Claremont Graduate University’s online Master’s in Evaluation & Applied Research—designed with input from with the acclaimed Claremont Evaluation Center (CEC)—is tailored for students seeking skills to improve decisions, programs, and policies in a wide variety of settings, including education, health and well-being, and positive psychology. This program, offered exclusively online, prepares students for rewarding careers in applied research and evaluation with a foundation in state-of-the-art scientific knowledge and methodologies.

The well-rounded curriculum of this master’s degree program emphasizes functional relevance for practicing evaluators. First and foremost, students will be trained to develop sound research methodology and to use this methodology to analyze data and conduct research in order to reliably assess the quantitative and qualitative aspects of projects and programs using current assessment tools and software.

Degree Requirements

Coursework: The MS in Evaluation and Applied Research requires 32 units of coursework. Required courses include:

• EVAL 310 - Theory-driven Evaluation Science (4 units) - Designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of theory-driven evaluation science, a special emphasis is placed on the foundations of evaluation theory and practice, how to use evaluation, program, and social science theory to improve evaluation practice, how to engage diverse stakeholders in the process of developing logic models and theories of change, and how to design comprehensive, tailored, ethically defensible, and culturally responsive theory-driven evaluations
• EVAL 315 - Evaluation & Applied Research Methods: A Survey of Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches (4 units) - A survey of quantitative and qualitative approaches. The purpose of the course is to provide students with an overview of evaluation and applied research methods and related ethical issues. The survey course will focus on providing students with an overview of quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods, research and evaluation design, and applied social science research topics such as sampling, measurement, validity, reliability, and related threats. The course will also explore specific data collection strategies, meta-evaluation, communicating and reporting findings.
• EVAL 320 - Quantitative Analysis & Statistics for Evaluation & Applied Research(4 units) - The purpose of this course is to introduce students to basic statistics and quantitative reasoning in evaluation research. This course is required of all students in the M.S. in Evaluation & Applied Research. The emphasis is on null hypothesis significance testing, the general linear model (GLM), multiple regression, and model comparison. We will also critique this general approach and consider alternative approaches when appropriate. All examples are presented using R software
• EVAL 325 - Qualitative Research Methods for Evaluation & Applied Research (4 units) - This course is designed to introduce students to different types of qualitative research methods. Although students will be introduced to many of the theoretical paradigms that underlie the methods we cover, the primary emphasis will be on learning how to apply qualitative methods in applied research and evaluation. We will explore the appropriate application of various techniques and review the strengths and limitations associated with each. In addition, students will gain experience employing different forms of qualitative research. The course is intended to provide students with the basic skills needed to choose an appropriate method for a given project, as well as conduct, analyze, and critique qualitative research. Topics will include field observation, interviewing, document analysis, content analysis, and case studies.
• EVAL 330 - Mixed Methods in Evaluation & Applied Research (4 units) - The purpose of this course is to strengthen students’ understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods. This course will explore mixed methods research and describe the history and foundations of this form of research. We will then examine the types of mixed methods designs available and discuss the process of research as it relates to each of these designs. Ultimately, students will be able to apply mixed methods research to an evaluation study
• EVAL 380 - Directed Specialization (4 units) - A process-oriented seminar course that aims to help you develop program evaluation skills and techniques that are suited to your particular career goals and objectives. Prior to the start of the course, you will have worked with a faculty advisor to select and participate in a series of professional development (PD) workshops such as those offered as part of the CGU summer professional workshop series and/or The Evaluators’ Institute (TEI). A faculty advisor will have met with you to help guide you in selecting PD workshops to enhance your knowledge and understanding in your area of specialization and you will have attended these workshops online or in-person (depending on their availability and timing) preferably prior to the start of the course. The course has been custom designed with opportunities for you to address your specific interests in program evaluation and to share what you have learned from your PD workshop experience with others in the class.
• EVAL 385 - Evaluation & Applied Research Procedures (4 units) -Evaluation practice comprises the integration of three facets: (1) program context (e.g., stakeholders, politics, maturity of the program, complexity of the program, etc.); (2) evaluators (e.g., level of expertise, theoretical perspectives, competency, etc.); and (3) evaluation methods (e.g., type of design, interviews, surveys, case studies, RCTs, etc.). These facets are interrelated and constantly evolving, yet need to be in balance for effective evaluation practice to emerge. Thus, this class is designed to cover these three facets as well as the stages of, and methods for conducting program evaluations that are theoretically grounded, practical, and useful.
• Elective/Specialization
  • Option #1: EVAL 350 - Global Health Evaluation and Applied Research (4 units) - This course focuses on the development and evaluation of health behavior interventions. Health behavior interventions are implemented with the goal of causing health behavior change. Evaluations of such programs must consider whether the program was implemented as intended, whether the program caused the change it was intended to cause, and why this did or did not occur. This class will begin with students developing an intervention designed to influence health behavior, then students will develop an evaluation plan for assessing every aspect of the intervention.
  • Option #2: EVAL 365 - Educational Evaluation and Applied Research (4 units) - This course is focused on the unique issues and topics that are related to educational evaluation. Evaluation has the potential to improve educational outcomes among students. However, evaluators need both the strategies and skills to facilitate this improvement. How can educational outcomes be strategically and intentionally improved across diverse educational settings? What can the evaluator do to ensure students receive the maximum benefit from their learning environments? And, given the current accountability and policy environment, how can contemporary educational evaluators be successful in this diverse milieu? This course is designed to answer these questions and more.
  • Option #3 - EVAL 375 - Designing and Evaluating Positive Psychology Interventions - This course is designed to provide students with an indepth understanding of the science of positive psychology, and how to apply that science to designing and evaluating interventions. Special emphasis will be placed on teaching participants the foundations of positive psychological science, and how to use positive psychology theories, principles, and research to design interventions that help people reach their potential and flourish in life. The process of engaging diverse stakeholders to develop theories of change, and designing comprehensive, tailored, ethically defensible, and culturally responsive theory-driven evaluations will be the evaluation approach used to enhance health, well-being, and optimal human functioning.

Minimum Grade Requirements.  The University’s policy on Satisfactory Academic Progess applies. The Evaluation and Applied Research program requires students to pass the following courses with a grade of B- or better:

• Theory-Driven Evaluation Science (EVAL 310)
• Research Methods (EVAL 315 & EVAL 325)
• Statistics (EVAL 320)

Thesis.  A thesis is not required   

Transfer Credit.  The University’s policy on transfer credit applies. In addition, the program applies the following restrictions for the M.S. in Evaluation & Applied Research students; Studens with prior graduate-level training can transfer up to 4 units toward the M.S. in Evaluation & Applied Research degree. These units must come from courses that are equivalent to courses required in the program, if they are to replace a required course. Units can be transferred only if taken prior to beginning of the M.S. in Evaluation & Applied Research program.

University Policies. Policies detailed in the current Policies and General Information Bulletin apply.

Admission. Admission requirements are detailed in the Admissions section of the current Policies and General Information Bulletin.