MS in Research Administration
advanced.jhu.edu/researchadmin
The MS in Research Administration is designed to accommodate both career practitioners and those who seek a career in research administration. The program requires that students complete a core curriculum of four courses, and a minimum of two specialized tracks. As part of the core curriculum, students must either write a thesis or engage in an approved capstone project. In all, the total number of courses taken must be 12 courses or higher, regardless if it is a three-credit or four credit course. Courses within tracks are grouped in areas of interest to benefit students who work or want to work in various areas of research administration, or who may have varying levels of experience or special needs. Two tracks must be completed (four courses in each) for students to meet degree requirements.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
Course Requirements
- Four core courses
- Two Curriculum Track required elective courses
- Six elective courses
Core Courses (Required of All Students)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| AS.475.601 | Introduction to Research Administration | 3 |
| AS.475.602 | Organization and Leadership for Research Administration | 3 |
| AS.475.604 | Introduction to Legal, Ethical, Regulatory, and Compliance Issues | 3 |
| AS.475.800 | Capstone Project in Research Administration | 3 |
| or AS.475.801 | Research and Thesis in Research Administration | |
| AS.475.802 | Thesis and Capstone Continuation (non-credit) (if needed) | 0 |
| Tracks | ||
| Select two of the following: | 24 | |
| Electives | ||
| Select six elective courses | 18 | |
| Total Credits | 54 | |
Curriculum Track 1 – Program Administration and Facilitation
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Course | ||
| AS.475.606 | Project Management of Sponsored Programs | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Assistive Technologies for Research Administration 1 | ||
| Program Development and Evaluation | ||
| Grantsmanship, Grant Writing and Evaluation of Grant Proposals | ||
| Procurement and Award Process | ||
| University-Corporate Relations: Principles and Best Practices | ||
| Quantitative Methods (Interdisciplinary Course) | ||
| Fundamentals of Nonprofits and Nonprofit Management (Interdisciplinary Course) | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| 1 | Offered as an elective in curriculum tracks 1, 2, and 3 but may only be taken once and applied to one track. |
Curriculum Track 2 – Financial Management of Sponsored Programs
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Course | ||
| AS.475.609 | Financial Management of Sponsored Programs | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Assistive Technologies for Research Administration 1 | ||
| Financial Accounting and Compliance Auditing | ||
| Reporting and Statistical Analysis for Sponsored Programs | ||
| The Federal Acquisition Regulations and Defense Contracting | ||
| Financial Management and Analysis in Nonprofits (Interdisciplinary Course) | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| 1 | Offered as an elective in curriculum tracks 1, 2, and 3 but may only be taken once and applied to one track. |
Curriculum Track 3 – Compliance, Legal, and Regulatory Issues
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Course | ||
| AS.475.613 | Advanced Topics in Compliance, Legal, and Regulatory Issues | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Assistive Technologies for Research Administration 1 | ||
| Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer | ||
| Managing Compliance, Legal, and Regulatory Issues in Research Hospitals and Health Care | ||
| Research Contracts & Industrial Agreements: Domestic and International | ||
| Domestic and International Special Issues in Research, Legal and Regulatory Affairs | ||
| Introduction to Regulatory Affairs (Interdisciplinary Course) 2 | ||
| Ethical,Legal & Regulatory Aspects of the Biotechnology Enterprise (Interdisciplinary Course) 2 | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
| 1 | Offered as an elective in curriculum tracks 1, 2, and 3 but may only be taken once and applied to one track. |
| 2 | Prerequisites in biotechnology apply. Contact the Director of the MS in Research Administration. |
Curriculum Track 4 – Concentration in International Research Administration Management
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| AS.475.618 | International Research Infrastructure and Management for Higher Education | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Research Contracts & Industrial Agreements: Domestic and International | ||
| Domestic and International Special Issues in Research, Legal and Regulatory Affairs | ||
| International Funding and Grantsmanship: Proposal Development, Submission and Management | ||
| International Research Regulatory, Ethical and Compliance Issues in Research Management | ||
| The Role and Importance of Culture and Communication in International Research Collaborations | ||
| Total Credits | 12 | |
Curriculum
Students in the MS in Research Administration program will receive a firm foundation, through the core curriculum, for understanding how the research enterprise is organized worldwide and within the United States, how university and college research offices are organized and led, how the federal government and nonprofit sectors facilitate research and how they are organized, funded, and led. Through the core curriculum, students will be introduced to the basics of the management for sponsored programs, including finances and information technology, as well as legal, ethical, regulatory, and compliance issues. As part of the core curriculum, students will be required to elect either a thesis or capstone project, which will be initiated within the core curriculum sequence and completed while the students take elective courses or, through continuous enrollment, within five years.
In addition to the core courses, students may elect two additional tracks. The program’s tracks allow students to choose from several groupings in Program Administration and Facilitation; Financial Management of Sponsored Programs; Compliance, Legal, and Regulatory Issues; and International Research Administration Management. The curriculum has been developed to prepare students with skills identified by the research community including several national and international research administration associations.
The program prepares emerging leaders in research administration to face complex management challenges of today. Students will gain an appreciation for these issues through their core courses and their electives. Twelve courses, including a capstone project, are necessary to complete the degree.
Sequence of Study
Students should make every effort to take the core courses, other than the capstone, in their first two semesters. The final required course of the program is the Capstone Project in Research Administration or the Research and Thesis in Research Administration, which students can only take in their final semester.