Certification Pathway

Five progressive levels of qualitative research competency.

Each level defines its own learning outcomes, evidence of competency, rubric and passing rules. Enrol in a single level or take a bundle to progress systematically.

LEVEL 01Foundation

Certified Qualitative Research Associate

Audience
Postgraduate students, novice researchers, teachers new to qualitative inquiry.
Outcome
Understand the paradigm, language and ethics of qualitative research and complete a guided reflection portfolio.
Passing Rule
100% module completion, all quizzes, ≥70% overall score, final reflection submitted.
Investment
RM299 – RM499
Duration
~20 hours self-paced

Module Structure (9)

Enrol →
  1. 01Introduction to Qualitative Research
  2. 02Paradigms and Worldviews
  3. 03Qualitative vs Quantitative Reasoning
  4. 04Research Ethics and Consent
  5. 05Reading Qualitative Literature
  6. 06Introduction to Sampling
  7. 07Introduction to Data Collection
  8. 08Introduction to Coding and Themes
  9. 09Reflection Portfolio
LEVEL 02Practitioner

Certified Qualitative Research Practitioner

Audience
Researchers designing their first qualitative study or proposal.
Outcome
Construct a problem statement, purpose, research questions, sampling plan, protocols and a mini qualitative proposal.
Passing Rule
≥75% score, complete proposal artefacts and assessor review.
Investment
RM599 – RM899
Duration
~35 hours self-paced

Module Structure (12)

Enrol →
  1. 01Problem Statement Construction
  2. 02Developing Research Purpose and Research Questions
  3. 03Literature Review for Qualitative Research
  4. 04Case Study Design
  5. 05Phenomenological Design
  6. 06Narrative and Grounded Theory Designs
  7. 07Purposive and Snowball Sampling
  8. 08Interview Protocol Design
  9. 09Observation Forms and Field Notes
  10. 10Document Analysis Checklist
  11. 11Trustworthiness and Rigour
  12. 12Final Project: Mini Qualitative Research Proposal
LEVEL 03Analyst

Certified Qualitative Research Analyst

Audience
Researchers with data in hand: transcripts, field notes, documents.
Outcome
Analyse qualitative data end-to-end — coding, theme development, findings and discussion for a thesis chapter.
Passing Rule
≥75% score, complete coded dataset and Chapter 4–5 draft.
Investment
RM899 – RM1,299
Duration
~50 hours self-paced

Module Structure (13)

Enrol →
  1. 01Preparing Qualitative Data
  2. 02Transcription Standards
  3. 03Open Coding
  4. 04Axial and Selective Coding
  5. 05Theme Development
  6. 06Using NVivo / ATLAS.ti / Manual Coding
  7. 07Member Checking
  8. 08Triangulation
  9. 09Audit Trail
  10. 10Presenting Qualitative Findings
  11. 11Writing Chapter 4: Findings
  12. 12Writing Chapter 5: Discussion
  13. 13Final Project: Qualitative Dataset Analysis
LEVEL 04Supervisor

Certified Qualitative Research Supervisor / Reviewer

Audience
Supervisors, examiners and journal reviewers of qualitative theses.
Outcome
Evaluate qualitative theses and manuscripts against QRI standards and produce reviewer reports.
Passing Rule
≥78% score, submit two reviewer reports, panel interview pass.
Investment
RM1,199 – RM1,799
Duration
~45 hours self-paced

Module Structure (10)

Enrol →
  1. 01Standards for Evaluating Qualitative Theses
  2. 02Evaluating Alignment of Title, Problem, Purpose and Research Questions
  3. 03Evaluating Chapter 1: Introduction
  4. 04Evaluating Chapter 2: Literature Review
  5. 05Evaluating Chapter 3: Methodology
  6. 06Evaluating Coding and Themes
  7. 07Evaluating Trustworthiness
  8. 08Reviewer Report Writing
  9. 09Ethics of Supervision and Review
  10. 10Final Project: Two Reviewer Reports
LEVEL 05Master Trainer

Certified Qualitative Research Master Trainer

Audience
Established researchers building capacity for institutions and cohorts.
Outcome
Design and deliver qualitative research training aligned to the QRI certification standard.
Passing Rule
≥80% score, trainer portfolio, micro-teaching pass, panel approval.
Investment
RM1,800 – RM3,000
Duration
~60 hours + capstone

Module Structure (13)

Enrol →
  1. 01Adult Learning Principles
  2. 02Curriculum Design for Qualitative Research
  3. 03Facilitation Techniques
  4. 04Designing Assessments and Rubrics
  5. 05Feedback and Coaching
  6. 06Building a QRI-Aligned Module
  7. 07Learning Analytics
  8. 08Institutional Delivery Models
  9. 09QRI Certification Standard
  10. 10Ethics and Professional Conduct for QRI Trainers
  11. 11Trainer Portfolio Development
  12. 12Micro-Teaching Session
  13. 13Final Capstone: Conducting One QRI Training Session