STV9029 – Advanced Qualitative Field Methods
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course explores the design and application of qualitative methods to prepare doctoral students to select and use such methods in the field. The course is suitable for doctoral students interested in qualitative field methods as a central or complementary component of their research, and for reflecting more broadly on the benefits and limitations of such empirical work. It will be of particular interest to students considering fieldwork – broadly conceived – as part of their doctoral research.
Topics covered include: descriptive and causal inferences based on qualitative data; preparing for fieldwork; selecting cases, sites, sources and respondents; archival work and text as data; interviews and participant observation; operationalization and measurement based on qualitative data; writing up your fieldwork materials; typical ethical and practical challenges.
It is preferable if participants are at a sufficiently early stage in their projects that substantial changes to their research designs are still feasible.
Learning outcome
This course will enable participants to:
- critically assess the purpose and role of qualitative methods in their research design
- broaden their repertoire of qualitative field methods
- collect and process different kinds of data in the field: verbal, written, visual
- integrate qualitative data with other data in their analyses
- discuss methodological and ethical challenges associated with data collected during fieldwork
Admission
The course is open to doctoral students in Political Science and related disciplines. PhD candidates at the Department of Political Science at the University of Oslo are given priority in admission.
PhD candidates at UiO: apply for the course in StudentWeb from August 1st
Other PhD candidates: Application form
Application deadline: October 15th (an updated course schedule and reading list will be posted before the deadline).
Applicants will be notified about the outcome of their application as quickly as possible after the application deadline. There is no participation fee, but the cost of travel and accommodation, if needed, must be covered by the participants.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
The course is designed for PhD candidates who already have MA-level training in research methods, and we expect participants to come prepared to discuss the specific challenges of case selection, sampling and measurement in their own research projects as well as those of their colleagues. It complements other qualitative classes (e.g. focusing on case study methods, discourse analysis,or interviews) by focusing on practical application of qualitative methods in the field, as well as on the logistical and ethical challenges associated with fieldwork.
Teaching
The course is structured as a one-week intensive workshop at the University of Oslo. Each day starts with an interactive lecture. The afternoon session is divided into two parts: the first is a research lab, where we do individual or group exercises related to the topic of the lecture of the day. The second component consists of a group discussion of draft research designs prepared in advance by the participants.
We strongly recommend that participants complete all assigned readings prior to the one-week workshop (for full reading list, see the semester page). Participants must come prepared to participate in class discussions, present a draft of a research note, and provide comments on the research notes presented by the other participants. Active participation and preparation by all participants is essential for this format to be successful.
Compulsory activities:
- Submit a research note one week before the workshop (January 9 2023 by 12:00 noon). The research note (1500-3000 words) should present a proposed research design with a fieldwork component (this can be, but doesn’t have to be, related to your doctoral project). The paper should briefly introduce the topic and research question, and then address issues such as case selection, measurement, proposed data collection, likely challenges in the field, and other relevant issues. Participants who fail to hand in the research note will lose their place in the course.
- Present the draft research note
- Comment on the research notes of the other participant
- Attend at least 80% of the workshop
All the compulsory activities and the exam-paper must be completed and approved in the same semester. If you wish to retake the exam, the whole course must be completed again. To do so you must apply for admission to the course the next time it is offered.
Examination
Submit an updated version of your research note (maximum 3000 words. Due January 27 2023 (by 12:00 noon). Pass/fail grade.
Transcripts can be attained through Studentweb at the University of Oslo website. All candidates accepted for admission will be registered as guest students at UiO.