I. Applied Research & Program Evaluation
Applied research in the form of Program Evaluation is a highly sought after set of skills across multiple professional fields, including human/social services, education, justice, clinical, health, business/industry, and others.
In its most basic form, Program Evaluation is the “systematic assessment of the processes and/or outcomes of a program with the intent of furthering its development and improvement” (UWashington, Office of Educational Assessment, 2005). Program evaluators seek to improve processes and outcomes for (often) ministry-funded programs in the not-for-profit sector. The need for academically prepared evaluators/applied researchers has been identified by ministry and not-for-profit partners. A most critical skill-set highlighted as a priority by the human/social services sector is the ability to transform data into information. This requires an ability to think critically and systematically about individual and/or program data and translate this data into informed decision-making: In other words, engage in evidence-based practices, evidence-based programs, and evidence-based decisions.
Academic training in Program Evaluation and Applied Research will equip undergraduates for careers that require evidence-informed decision-making, program development and evaluation, outcomes- and impact assessment, evidence-informed strategic and operational planning, and other workplace requirements that rely on critical thinking and analysis at individual, program, agency, and overall systems levels.
II. PEAR Certificate
While not all graduates with training in Program Evaluation and Applied Research (PEAR) will secure positions as program evaluators, this set of skills is valuable in various roles and functions, from front-line staff to executive management teams. End-users of Program Evaluation and Applied Research, including front-line staff and decision-making teams, can benefit from the PEAR certificate by becoming knowledgeable about evaluation utilization, which can inform individual and program-level practice, transform agencies/communities, and most importantly, improve client outcomes. This is particularly critical in today’s era of accountability that is moving not-for-profit, health, justice, human/social service sectors from a focus on outputs as indicators of success to a focus on improved outcomes and impact at the client, program, and agency levels.
For more information on Program Evaluation and Applied Research please visit:
In a collaboration between CHFS and PSYC, Dr. Vernescu has led the development of the Program Evaluation and Applied Research (PEAR) concurrent certificate available to students in an Honours Specialization, Specialization, or Major in CHFS or Psychology. This academic training will prepare CHFS and PSYC students for work as evaluators and applied researchers in community-based not-for-profit agencies, NGOs, community foundations, national/international foundations, local, regional, and national government agencies. Students will be honing critical thinking skills and begin the process of evidence-informed and ethical decision-making early in their academic career – for application across a wide variety of organizations in the education, human/social service, health, and justice sectors.
Rigorous academic education in Program Evaluation & Applied Research requires a coherent set of learning objectives across several content areas. The PEAR Certificate, has application across various sectors including human/social services, education, health, justice, government, not-for-profit, NGO etc., and includes the following Learning Objectives: 1) Quantitative and Qualitative Methods; 2) Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis and Statistics; 3) Program Evaluation Methodology; 4) Total Clinical Outcomes Management; 5) Ethics; 6) Competence in Communicating Evaluation Results to Multiple Audiences; 7) Skills in Evaluation Project Management; 8) Cultural Competence to Work in Diverse Cultural Settings; and 9) Competence in Carrying out Collaborative Evaluations Involving Multiple Stakeholders.
The PEAR certificate at Nipissing is one of the only evaluation/applied research certificates to be offered in North America, during completion of an undergraduate degree program. For course descriptions and requirements for completion this certificate concurrently with your degree, please check PEAR.
For more information or to arrange placement opportunities please contact Dr. Vernescu at rvernescu@nipissingu.ca