Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Health Sciences
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:
a. Know the basic steps in a qualitative study
b. Create qualitative research questions, interview guides, data collection and know different approaches within qualitative analysis
c. Describe different types of qualitative approaches
d. Discuss the usefulness of various qualitative research approaches in relation to various research questions
e. Apply an appropriate design to own study
f. Discuss issues of validity in general and in own research project
g. Discuss various methods of data collection and analysis in relation to own research project
Content
The course includes a basic introduction to qualitative inquiry using various approaches and methods for data collection (development of interview guides, interviews, field work, analysis of data) analysis and validation. For beginners we aim at building up understanding of the qualitative methodology during the 5 days. This means that, for the more experienced qualitative researcher, some repetitions must be expected.
Participants
Participants are PhD students and other postgraduate researchers conducting qualitative studies.
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 or Danish if no English-speaking students attend the course.
Form
Each approach is presented in lectures and discussed with the participants during workshops where participants present their studies. Questions related to each approach are answered during group discussions. In the exercises, students have the opportunity to formulate a qualitative research question, develop an interview guide and analyze interview data using different approaches.
Course director
Suzanne Forsyth Herling, Associate Professor, Department of Neuroanesthesiology, The Neuroscience centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet. Department of Clinical Medicine University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
Suzanne.forsyth.herling.01@regionh.dk
Teachers
Julie Midtgaard, Professor, Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health Care (CARMEN), Mental Health Center Glostrup, Copenhagen University Hospital - Mental Health Services CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark and Department of Clinical Medicine University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen
Bente Appel Esbensen, Professor, Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Rheumatology, Copenhagen University, Rigshospitalet.
Suzanne Forsyth Herling, Associate Professor, Department of Neuroanesthesiology, The Neuroscience centre, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet. Department of Clinical Medicine University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
Susanne Vahr Lauridsen, Associated Professor and Senior Researcher
Department of Gastroenterology and Urology, Herlev Hospital & WHO-CC Parker Institute, Frederiksberg Hospital.
Health and Medical Science, University of Copenhagen
Dates
12.-14. and 22.-23. January 2026
5 days 6 hours, from 9-16 every day.
Course location
Panum, Copenhagen. Rooms will follow.
Expected frequency
Once yearly
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.