Research and Evaluation
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Program Overview
Research and Evaluation is a one-year Ontario College Graduate Certificate program designed for students to hone their technical skills in research and evaluation. Students will learn to plan, conduct, measure and report on research to support decision-making.
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Program Details
Program Code
RES1
Credential:
Ontario College Graduate Certificate
Duration
30 Weeks
Canadian Students
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2025 May
London
Open
2025 September
London
Open
2025 September
Fully Online
Open
2026 January
London
Open
2026 May
London
Open
2024 September
London
Closed
2024 September
Fully Online
Closed
Part Time Offerings
International Students
Start Dates
Locations
Availability
Full Time Offerings
2025 May
London
Open
2025 September
London
Open
2026 January
London
Open
2026 May
London
Open
2024 September
London
Closed
Your Learning Experience
Applying research to make a real difference is an increasingly necessary part of working in the not-for-profit and public sectors. The Research and Evaluation program will help you apply your research interests in real-world settings, such as social agencies, healthcare, education and the private sector while honing your technical skills and cross-disciplinary perspectives.
In just one year, you will develop sought-after skills in research design, data analysis and the professional issues involved in measuring the performance of projects, policies and programs. Learn to plan, conduct, measure and report on research and to support decisions through data analysis and interpretation.
Students explore diverse social science research methods and apply them with the aim of program evaluation and optimization.
A part-time, online version of this program is available.
Career Information
Graduates of Fanshawe’s Research and Evaluation program possess in-demand skills that are desirable in a wide range of fields, including government, social agencies, health care, and the private sector. These passionate, strategic, curious, collaborative and results-driven people help bring research to life!
Did you know Fanshawe consistently ranks high in graduation employment rates among large colleges in Ontario?
Here are some examples of career opportunities for graduates of Fanshawe’s Research and Evaluation program:
Data Specialist
Maintain accurate and up-to-date information to inform organizational decisions.
Heritage Research Assistant
Help bring the past to life by supporting historical research activities and sharing your findings.
Research and Assessment Associate
Lead a major part of a research grant including investigation, assessment, and evaluation of results.
Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
1. Use current information technology tools to retrieve, organize, process, and communicate both qualitative and quantitative evaluation and research data
2. Translate research and program evaluation goals into appropriate evaluation designs and methods
3. Construct actionable recommendations for stakeholders based on accurate analysis of the information
4. Design clear, persuasive and accurate documentation to collect, support and present data for program evaluation and research projects
5. Meet the objectives of organizations and clients through applying appropriate program evaluation and research methods, and through accurately analyzing research and evaluation findings
6. Apply appropriate statistical techniques to generate high-quality information and analysis
7. Complete all work in accordance with ethical, legislative and professional requirements and standards
8. Contribute to the management of a project, ensuring that it meets all necessary goals and parameters (e.g. scope, design/features, timelines, etc.)
9. Effectively communicate specialized information to diverse audiences with varying degrees of technical knowledge
10. Accurately and persuasively report on the progress and results of program evaluation and research projects to relevant stakeholders
11. Increase organizational efficacy by capturing, interpreting and applying organizational information using knowledge management techniques
Academic School
Research and Evaluation Coordinator:
Jannelle Yoon
Admission Requirements
A Two- or Three-Year College Diploma, or a Degree*
OR
Acceptable combination of related work experience and
post-secondary education as judged by the College to be equivalent
to the above**
Note:
* A degree is required for the Credentialed Evaluator (CE)
designation with the Canadian Evaluation Society.
**Applicants may be required to submit a resume and cover
letter that includes details of work experience.
International Admission Equivalencies
Admission equivalencies for Fanshawe depends on your country of study. Please enter your location to see the requirements for your country below.
English Language Requirements
English Language Requirements
Applicants whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate proficiency in English by one of the following methods:
- A Grade 12 College Stream or University Stream English credit from an Ontario Secondary School, or equivalent, depending on the program's Admission Requirements
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test with a minimum score of 88 for the Internet-based test (iBT), with test results within the last two years
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic test with an overall score of 6.5 with no score less than 6.0 in any of the four bands, with test results within the last two years. SDS Program Requirements.
