Research Data Management Graduate Certificate
Research data is an invaluable tool that helps researchers acquire grant funding, increase their citations, aid in reproducibility, and much more—which is why having that data organized and accessible is so important.
As technology increases our capacity to store and share research data, the need for professionals who can manage that data has also grown. Our Research Data Management Graduate Certificate can teach you how to be one of those professionals.
Program overview
Research data management (RDM) is essential as funding agencies, publishers, and industry increasingly require data management plans, data deposition in trusted repositories, and data sharing. This equates to a high demand for RDM skills that may not be covered in other programs focused on domain or information sciences.
Help advance research
When research data is properly managed, it can be used to promote open access and reproducibility, as well as reduce barriers, which ultimately aids in the advancement of future discovery and research.
Aid in access & analysis
Research data management professionals help researchers before a project even starts by by ensuring there is a plan in place for them to easily find, analyze, publish, and re-use that data.
Preserve & share knowledge
Whether by building a database, determining how data should be stored, or recreating data in a more shareable format, research data management ensures knowledge can live on and be shared.
Why get a graduate certificate in Research Data Management (RDM)?
The RDM certificate program provide students interested in supplementing their courses with this specialization, or professionals who already have a graduate degree and want to learn more and update knowledge and skills in RDM to enhance their careers in a variety of settings, including:
- Academic libraries
- Government agencies
- Archives
- Research Centers
What can you do with a graduate certificate in Research Data Management (RDM)?
Here’s just a few roles where this certificate could help advance your career or give you an edge in the job market after you graduate with a master’s degree:
- Research Data Manager: Oversees the operational data lifecycle, metadata standards, and repository infrastructure to ensure compliance and preservation.
- Director of Research: Steers the strategic vision, budgets, and personnel for an organization’s research program.
- Research Analyst: Cleans, models, and interprets specific datasets to generate actionable reports and statistical insights.
- Data Librarian: Assists researchers with data management plans (DMPs), selects repositories, and teaches data literacy workshops.
- Scholarly Communications Librarian: Advises on open access mandates, publisher data sharing policies, and intellectual property rights related to research outputs.
Featured Courses
Below are some of the courses that students in our program can choose to take. For a list of all courses, visit the graduate catalog.
Certificate curriculum and requirements
INSC 516: Geospatial Technologies
The creation, distribution, growth, use, and misuse of geospatial data. The application of geospatial technologies to generate maps, tables, and imagery.
INSC 584: Database Management Systems
Defining data needs, data structures, role of operating systems in data management, file organization, database management systems, logical data models, internal data models, database administration and evaluation. Design and implementation of an application using a database management system.
INSC 524: Metadata
Explores the role of metadata in our evolving information ecosystem(s), emphasizing metadata in the digital environment. Development and use of metadata schemas in information communities, including digital libraries, museums, and archives; scientific data centers, and governmental organizations. Enabling technologies used to create machine-understandable metadata (e.g., XML and RDF).
INSC 592: Introduction to Data Analytics & Visualization
Concepts of big data and data analytics in settings such as academia, organizations, the sciences, and on the web. Basic concepts and process of data analytics, as well as data mining techniques and skills (ETL). Designing effective information visualizations.
Questions? Contact us!
Wade Bishop
Professor, Research Data Management Certificate Coordinator
865-974-2775
