Advanced Qualitative Research Methods

Catalog description

The course extends beginning qualitative research methods skills to a more advanced level. Students planning a dissertation or career focus in qualitative or mixed methods may use the course to refine interest and skill. The focus of the course centers on interactionist perspectives and collective analysis though methods tangential to these perspectives. Standpoint and participatory methods and analysis may be considered given sufficient student interest. Students are actively involved in selection and critique of seminal and critical readings. Students must have at their disposal a suitable dataset with commensurate permissions or have plans to collect qualitative data amenable to analysis during the course term. This data base can be from previous research proposals and fieldwork can be used as the building blocks for the course assignment(s). The course will focus on data collection, analyses, interpretation, and presentation of results. Skill building will center on collection and management of data; analytic technique including comparative, narrative, and text analysis; development and management of coding schemas; abstraction and development of situation specific theory; and dissemination and diffusion of findings, theories, and relevance to similar phenomena and use in practice. Prerequisite: Phd Students