Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation

The Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation (ERME) program at the Lynch School combines the study of research design, statistical methods, and testing and assessment with a research focus on major contemporary education policy issues. The program is designed to prepare students for research and academic careers in education, social sciences and human services.

Graduate Programs

The ERME program offers two degrees—the Master of Education (M.Ed.) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). The program provides in-depth expertise in quantitative and experimental methods for research and evaluation, with opportunities for students to tailor coursework to their particular interests and background. 

Master of Education (M.Ed.)

The master’s degree curriculum includes coursework in research design, statistics, classroom assessment, large scale data collection, program evaluation, and education policy. A minimum of 30 credits and satisfactory performance on a comprehensive examination are required for the M.Ed. degree.

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The doctoral curriculum emphasizes research methodology and data analysis and includes advanced coursework in research design, statistical methods, and testing and assessment as well as seminars in statistical and measurement topics. The doctoral degree requires a minimum of 54 credits beyond the M.Ed. and satisfactory completion of comprehensive exams and a dissertation.

Programs of Study

The ERME program has been training Ph.D.’s to examine educational programs, design quantitative research studies, develop assessment instruments, and analyze educational data to help inform policy-making for almost 40 years. Its outstanding faculty and rich intellectual resources provide students with the ideal setting for learning and professional growth. A survey of similar doctoral programs in North America, presented in a paper at the annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education, April 2001, placed the Lynch School program in the top 10 overall. (Survey - PDF)

Research

ERME students have the opportunity to work on research projects with individual faculty members or in one of the Lynch School’s research centers. More specifically, many of our students work as research assistants in the Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy (CSTEEP) and in the TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center (ISC).

The Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy (CSTEEP) is a University-sponsored research center internationally recognized for its work in the policy use of tests. In the past decade, CSTEEP has been involved in assessment issues that address the fairness of testing in culturally and economically diverse populations. CSTEEP includes the Technology and Assessment Study Collaborative (inTASC), which works collaboratively with schools, educational institutions, and businesses on research and development relat ed to technology and assessment.

The TIMSS and PIRLS International Study Center conducts comparative studies in educational achievement throughout the world. Principally, the Center directs two main efforts—Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Progress in International Reading Literacy St udy (PIRLS)—under the auspices of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement.

These projects often afford students with the opportunity to author and present papers at educational research conferences such as those held by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) and New England Educational Research Organizati on (NEERO).

Discover More About ERME

ERME Publications (PDF)

Brochure 

Alumni Career Descriptions

ERME at AERA 2009

ERME at AERA 2008

ERME at AERA 2007

5th Year Program

ERME Newsletters (PDF)   

2008-2009

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2007-2008     

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December 2007
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2006-2007

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December 2006
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Job Opportunities
Graduates are qualified for a wide range of positions in federal, state, and local government agencies; private research companies; non-profit organizations and foundations; and schools, colleges and universities.  

ERME Job Blog

ERME Career Center