Certificate Program in 
Community-Based Research

This course will cover basic research skills that can be practically applied to the workplace and other community settings. Students will learn the fundamentals of conceptualizing, planning, and conducting research in a community-driven, participatory, and action-oriented way. Course topics will include how to collaboratively craft a relevant purpose statement and corresponding research questions, choose appropriate methods, follow research ethics, conduct data collection and analysis, share learnings impactfully, initiate new action based on findings, and engage stakeholders throughout the research process. The course is organized according to the four phases of community-based research and illustrated with real-world examples, while allowing students to apply course learnings to their individual contexts. 

This course covers the essentials of community-based evaluations that lead to more responsive, supportive, and equitable communities. Learn how to practically apply the four phases of evaluation in a way that is community-driven, participatory, and action-oriented. Through hands-on exercises and real-world examples, gain practical skills in topics such as meaningfully engaging stakeholders, co-determining evaluation purpose statements and theories of change (logic models), choosing and implementing appropriate methods, foregrounding ethics, conducting data analysis, sharing findings impactfully, and moving recommendations into action. This course equips you to proactively use evaluation to assess processes and outcomes within simple programs or more complex interventions working for collective impact. Ideal for students, staff of non-profit community organizations, and government employees. 

This experiential and applied course will provide an overview of core principles and effective strategies for community engagement in community-based research. Students will learn about the opportunities and tensions of participation and community engagement in research, as well as how to tailor engagement strategies for the communities you’re working with, to meet specific project objectives across all four phases of community-based research. Topics include but are not limited to: an overview of community engagement, how to build meaningful relationships across the research life span, and how to design and employ creative strategies to foster collaboration, co-learning and empowerment. Principles of equity, diversity, and ethics will be explored throughout. Ideal for students and professionals in non-profits, public health, and social services, this course equips you to conduct meaningful, feasible, and ethical community engagement in your community-based research project. 

This course offers a comprehensive overview of the various methods available to researchers when implementing a community-based approach. Participants will explore the benefits and limitations of qualitative, quantitative, and arts-based methodologies, gaining insights into sampling and recruitment strategies tailored for diverse communities. The course covers practical tips for collaborative data gathering and analysis, ensuring that researchers are equipped to handle the complexities of community-based research using an equity lens. Whether you're new to the field or looking to deepen your understanding, this course provides foundational knowledge and skills needed to conduct impactful research that truly reflects community voices and mobilizes people towards change.

This course provides an overview of community-based research ethics in community settings. In this course, participants will delve into the ethical considerations and best practices for conducting research in community settings, drawing on the principles and frameworks of the Community Research Ethics Office (CREO). Explore fundamental research ethics principles such as respect for stakeholders’ rights, informed consent, confidentiality, justice, and beneficence, and learn to navigate ethical dilemmas in community-based research. Potential topics include but are not limited to ethical frameworks for community research, designing ethical research proposals, issues of risk and mutual benefit, addressing conflicts of interest. and power dynamics.  Through applied examples, students will also have the opportunity to brainstorm and grapple with unique ethical issues that apply across various communities, settings, and contexts. Ideal for students, researchers, and practitioners in non-profits, public health, and social services, this course prepares you to conduct responsible and impactful community research. 

This course provides an overview of arts-based research methods for collective action. In this course, participants will explore the benefits and challenges of arts-based methods for community-based research, evaluation, advocacy, and collective action. Potential methods may include but are not limited to: participatory visual methods (i.e., photovoice, digital storytelling, cellphilms), theatre-informed research, poetry, body-mapping, creative non-fiction, and more. Through interactive and experiential sessions, students will gain practical skills in the "why" and "how" of using participatory art-making for community dialogue, engagement and empowerment, as well as explore how to ethically design, initiate, analyze and share arts-based research to foster equitable collaboration and drive social change. Ideal for students, artists, community organizers, researchers, and social service professionals, this course equips you to harness the potential of the arts for meaningful community engagement and knowledge sharing.