Free Online Survey Design Courses and Certifications 2024

Survey design is the process of developing a survey to collect data from a target population. It involves selecting the type of survey, determining the sample size, developing the questionnaire, and deciding on the method of data collection.

Survey Design Courses

What Are the Best Survey Design Certifications?

Certificate in Survey Science by The Odum Institute at UNC Chapel Hill. This certification teaches you specialized skills in survey design, data collection methods, data analysis and reporting. You will learn how to use various tools and strategies to create, administer, and evaluate surveys for different purposes and audiences. You will also gain real-world survey research experience and complete short courses in survey science. The certification exam consists of 12 credit hours of coursework and requires a score of 80% to pass.


Survey Data Collection and Analytics by University of Maryland and University of Michigan on Coursera. This certification is a specialization that covers the fundamentals of survey design, implementation, analysis, and reporting. You will learn how to use various software and platforms, such as Qualtrics, SPSS, R, and Stata, to conduct surveys and analyze data. You will also learn how to deal with common challenges and issues in survey research, such as sampling, nonresponse, measurement errors, and ethics. The certification exam consists of four courses and a capstone project and requires a score of 80% to pass.


Questionnaire Design for Social Surveys by University of Michigan on Coursera. This certification teaches you how to design effective questionnaires for social surveys. You will learn how to apply cognitive and social psychological principles to questionnaire design, how to write clear and unbiased questions, how to test and evaluate questions, and how to avoid common pitfalls and errors in questionnaire design. The certification exam consists of four modules with videos, readings, quizzes, and assignments and requires a score of 80% to pass.


Develop Mobile Data Collection Solutions using Kobo Toolbox by Alexander MtembenuzenI on Udemy. This certification teaches you how to use Kobo Toolbox, a free and open-source tool for mobile data collection. You will learn how to create data collection forms using Kobo Form Builder or XLSForm, how to deploy forms to mobile devices using Kobo Collect or ODK Collect apps, how to manage data using Kobo Data Manager or ODK Aggregate server, and how to analyze data using Kobo Analyze or other tools. The certification exam consists of 28 lectures with 2 hours of video content and requires a score of 80% to pass.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Q1: What type of study is a survey design?

Survey research is a specific type of research design that utilizes surveys as the primary method of data collection. Researchers employ surveys as a tool to acquire a deeper comprehension of individual or group perspectives regarding a specific concept or topic of interest.

Q2: What are the 3 C's of survey design?

The content discusses the Three C's of Survey Design. When individuals create a survey, they should take into account the three C's mentioned in the image: clear, concise, and communicative. These factors play a crucial role in shaping the survey's design and differentiating between surveys of good quality and those that are truly exceptional.

Q3: What are the basic principles of survey design?

The content emphasizes the importance of various principles in survey design. These principles encompass being mindful of respondents' behaviors, ensuring questions are formulated with clarity and objectivity, guaranteeing the survey's reliability and relevance to demographic characteristics, and minimizing any potential bias.

Q4: What is the first step in designing a survey?

The purpose of the survey should be identified as the first step in good survey design. It is crucial to define the overall objectives in order to assess the expected outcomes of the survey and strategize on how to utilize the gathered information.

Q5: How long does it take to design a survey?

Questionnaire design involves multiple steps, including drafting, content-focused pilot, programming, data-focused pilot, and translation. This process can take 4-5 months from start to finish, requiring the impact evaluation team (or research team) to allocate sufficient time for each step.

Q6: What Survey Design courses can I find on AZ Class?

On this page, we have collected free or certified 28 Survey Design online courses from various platforms. The list currently only displays up to 50 items. If you have other needs, please contact us.

Q7: Can I learn Survey Design for free?

Yes, If you don’t know Survey Design, we recommend that you try free online courses, some of which offer certification (please refer to the latest list on the webpage as the standard). Wish you a good online learning experience!

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