Program
of Study

Core Courses

Survey Planning & Design
Introduction to Survey Sampling
Sampling & Estimation Methods
Survey Questionnaire Design
Survey Data Collection Methods
Survey Data Reduction & Analysis
Practicum in Survey Research

Anticipated schedule of core courses

Survey Planning & Design. CHSC-447.
Provides an introduction to the application of sampling and survey methods from both theoretical and practical applications perspectives. Major topic areas include survey design and planning, sampling, and data collection procedures. 3 hours.

Course syllabus                   Course web site

Introduction to Survey Sampling. STAT-431.
Addresses the following: simple random sampling, sampling proportions, estimation of sample size, stratified random sampling, ratio estimators, regression estimators, systematic and cluster sampling, the Horvitz-Thompson estimator, variance estimation and associated design requirements. 4 hours.

Course syllabus                   Course web site

Sampling and Estimation Methods. BSTT-440. 3 hours.
Addresses the following: familiarity with the terminology used in sample survey work, recognition of the role that the sample design and estimation method play in determining the costs involved in a sample survey and the accuracy of the estimates obtained, familiarity with the major sampling designs and estimation methods used in sample surveys and recognition of the advantages and disadvantages of each. 3 hours.

Course syllabus                   Course web site

Survey Questionnaire Design. CHSC-577.
Addresses concepts and strategies for the development of survey questionnaires and their applications in survey research. Major topics include concepts and strategies for developing and assessing survey questionnaires, format, wording, coding and ordering of questions, design of survey questionnaires for use with various modes of data collection, and design of questions to measures various key groups of variables. 3 hours.

Course syllabus                   Course web site

Survey Data Collection Methods. PA-582.
Addresses the impact of survey data collection techniques on data quality and survey costs. 2 hours.

Course syllabus                   Course web site

Survey Data Reduction & Analysis. PA-588.
Addresses the theory, logic and process of data editing, imputation, weighting, scale and index construction, and special considerations in the analysis and reporting of data from complex sample surveys. 2 hours.

Course syllabus                   Course web site

Practicum in Survey Research. PA-579.
An applied workshop in sample survey design, implementation and analysis. Students develop a research problem, translate the problem into a survey design, develop a survey instrument, select a sample, collect data, and analyze and report results. 2 hours.

All students enrolling in PA-579 must submit the following forms, which are available at www.srl.uic.edu/gcsrm/forms.htm:

• Proposal for Practicum, PA-579
• Final Report of Practicum, PA-579
• Student’s Evaluation of Practicum, PA-579
• Preceptor’s Evaluation of Practicum, PA-579

OPTIONS—available to GCSRM students only:

1. Students may complete more than 2 hours of credit in PA-579. However, no more than 2 credits in PA-579 may be used to fulfill the minimum GCSRM core course requirement of 7 credit hours. Students may petition, via a letter submitted to a GCSRM Co-Director, to apply work completed in PA-579 beyond 2 credits toward fulfilling the elective course requirement. In such cases, there must be a demonstrated overlap between the practicum experience and the content of one or more GCSRM elective courses. For example, a practicum might involve substantial work on cross-cultural issues in survey research (PA-582) or Internet surveys (PA-584). Otherwise, work completed in PA-579 beyond 2 credits, while providing valuable experience, will not count toward fulfilling the minimum GCSRM course requirements.
2. Students may propose to complete a practicum experience at a site off the UIC campus, such as an academic survey research center at another university, a governmental agency, a non-governmental not-for-profit organization, or a commercial survey research/polling organization.

Anticipated Schedule of Core Courses