a wider audience.

Potential Careers

Market research, consulting, academic researcher, Census Bureau, nonprofit research, big data/user analytics, user experience (UX), social work, nonprofit research, think tanks, administration

Completion Requirements

4 credits plus an experiential component are needed to complete this LEAP. Completion will take 4 semesters.

2 courses in Research Foundations

Survey of Methods: choose 1

Statistics: choose 1

Advanced Methods and Experiential Learning

Choose 3 of the following, at least one of which must be from experiential learning.

Advanced Methods Courses:

* Other courses with a substantial empirical project may be accepted following approval by faculty mentors.

Experiential Learning: must be submitted and approved by faculty mentors

Honors thesis involving collection and analysis of empirical data
Meaningful research assistant position
Internship in research setting
Research conducted in SIT study abroad programs
Capstone projects with approval of LEAPS coordinator

Certificate of Research Ethics Training

Certificate indicating completion of training in ethical conduct of human research (i.e., CITI Certification or a pre-approved similar certificate).

Senior Year Portfolio

Students should compile a portfolio of at least 4 projects/papers they have completed as part of the Social Research LEAPS, along with a cover letter explaining how their skills have developed throughout these classes and projects. In their senior year, students will then review their portfolio for completion with the LEAPS faculty advisor.