Qualitative Research Methods

Catalog description

The purpose of this course is to introduce doctoral students to the philosophical and methodological issues of qualitative research. Students will learn about the array of qualitative approaches (such as grounded theory, narrative research, and case study) and will focus heavily on procedures such as generating a research question, gathering data, coding, memo writing, analysis/interpretation, and writing that are common to most approaches. In addition, students will consider ethical issues unique to qualitative research and the role of researcher reflexivity. Students will also learn about standards for good qualitative research and how to assess a piece of qualitative research. This will be a “hands-on” class, with a focus on understanding and practicing basic skills with the goal of producing a qualitative proposal and becoming an informed consumer of qualitative research. The course is restricted to Doctorate in Clinical Social Work (DSW) students.