Qualitative Research Methods - design and fieldwork
PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE at University of Copenhagen
This is a toolbox course where 80% of the seats are reserved for PhD students enrolled at the Faculty of SCIENCE at UCPH and 20% of the seats are reserved for PhD students from other Danish Universities/faculties (except CBS). Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at a Danish university (except CBS), you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to applicants on the waiting list.
There is no strict requirement for signing up to the PHD course, but all applicants must use, or plan to use, qualitative methods in their PhD-project.
Aim and Content
This toolbox course provides PhD students with skills in designing and executing qualitative data collection.
The course will cover qualitative research design and fieldwork. During the course, PhD students will be introduced to social science qualitative methodology and knowledge claims.
Tthey will get acquainted with different kinds of qualitative research methods. They will be introduced to the types of knowledge different qualitative research methods produce, and how to reflect on their own methodological choices in their PhD-projects.
The participants will also be working on individual material tailored to fit their PhD-projects.
The course consists of five course days that take place over four weeks.
Day 1, 2 and 3 (week 15): Sessions on Qualitative methodology; Qualitative knowledge claims,Interviews, Visual methods and Ethnographic observations
Day 4 (week 16): Presentations of research design in participants’ PhD-projects, and project work supervision
Day 5 (week 18): Presentation of course projects and peer feedback
Learning outcomes
Intended learning outcome for the students who complete the course:
Knowledge:
• The students can identify specific features, strengths and weaknesses of different qualitative methods, research designs and qualitative analyses
• The students can discuss qualitative methodology and its validity
Skills:
• The students can choose an appropriate methodology to match their research interest.
• The students can operationalize their research questions into meaningful qualitative research designs and construct specific research tools (e.g. interview guide, field note template).
• The students can design valid and reliable qualitative fieldwork, going through different design steps.
Competences:
• The students can critically assess the quality of qualitative research designs
• The students can translate knowledge about qualitative methods to their own work
Target Group
The course is aimed at PhD students at the Faculty of Science who have limited to moderate experience with qualitative research methods, and who expect to use qualitative methods during their PhD-project.
PhD students from other faculties and different levels of experience with qualitative methods are welcome.
Recommended Academic Qualifications
It is recommended that applicants have completed the obligatory course PHD course Responsible Conduct of Research before taking this course.
Research Area
Social Science / Qualitative research methods
Teaching and Learning Methods
The course will consist of a mix of lectures and class exercises and individual project work.
In the first week of the course, students will participate in lectures introducing the qualitative methodology and present different types of qualitative methods. Following each lecture, students are expected to participate in class discussions and groups exercises to get a ‘hands-on’ experience of the methods.
In the following weeks, students will work individually with a project relating to their own PhD-project. Students will generate their own problem formulation, supervised by a teacher and guided by peer feedback. The students are expected to work independently on their own projects and to participate in a peer-feedback session in class.
During the last course day, students are asked to present their own project, and to provide constructive feedback on other students’ projects.
Type of Assessment
Participants are required to actively participate in course sessions to complete the course. In addition, the participants must present their project work to pass the course.
Literature
TBA
Course coordinator
Kia Ditlevsen, Associate Professor, Department of Food and Ressource Economics (IFRO)
Guest Lecturers
Guest lectures with expertise in qualitative methods will be used as needed. Guest lecturers will be announced later.
Dates
Course days:
April 14th, 15th and 16th (week 15)
April 21st (week 16)
May 4th (week 18)
Course location
Frederiksberg Campus, UCPH
Course fee and participant fee
PhD courses offered at the Faculty of SCIENCE have course fees corresponding to different participant types.
In addition to the course fee, there might also be a participant fee.
If the course has a participant fee, this will apply to all participants regardless of participant type - and in addition to the course fee.
Course fee
• Participant fee: DKK
• PhD student enrolled at SCIENCE: DKK 0
• PhD student from Danish PhD school Open market: DKK 0
• PhD student from Danish PhD school not Open market: DKK 3.000
• PhD student from foreign university: DKK 3.000
• Master's student from Danish university: DKK 0
• Master's student from foreign university: DKK 3.000
• Non-PhD student employed at a university (e.g., postdocs): DKK 3.000
• Non-PhD student not employed at a university (e.g., from a private company): DKK 8.400
You will receive an email with a link and instructions for payment after completing the course
Cancellation policy
Cancellations made up to two weeks before the course starts are free of charge.
Cancellations made less than two weeks before the course starts will be charged a fee of DKK 3.000
Participants with less than 80% attendance cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000
No-show will result in a fee of DKK 5.000
Participants who fail to hand in any mandatory exams or assignments cannot pass the course and will be charged a fee of DKK 5.000