Pursuing a Career in Survey Research

If you're interested in pursuing an education and/or a career in public opinion polling, there are ways you can learn more about the field.

First of all, survey research is a quantitative research method-you need training that will make you comfortable using and understanding data.

The exact focus can be quite diverse-social science fields like Political Science, Sociology, and Economics provide a variety of opportunities to use public opinion survey measurements. Marketing research classes in business schools use survey data to study consumers. Journalists are perhaps the fastest growing sector in the polling community-all of the major national media are involved in survey data collection so they may better serve their readers or viewers.

Here are some ideas for educational options that will prepare you for a position in survey research:

Undergraduate Study to Prepare for a Survey Research Career

Schools offering undergraduate as well as graduate degrees often have a survey research center affiliated with them. Working at one of these centers would give you an excellent introduction into the field of survey research.

When selecting undergraduate courses consider taking Research Methods or Survey Methodology classes. Many social science departments offer them at the undergraduate level. This will provide you an overview of various ways that research is collected, including the use of surveys. Introductory Statistics courses will also provide a broader comfort zone for working with data.

Graduate Studies Programs in Survey Research

There are some schools that offer a Master's degree or Specialization in the field of survey research. Among them are:

• University of Connecticut Master's in Survey Research (MSR Program)

• University of Maryland/University of Michigan: Master's and Ph.D. Joint Program in Survey Methodology (JPSM)

• University of Michigan: Master's and Ph.D. programs in Survey Methodology
• University of Nebraska at Lincoln: Master's and Ph.D. programs in Survey Research
• Ohio State University: Graduate Interdisciplinary Specialization in Survey Research

Professional organizations that can provide you with information about the field include:

• AAPOR: The American Association for Public Opinion Research is the professional organization of the industry, and the membership crosses over the academic, commercial and government sectors. Regional chapters provide a local network of colleagues and local conferences. Regions represented by these chapters include: New York, Pacific, Midwest, Washington DC, New England, New Jersey, and South.

• WAPOR: The World Association for Public Opinion Research
• NCPP: The National Council on Public Polls
• ESOMAR: The World Association of Research Professionals
• CMOR: The Council for Marketing and Opinion Research, Inc.   
• CASRO: The Council of American Survey Research Organizations  
• COPAFS: Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics
• ASA: American Statistical Association The Survey Methods Section of the ASA offers a brochure titled: What Is a Survey? that describes how surveys are conducted.
• COSSA: Consortium of Social Science Associations 

For more tips on a career in survey research, visit: http://www.bookrags.com/research/opinion-polling-careers-in-eci-02/

Top