Methods: Qualit ResearchCraft

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course guides students through applied qualitative research processes, covering the design, collection, processing, and analysis of information. Students begin by defining a research problem and developing theoretically informed questions and objectives through a structured, creative design process. The course then introduces major qualitative approaches—such as ethnographic interviewing, participant observation, and focus groups—and emphasizes how to select and adapt methods to different research contexts. Students Will gain hands-on experience organizing, coding, and analyzing qualitative data as well as learning how to navigate institutional review processes (IRB) and critically apply ethical principles in research practice. In the final part of the course, students experiment with analytic strategies and writing genres aimed at producing rigorous, high impact scholarly and applied outputs, while becoming familiar with qualitative analysis software that supports systematic, scalable qualitative research outputs. This course is designed for students engaging with complex research themes—such as development, climate change, and conflict—who seek to apply multidisciplinary methodological approaches to better structure and clarify their research process.