Quantitative skills are highly valued in a variety of fields. Training provided by the quantitative methods minor can provide a competitive edge on the job market or for future graduate study.

Many advances in quantitative methods used in the social sciences and education are not covered in standard undergraduate introductory statistics courses. This minor exposes students to more recent developments in quantitative methods with concrete applications to practice. Emphasis is on application of methods to real social science data and interpretation of results. The quantitative methods minor helps students become better consumers and producers of scientific research. Students will have the opportunity to learn from leading experts in measurement and the statistical analysis of social science data.

Structure of the Minor

Prerequisites for the minor are completion of the introductory statistics sequence that is already required by the undergraduate psychology majors. This sequence is:

• PSY-PC 2101: Introduction to Statistical Analysis (3 credits; required)*
  
  OR
• PSY 209: Quantitative Methods
  
  AND
• PSY-PC 2102: Statistical Analysis (3 credits; required)*

The Quantitative Methods minor is an 18-hour minor. The 18 hours include both PSY-PC 2101 (or PSY 209) and PSY-PC 2102, and these serve as prerequisites for the electives. Following completion of these prerequisites, the minor requires four additional courses (12 credits; electives). Any four courses offered by the Quantitative Methods program are applicable and at most three credits of directed research/independent study can count toward the minor. Students with interest in the directed research/independent study can contact individual Quantitative Methods faculty directly here.

Courses that would satisfy the elective requirements (pick 4):

• PSY-PC 2530: Psychometric Methods (Sun-Joo Cho, David Lubinski)*
• PSY-PC 2540: Psychometrics (David Lubinski)
• PSY-PC 2550: Modern Robust Statistical Methods (Jim Steiger)
• PSY-PC 2560: Applied Latent Class and Mixture Modeling (Sonya Sterba)*
• PSY-PC 2570: Latent Growth Curve Modeling (Sonya Sterba)
• PSY-PC 2580: Correlation and Regression (Joe Rodgers)*
• PSY-PC 2590: Introduction to Item Response Theory (Sun-Joo Cho)*
• PSY-PC 2600: Factor Analysis (Kris Preacher)*
• PSY-PC 2610: Applied Nonparametric Statistics (Kris Preacher)
• PSY-PC 2620: Multivariate Statistics (Jim Steiger)*

*courses being offered in the 2012-2013 academic year

Prior to enrolling in a specific course, please contact the instructor regarding prerequisites. Undergraduates may request to be enrolled in QM courses not yet cross-listed as undergraduate courses by using a special substitution form, with permission of the instructor.

We anticipate adding more courses to this list in the future. Check back regularly for updates. For inquires about the undergraduate Quantitative Methods minor, email Kris Preacher.

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