Participatory Sciences (Certificate)
The certificate will train graduate students to collaborate with the public on scientific research. Specifically, the certificate will cover competencies in public science, science communication, data management and visualization, social justice, and informal science education. Graduate students completing the certificate will be prepared to: 1) engage various segments of the public in scientific inquiry and collaboration, 2) understand data ethics, management, and visualization, and 3) be competent in equity of science access.
The certificate will consist of two core courses that cover fundamentals of participatory sciences and the opportunity to apply skills through experiential learning. The first 3-credit hour course – Fundamentals of Citizen Science and Other Participatory Research Methods – includes modules on an overview of participatory sciences across fields; critiques of citizen science, including ethics, issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and controversies; and methods for designing and assessing citizen science projects, including public learning outcomes and societal outcomes beyond research findings. The second 1-credit hour course – Citizen Science Engagement Practicum – will provide training in team science and connect student teams with partners from across and beyond campus to collaboratively execute real citizen science projects, from contributing to design and implementation through analysis and communication. Potential campus and community partners for these citizen science projects include the NC State University Libraries, campus sustainability initiatives, large enrollment undergraduate courses that integrate experiments into coursework, community centers, and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. Students will then complete a minimum number of hours for the certificate through selection of elective courses. The elective course list spans multiple colleges to broaden the applicability of the certificate to diverse graduate programs, and to allow for targeted in-depth learning relevant to the individual’s field of study and research interests.
More Information
Applicant Information
- Delivery Method: On Campus, Online, Hybrid
- Entrance Exam: None
- Interview Required: None
Application Deadlines
- Fall: May 1
- Spring: October 1
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Course | 4 | |
| Fundamentals of Citizen Science and Other Participatory Research Methods | ||
| Citizen Science Engagement Practicum | ||
| Electives | 8 | |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
In addition to the two core courses, students will choose additional classes from the following list of elective courses to achieve the 12 credit hours required for the graduate certificate. Note that students can take up to 3 undergraduate (400-level) credits towards the certificate, but not more. It is recommended that students have completed or be enrolled in all electives when enrolling in PSC/GOH 551, as this course is intended to be a capstone that utilizes the disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives and skills acquired through the elective coursework.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AEHS 550 | Leadership Theory | 3 |
| AEHS 560 | Organizational Behavior and Administrative Leadership in Agricultural & Human Science | 3 |
| CHE 596 | Special Topics in Chemical Engineering ( subject to the approval of the administrator of the certificate) | 1-3 |
| COM 579 | Climate Change Communication | 3 |
| CSC 555 | Social Computing and Decentralized Artificial Intelligence | 3 |
| DSC 405 | Data Wrangling and Web Scraping | 1 |
| DSC 406 | Exploratory Data Analysis for Big Data | 1 |
| DSC 412 | Exploring Machine Learning | 1 |
| ECE 542 | Neural Networks and Deep Learning | 3 |
| ECE 518 | Wearable Biosensors and Microsystems | 3 |
| ECE 592 | Special Topics In Electrical Engineering (subject to the approval of the administrator of the certificate) | 1-6 |
| EMS 551 | Learning in Informal Contexts: Theory to Practice | 3 |
| EMS 552 | Learning in Informal Contexts: Evaluation | 3 |
| FW 730 | Ethics in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences | 2 |
| MBA 590 | Special Topics In Business Management (subject to the approval of the administrator of the certificate) | 1-6 |
| MBA 582 | B Corp Clinic Sustainability Practicum | 3 |
| MLS 501 | Seminar In Liberal Studies (subject to the approval of the administrator of the certificate) | 3 |
| NR 595 | Special Topics in Natural Resources (subject to the approval of the administrator of the certificate) | 1-6 |
| PRT 550 | Human Behavior and the Environment | 3 |
| PRT 560 | Theory and Practice of Partnerships for Conservation and Community Sustainability | 3 |
| PRT 575 | Children and Nature | 3 |
| PRT 595 | Special Topics In Recreation Resources (subject to the approval of the administrator of the certificate) | 1-6 |