Qualitative Research: An Introduction

The main course goal is to introduce PhD students to how to carry out qualitative research with different analytical frameworks on a high academic level for a doctoral thesis. Throughout the course, the Phd students will develop their understanding of how to increase the quality of qualitative research generally and regarding the publishing process in scientific journals. The course aims to develop the PhD students’ abilities to apply different analytical frameworks and write their own qualitative research papers in a coherent and transparent way. 

After completing the course, the PhD students will have general knowledge about:

• The purpose of qualitative research  
• The theoretical stance in qualitative research
• The methodology in qualitative research
• The research design of qualitative research
• The methods and instruments of qualitative research
• The analysis of qualitative research with different analytical frameworks
• Ways of presenting findings of qualitative research

After completing the course, the PhD student will have specific knowledge about:

• How to increase the coherence, transparency and quality of qualitative research
• The theoretical stance of qualitative research (ontological, axiological, epistemological and methodological positioning)
• How to select the appropriate methodology for research questions
• How to develop qualitative research design
• How to assess qualitative research
• How to use different analytical frameworks actively throughout your qualitative research design

Requirements and workload (ECTS):

• 1 ECTS:

- Home assignments before the course day

- Min. 80% attendance during lectures on the course day

• 3 ECTS:

- Home assignments before the course day

- Min. 80% attendance during lectures on the course day

- Academic paper after the course day