Apply for Post-Master’s Certificate in Data Visualization & Communication

January 13, 2023
Brown School, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130

The Post-Master’s Certificate in Data Visualization & Communication leverages tools like Excel and PowerPoint that are already on your computer to build your skills at visualizing data and communicating it to various audiences.

Applications will be accepted through January 13, 2023.

Schedule

Fridays, January 27, February 10 & 24, March 10 & 31, 2023

Online Program: The 10-week sequence includes 5 online class meetings, with approximately 5 hours of self-paced content to complete between the meetings. Class meets by Zoom on alternate Fridays, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (CST) (no class meeting on 3/17 or 3/24)

Program Description

In a fast-paced world with ever more information surrounding us, the ability to share information succinctly and use data to tell compelling stories has become a vital skill. This certificate program will be helpful to professionals in a range of settings who create reports, presentations, and other communications using data.

Class meetings provide students with opportunities to learn and apply data visualization best practices for developing charts in Excel and other visuals for dissemination products, such as presentations, dashboards, reports, and one-pagers. During the session, the participants will learn the importance of creating a dissemination plan to tailor products to specific audiences, learn strategies to engage stakeholders with data findings, and strategies for telling stories with data. The certificate program offers a variety of hands-on activities so the participants have opportunities to practice their new skills.

By the end of the program, participants will:

  • Understand data visualization best practices and principles, as well as why these best practices support comprehension of data
  • Be able to identify best practices for communicating and presenting both quantitative and qualitative data
  • Have a fundamental understanding of how to apply best practices to creating charts in Excel and layouts/visuals in PowerPoint
  • Develop a dissemination plan that includes identification of tailored products for different audiences

The instructors encourage participants to bring their own dataset or projects to the class and used for class assignments and activities to create products that will be useful for their own agency setting or interests.

Instructors

Nikole Lobb Dougherty, Associate Director

Nikole Lobb-Dougherty, MA
Director
Brown School Evaluation Center

Nikole is the director at the Brown School Evaluation Center. She has over 15 years of experience in program and systems-level evaluation, project management, evaluation capacity-building, data visualization, and innovative and effective dissemination and reporting.

One of the things Nikole loves most about being an evaluator is the diverse set of responsibilities – from designing meaningful evaluations, to analyzing data, to effectively communicating findings into actionable recommendations, and supporting stakeholders as they build their capacity to better understand, document, and communicate their impact. She leads evaluation activities for a number of Center projects, co-facilitates the development and implementation of the Center’s strategic plan, provides operational guidance for Center staff, and identifies and implements new opportunities and partnerships. In addition, Nikole provides data collection, management, and analysis guidance for Center projects and leads training and educational opportunities.

Meihsi Chiang

Meihsi Chiang, MSW
Evaluation and Dissemination  Manager
Brown School Evaluation Center

Meihsi coordinates the center’s projects, with a focus on process and outcome evaluation, evaluation capacity, survey design, and data collection and analysis. She has a strong background in program evaluation, visual communication, and project management.

Meihsi brings her creativity and passion for data visualization together to develop products and approaches that communicate research data and evaluation findings in meaningful and understandable ways. She also co-manages the center’s brand and visual presence, including website design and marketing materials.

Learn More & Apply

Learn more and register online through Brown School Professional Development.

This course will be conducted via a virtual Zoom meeting online format and Canvas. Access to a computer/laptop with internet access is required. Please contact Professional Development at BrownPMC@wustl.edu for any questions.

Price & CEU/CPH

$1995

Continuing Education Information:

  • 45 Missouri/Illinois social work CEUs (20 live, 25 self-study)
  • 45 public health CPH units