Research Methods courses help you design effective, ethical investigations using qualitative and quantitative approaches. You’ll learn to frame research questions, choose appropriate designs, collect data, and analyze results to generate reliable insights. Content spans survey design, experiments, observation, and case studies across scientific and social domains.
If you’re new, start with Understanding Research Methods for a broad overview. Learners who want a numbers-first path often choose Quantitative Methods, while Experimentation for Improvement focuses on designing and testing interventions. Each course is taught by leading universities and fits a variety of backgrounds.
No—this category includes introductory, intermediate, and advanced options so you can begin at your current level. Intro courses build foundational concepts, while advanced offerings dive into specialized techniques and complex analyses. You can progress at your own pace as your skills grow.
These methods are used in psychology, sociology, business, market research, and physical science and engineering. Examples include modeling natural systems in Simulation and modeling of natural processes, domain genomics in the Plant Bioinformatic Methods Specialization, and numerical techniques in Computers, Waves, Simulations. Skills transfer across lab work, field studies, and data-driven projects.
Courses combine concept overviews with applied assignments to practice data collection, analysis, and reporting. Many offerings include projects and case studies so you can apply techniques to real-world questions. You can also explore short Guided Projects on Coursera to practice tools in a focused, hands-on format.
When you complete a course, you’ll be eligible to earn a shareable electronic Course Certificate. You can also pursue multi-course pathways like Specializations, or continue into degree programs available on Coursera. Credentials help document your training in specific methodologies.
Training in research methods supports roles such as research analyst, academic researcher, market researcher, program evaluator, and data-focused positions. These skills also underpin work in engineering and technology where hypothesis-driven testing and iteration are central. The category emphasizes both quantitative reliability and qualitative depth to serve diverse career paths.
Courses are taught by top-ranked universities featured on Coursera, including the University of London, the University of Toronto, and the University of Amsterdam. You learn on a flexible schedule online without sacrificing academic rigor. This lets you balance study with work or other commitments.