6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1021096BER for all students in the 2nd semester at a (B) Bachelor - advanced level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Students who want to enroll for this course, must have passed for ‘Introduction to SPC Methodology’ and must have obtained at least 30 ECTS-credits on bachelor level
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Sociology
External partners
Universiteit Gent
Educational team
Peter Stevens (course titular)
Activities and contact hours

16 contact hours Lecture
32 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
102 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

The course ' Qualitative Research' is taught to students in the 2nd year of the Bachelor programme of Political and Social Sciences. This course functions as the foundation for students who want to apply qualitative research for their BScSS (and if applicale later: MA) thesis. 

The main goal of this course is to introduce to students the basic principles and techniques of qualitative research as applied in the social sciences so that they can critically evaluate qualitative research and adequately develop and carry out basic qualitative research projects. Through lecturers, guided exercises and a group assignment students will develop insight into the process of qualitative research. The following themes are central to this course: epistemological principles of qualitative research, sampling, negotiating access to settings and sources of data, ethical issues, the main data-collection (the qualitative interview, focusgroup interviews and (participant) observation), and analysis techniques (qualitative data analysis through a Grounded Theory approach, Narrative Analysis and/or Thematic Analysis) and the process of writing qualitative research. A key goal of this course is to acquire and to some extent apply knowledge and skills that are essential in doing qualitative research in practice.

Course material
Digital course material (Required) : Students will be offered exercises with solutions, detailed PP presentation slides and selected chapters
Additional info

There will be no English language handbook this year for this course, but students will be offered exercises with solutions, detailed PP presentation slides and selected chapters.

The following subjects will be covered:

  • Theoretical, historical and philosophical characteristics of qualitative research;
  • Preparing and setting up of qualitative research, including: developing a qualitative sample, negotiating access to settings, choosing the appropriate data-collection and analysis techniques and planning of qualitative research;
  • Thorough introduction in carrying out different qualitative data-collection techniques, including the qualitative interview, focus-groups and (participant) observation;
  • Thorough introduction in terms of the key features of different qualitative data-analysis techniques, including Grounded Theory, Textual Analysis and/or Narrative Analysis;
  • Insight in the requirements and challenges related to writing qualitative research for a scientific audience;
  • Evaluation of qualitative research in terms of its ethical implications and quality.
Learning Outcomes

General competences

  1. Can formulate a valid scientific research question on a topic that relates to the social sciences.
  2. Can identify, gather and critically process the relevant sources and literature on a specific social sciences research topic.
  3. Knows how to set up a scientific and methodologically correct research design.
  4. Possesses the methodological knowledge and skills of data selection and data processing that prevail within the domains of the social sciences.
  5. Masters the techniques of good and accurate research reporting in oral and written form.
  6. Reflects and evaluates his or her learning process and results critically.
  7. Acts in a professional and responsible manner.
  8. Is able to perform teamwork, he or she possesses good communicative skills and is solution-oriented.
  9. Prioritises scientific integrity and honesty in his or her scientific research activities.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 50% of the final mark.
Other Exam determines 50% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written Exam with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

    Note: .

Within the Other Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Group Assignment with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 50% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

A written (closed book, MC) exam (50%) and a group assignment (50%).

In the written exam (mutliple choice), students will be asked to test their knowledge of the qualitative research process, including setting up research, and collecting and and analyzing data. Through a group assignment, students will learn to develop appropriate research questions in qualitative research, select a theoretically relevant sample, develop appropriate interview questions and conduct and evaluate their own interview practice and that of their peers and evaluate their own and their peers' functioning in a group.

Every student will obtain an individual evaluation for this course based on their score on their written exam (50%) and their group assignment (50%). In relationship to the group assignment, each group will receive a group-score based on the submitted assignments and documentation (audio interview files and transcripts and an electronic copy of the group assignment). Students' final score for their group assignment can be changed based on the outcome of students' confidential peer evaluations of their group members, which have to be submitted electronically after the submission of the group assignment.

Final marks obtained for the group assignment or the written exam can be transferred to the second period exam only within one particular academic year and only if the mark obtained was at least 10/20 or higher.

The final mark obtained for the written exam cannot be transferred to the following academic year (whatever the score). The final mark obtained for the group assignment can be transferred to the following year only if the mark obtained is at least 10/20 or higher. To qualify for a transfer of mark for the group assignment to the following year, the student has to request this by the start of first week of the new academic year at the very latest, via email to the lecturer.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Communication Studies
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Political Sciences
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Sociology
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Startplan