CES8150 turns theory into a plan: how to design quantitative and qualitative studies, with particular focus on your own dissertation design.
Capella University describes Research Design as a course in which learners build and demonstrate their understanding of how to design research for both quantitative and qualitative studies, with additional focus on the learner's dissertation research design.
It covers procedures, description of the research population and sample, establishing inclusion and exclusion criteria and ethical research considerations.
The course carries 4 credits, lists CES8140 as its prerequisite and is for PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision learners only.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Capella University |
| Course code | CES8150 |
| Program | PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision |
| Credits | 4 |
| Prerequisite | CES8140 |
| Focus | Quantitative and qualitative design; your dissertation design |
What CES8150 Covers
| Catalog topic | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Quantitative design | Experimental, correlational and survey approaches |
| Qualitative design | Phenomenology, case study, grounded theory and others |
| Procedures | Step-by-step plan for conducting the study |
| Population and sample | Who is studied and how they are selected |
| Inclusion and exclusion criteria | Who qualifies to take part |
| Ethical considerations | Consent, confidentiality, risk and dual roles |
Key Concepts Explained
Population, Sample and Criteria
The population is the group you want to understand; the sample is who actually takes part. Inclusion and exclusion criteria define eligibility precisely, which supports both rigor and ethics.
Example: Population: doctoral students in CACREP-accredited counselor education programs who supervise master's students. Inclusion: currently supervising at least one master's student; completed a supervision course. Exclusion: supervising only in a non-counseling field. Sampling: purposive recruitment through professional listservs, with a target size justified by the design.
Ethical Issues Specific to Counselor Education
Counselor educators often research their own students or supervisees, which creates power and dual-role concerns. Designs should protect voluntary participation, for example by having someone else recruit and by keeping data anonymous from instructors.
Example: A researcher wants to interview master's students in a course she teaches. A safer design recruits students from other sections or programs, or delays data collection until grades are final, with recruitment handled by a third party.
Matching Design to Question
| Question wording | Likely design family |
|---|---|
| "Is there a relationship between..." | Correlational |
| "Does an intervention change..." | Experimental or quasi-experimental |
| "What is the lived experience of..." | Phenomenology |
| "How does a process unfold..." | Grounded theory or case study |
Your paradigm from CES8140 should be consistent with the design you choose here. If they conflict, revisit one of them.
Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them
| Assignment type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Design comparison | Quantitative vs qualitative | Apply both to one topic and compare |
| Dissertation design draft | Your own plan | Cover procedures, sample, criteria and ethics |
| Ethics analysis | Protecting participants | Identify risks and concrete safeguards |
| Discussion posts | Applying design concepts | Critique designs in published studies |
Mixed Methods Designs
Some counselor education questions need both numbers and narratives. Mixed methods designs combine quantitative and qualitative strands within one study. Three widely described designs are:
| Design | How it works |
|---|---|
| Convergent | Collect both types of data at the same time and compare results |
| Explanatory sequential | Quantitative first, then qualitative to explain the results |
| Exploratory sequential | Qualitative first, then quantitative to test or measure what emerged |
Example: An explanatory sequential study surveys counselor education doctoral students on teaching self-efficacy, then interviews those with the highest and lowest scores to understand what shaped their confidence.
Mixed methods add workload and require skill in both traditions. If you consider this route, check that your timeline, skills and committee support it, and make sure your CES8140 philosophical stance (often pragmatism) is consistent with the choice.
Where Students Get Stuck
- Vague procedures. Describe each step so another researcher could follow it.
- Unjustified sample size. Explain the reasoning for your design.
- Overlooking dual roles. Address power issues directly.
- Paradigm mismatch. Keep philosophy, question and design aligned.
Study Tips for CES8150
- Use your CES8130 topic and CES8140 stance as the basis for your design.
- Read methods sections of recent counselor education dissertations.
- Draft an alignment table early.
- Check ethics requirements for your planned population.
How We Help with CES8150
Send the assignment, scoring guide and draft design. A counseling research tutor can review alignment, sampling and ethics, or prepare a model design. Our dissertation methodology guide covers design choices in more depth.
GradeEssays is independent of Capella University. Our work is a study and reference aid: write and submit your own work under Capella's academic integrity policy, and we never invent data. Orders are written from scratch, with free revisions within the scope of your original request and a full refund if late.
Build a Solid CES8150 Research Design
Share the assignment, scoring guide and draft. We give methods feedback or a model design to learn from.
Start My CES8150 HelpFree revisions · Full refund if late · Written from scratch for your order
Frequently Asked Questions
Capella lists CES8140 Research Theory and Philosophy as the prerequisite.
Yes. Capella says learners design research for both quantitative and qualitative studies.
Capella's description includes additional focus on the learner's dissertation research design.
Rules that define who is eligible to take part in a study and who is not.
Capella lists ethical research considerations as a course topic, and counselor educators often face dual-role issues when researching students.
Yes. Send your draft and we review alignment, sampling and ethical safeguards.