Jascha Wagner

What do you want students in your courses to learn? What are the learning outcomes or objectives?

I am currently teaching CRIJ-5320: Advanced Research Methods in the Social Sciences.

This course provides a description of a variety of research techniques, including theories and frames of reference, the logic of conceptual schemes, and hypothesis development and testing. A variety of sampling plans are contrasted and evaluated, and sampling issues are examined. Critical measurement issues are highlighted, including validity and reliability and how these terms are conceptualized and applied in scaling. Alternative data gathering methods and issues are featured.

Course Objectives:

• CO1 - Define and explain social theory together with its purpose, aspects and parts
• CO2 - Explain the various concepts, principles, processes, methods and techniques that are integral to scientific social research
• CO3 - Identify, discuss and explain social research together with its various dimensions
• CO4 - Formulate research questions and come up with literature-informed testable research hypotheses
• CO5 - Design sound measurement, sampling and data collection schemes for students’ own empirical research
• CO6 - Identify and evaluate ethical issues in published social research and in students’ own empirical research work
• CO7 - Identify, critique and evaluate the strengths and the weaknesses of research designs of published top-journal articles and /or technical reports

What advice would you give to those considering this online program?

You will engage in critical and reflective thinking about professional and scholarly literature. The coursework challenges you to conceptualize, analyze and evaluate scholarly discourse and participate in informed and thoughtful discussions. This is time-intensive and self-directed but rewarding work. You need to invest a significant amount of time and energy to get the most out of the program.

How can this degree help students prepare for the challenges of the field?

To shape public policy in response to contemporary issues in the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems, you must be able to conceptualize, analyze and evaluate scholarly discourse and participate in informed and thoughtful discussions. This program helps you to develop the knowledge and tools you need to accomplish this.

What is the one book you think everyone should read?

I say you should put the short novel “Man in the Holocene” by Max Frisch on your reading list.

Tell us something interesting about yourself that your students might not know about you.

I am from Germany and a big soccer fan. Sadly, my team just got relegated to the second division. We will be back!

Links to share?

Maybe this is of interest to you.

What is the value of this degree?

Students participate in this program to pursue advanced professional roles and boost their earnings potential.

What types of projects and work do you typically assign for these courses?

Essays, response papers, research proposals and quizzes.