- Canadian Academic English Language (CAEL) test with an overall score of 70 with no score less than 60 in any of the four bands, with test results within the last two years
- Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE) with a minimum score of 59, with test results within the last two years
- A Cambridge English Test (FCE/CAE/CPE) with an overall score on the Cambridge English Scale of 176 with no language skill less than 169, with test results within the last two years
- Fanshawe College ESL4/GAP5 students: Minimum grade of 80% in ESL4/GAP5 Level 9 or 75% in ESL4/GAP5 Level 10
Applicant Selection Criteria
Applicant Selection Criteria
Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available
spaces in the program, the Applicant Selection Criteria will
be:
1. Preference for Permanent Residents of Ontario
2. Receipt of Application by February 1st (After this date,
Fanshawe College will consider applicants on a first-come,
first-served basis until the program is full)
3. Achievement in the Admission Requirements
Courses
| Level 1 | ||||
| Take all of the following Mandatory Courses: | ||||
| RSCH-6030 | Tools for Program Evaluation | 3 | ||
| In this course students will learn about various research tools for outcome-oriented program evaluation, including (but not necessarily limited to): psychographics, customer segmentation models, needs-analysis, stakeholder analysis, cost-analysis, environmental scans, and SWOT analysis. Students will also learn how to write an executive summary and conduct a literature review. | ||||
| RSCH-6005 | Program Evaluation & Performance | 4 | ||
| This course defines and surveys the nature, goals, methods and potential scope of program evaluation. It also defines and explores the nature, methods and goals of performance measurement and management, and the processes that provide the data used in program evaluation. Principles and specific approaches to program evaluation and performance measurement are explored and differentiated in terms of goals, outcomes (versus outputs) and conclusions. Students will learn how to address common issues in the design and implementation of program-related performance measurement systems. | ||||
| SOSC-6001 | Program Eval Policy & Ethics Contexts | 3 | ||
| In this course, students will recognize and respond appropriately to the role of program and organizational policy in program evaluation, and will learn to assess policy adherence and fulfilment in an evaluation. Students will also learn about professional ethics in evaluation practice, including the Evaluations Ethics Guidelines of the Canadian Evaluation Society, and they will use these guidelines in the analysis of ethical dilemmas in evaluation. Finally, this course will explore the importance of competence and the use of current best practices in the execution of a professional evaluation, and the benefits of well-designed and executed program evaluation in informing organizational / public sector policy and improving accountability. | ||||
| RSCH-6002 | Qualitative Research Methods | 4 | ||
| In this course, students will examine qualitative research purposes, design, planning, data collection, evaluation and reporting. Qualitative research methods are explored, which may include interview, panel / focus group, observational, description, social network analysis, and other sociometric methods. Students will apply analytical methods and software tools to qualitative research data. | ||||
| RSCH-6004 | Survey Methods | 3 | ||
| In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of survey design, including analysis and evaluation to answer research and evaluation questions, selection of participants and sampling method, deployment, informed consent and other ethical considerations, and data collection approaches. Students will design appropriate survey questions for various modes of administration, conduct computer-based survey analysis, and examine the issues in reliability and internal / external validity in survey design and sampling. | ||||
| RSCH-6003 | Quantitative Research Methods | 4 | ||
| In this course, students will review basic principles of quantitative research design and statistical analysis methods, including concepts and methods to assess probability, dispersion, central tendency and simple correlation, inferential statistics and nonparametric statistics. Students will learn to apply multivariate methods using real-world evaluation and policy contents. Multivariate methods will focus on multiple regression techniques and basic analysis of variance. Topics include measurement reliability and validity of inferences, and use of software for statistical analysis. | ||||
| RSCH-6006 | Evaluation Design & Project Management | 4 | ||
| In this course, students will learn about the appropriate design of a program evaluation, including research methodology; evaluation scope, timelines and processes; performance assessment measures and tools; and gathering reliable and valid data on program outcomes, including Key Performance Indicators. This will be applied to the design of evaluations for several purposes and stakeholder groups. Finally, common issues that arise in the course of the implementation and project management of evaluations will be identified and addressed. | ||||
| SOSC-6002 | Knowledge Translation & Management | 3 | ||
| In this course, students will learn to communicate research and evaluation findings for audiences of varying levels of sophistication and quantitative/qualitative expertise, in accurate yet accessible language and graphics. In addition, students will explore the knowledge management continuum (data-information-knowledge-wisdom), and methods of managing the creation, documentation, access to and mobilization / use of knowledge in organizations. The influence of organizational cultures on knowledge mobilization will be addressed, as well as methods to increase the ongoing mobilization and utilization of organizational knowledge. | ||||
| RSCH-6007 | Evaluation Implementation & Outcomes | 4 | ||
| Once designed and approved, evaluation projects need to be implemented and managed in a way that ensures that reliable, valid data are gathered and appropriately analysed in a timely fashion. Through the use of case studies, students will explore methods of data gathering and analysis, as well as communication of results and issues that arise in the course of the evaluation project. | ||||
| COMM-6032 | Professional Presentations | 4 | ||
| This course will develop advanced presentation skills (including cultivating influence, personal impact, authority and natural presence), and will improve students' verbal and non-verbal presentation skills in a variety of contexts. Students will structure and deliver professional presentations, both formal and informal, and will prepare appropriate accompanying visual aids; furthermore, strategies for handling questions, generating buy-in, and scripting effective narrative arcs will be covered. The course will also examine the ethical use of copyrighted materials in presentations within both corporate and not-for-profit contexts. | ||||
| COMM-6033 | Reports-Adv | 4 | ||
| This course fosters students' skills in developing in-depth, persuasive reports. In groups, students choose a detailed professional communication case study to solve. They work through it for the duration of the course, focusing on strategies for organizing, synthesizing, and presenting information, for collaborative writing, and for implementing clear, concise prose. Additionally, this course will cover the principles for attractively presenting visual data and incorporating this data within written documents. The reports that the student groups produce will adhere to principles that ensure real-world success. | ||||
| SOSC-6003 | Capstone | 3 | ||
| Students will complete an individual capstone evaluation project for a government agency or for a community, educational, health, human services or other organization. This will be done under the supervision of a faculty advisor / course leader. | ||||