Research seminars in Qualitative Analysis
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This is a generic course. This means that the course is reserved for PhD students at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at UCPH.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at the Graduate School, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. After the enrolment deadline, available seats will be allocated to the waiting list.
The course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD students at NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
1. Demonstrate in-depth and advanced understanding of different theoretical and analytical approaches to analyzing qualitative research material
2. Assess the appropriateness of specific analytical approaches for different qualitative research designs
3. Explain and demonstrate how a chosen analytical approach is consistent with a study, its problem, methodology, and research material
4. Compare and discuss different theoretical and scientific approaches, their possibilities and limitations
Content
This course aims to increase PhD students’ competencies in the analysis of qualitative research. During the course, we will demonstrate how different knowledge traditions, theoretical frameworks and methodological premises influence one’s analytical results. We will work in-depth with an array of relevant research traditions and analytic approaches – phenomenology, narrative theory, ethnography, participatory approaches etc. - and especially focus on how to develop concepts, categories and distinct theoretical approaches related to a chosen analytical pathway. We will emphasize how analysis is a work in process that constitutes ongoing communication between several levels and phases of the research process, i.e. an interaction between method, data and theory that starts already from the first project idea. A discussion of perspectives across traditions will be an ongoing part of the course.
Participants
PhD students and research-year medical students working on a research project based on qualitative methods. It is an advantage if participants have started data collection, but it is not a requirement. Sixteen seats will be available.
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
All graduate programmes
Language
English all course days if required by participants who do not speak Danish. Otherwise, Danish.
Form
The course consists of eight research seminars. Seminar days are conducted as masterclasses with opening lectures and exercises. Participants will be given the opportunity to apply relevant analytic approaches to data provided by the lecturers, and we will work with the process of making sense of data in the light of theory, context and situated positions. The last course day will be a full workshop day with different approaches to reflecting on and discussing your PhD project. Work in groups, project presentations and preparation between seminars will be expected.
Course directors
Mette Bech Risør, Professor, Center for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, mette.risoer@sund.ku.dk
Ann Dorrit Guassora, Associate professor, Center for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, guassora@sund.ku.dk
Teachers
Mette Bech Risør, Professor, Center for General Practice, Department of Public Health, KU
Ann Dorrit Guassora, Associate professor, Center for General Practice, Department of Public Health, KU
Anthony Fernandez, Associate professor, and Peter Stillwell, postdoc, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, SDU
Louise Phillips, Professor, Department of Communication and Humanistic Science, RUC
Kathrine Vitus, Professor, VIVE
Gitte Wind, Docent, Department of Nursing and Nutrition, University College Copenhagen
Kaspar Villadsen, Associate professor, Department of Business Humanities and Law, CBS
Peter Danholt, Associate professor, Department of Communication and Culture, AU
Dates
Seminar 1: 2nd , 3rd and 4th of September 2025
Seminar 2: 6th, 7th and 8th of October 2025
Seminar 3: 3rd and 4th of November 2025
Course location
CSS (rooms TBA)
Registration
Please register before Monday 16th of June 2025
Expected frequency
Expected to be rerun in autumn 2026.
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.
Note: All applicants are asked to submit invoice details in case of no-show, late cancellation or obligation to pay the course fee (typically non-PhD students). If you are a PhD student, your participation in the course must be in agreement with your principal supervisor.