The Quantitative Methods (QM) Area in the Department of Psychology offers a formal diploma program in quantitative methods for graduate students at York University within the Graduate Programs in Psychology, Kinesiology, Nursing and other areas. This diploma program is developed to promote competency in the application and communication of advanced quantitative methods to psychological and social science data, and is intended to be complementary to students’ course of study in Psychology or other related graduate programs.
Students pursuing the QM Diploma would complete QM coursework beyond the coursework requirements of their degrees, present at and attend the Quantitative Methods Forum, and complete a review paper (such as an Academic Breadth Comprehensive [ABC] paper) or research practicum focusing on quantitative methods.
Eligibility for the Quantitative Methods Diploma
York University graduate students in the Department of Psychology, Kinesiology, Nursing or other programs (with approval from the QM Diploma Coordinator) may apply for entry into the Quantitative Methods Diploma program.
Graduate students interested in the Diploma Program from outside of the Department of Psychology should contact the Diploma Program Coordinator before submitting an application. Applications may be submitted at any time during the course of students’ graduate training, and receipt of the Diploma will be conditional on meeting the program requirements (below).
Quantitative Methods Diploma Requirements
To obtain a Quantitative Methods Diploma, the following requirements must be met:
1. Completion of 18.0 credits in courses specializing in Quantitative Methods at the graduate level. (There are no specific courses required.) The courses could include graduate quantitative methods classes offered by the Department of Psychology, Kinesiology or Nursing, as well as graduate classes offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. However, other York or non-York courses might also be applied to the requirements of the diploma.
All courses that the student would like to apply towards the requirements of the diplomas must first be approved by the student’s Diploma Program Advisor (see below). Courses counting toward the diploma program may also count towards the student’s graduate degree requirements, but some part of the graduate diploma program course requirements shall be additional to degree requirements. Additionally, every course counting toward the diploma must have a minimum grade of A-.
2. Presenting at least once in the Quantitative Methods Forum. The presentation could either focus on a specific quantitative method, or could highlight the student’s application of an advanced quantitative method in an ongoing research project.
3. Attend at least a minimum of 8 Quantitative Methods Forums. The 8 QM forums need not be in the same year, and although we specify a minimum number, we recommend that students attend as many forums as possible.
4. Completion of a Academic Breadth Comprehensive (ABC) Paper, Review Paper or Research/Applied Practicum with a focus on quantitative methods. The ABC paper or review paper should be at least 4,000 words (excluding tables, figures and references) on a topic related to the analysis of data in the behavioural sciences. The review paper should be written in a format acceptable for submission to a peer-reviewed journal, and to count towards the diploma it must be approved by the Quantitative Methods Diploma Coordinator. Alternatively the research/applied practicum will be worth 6 credits and should be related to the analysis of data in the behavioural sciences, as approved by the Quantitative Methods Diploma Coordinator. A letter from the practicum supervisor outlining the nature of the practicum and indicating successful completion of the practicum will be required in order for the practicum to count towards the diploma.
How to Apply
York University graduate students in the Departments of Psychology, Kinesiology, Nursing or other programs (with approval from the diploma coordinator) may apply for entry into the Quantitative Methods Diploma program.
Students wishing to apply for the Quantitative Methods Diploma program must arrange for one of the faculty members in the Quantitative Methods area to serve as their Diploma Program adviser. Both the student and the Diploma Program adviser would come to an agreement regarding the combination of Quantitative Methods courses to satisfy the Diploma requirements, as well as identify either a topic for the QM review paper or a project for the research practicum.
The admission requirement of having a Diploma Program Advisor at the time of enrollment assures that students have a concrete plan of study to complete the diploma requirements within a reasonable time frame, as well as direct mentoring from faculty in the Quantitative Methods area.
Applications are to be submitted to the Quantitative Methods Diploma Coordinator, Dr. Ji Yeh Choi. All applications should include the following:
• Application form (downloadable here).
• An electronic copy of the student’s most recent (unofficial) transcript.
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