Postgraduate Module Descriptor

POLM063: Qualitative Methods in Social Research

This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

Introduction

Ethics

Case selection and the comparative method

Process tracing

Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA)

Historicism and Interpretivism

Discourse and content analysis

Interviews

Focus groups

Participatory research

Ethnography

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
221280

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity2211x 2 hour seminars (lectures and student presentations)
Guided independent study40Directed readings
Guided independent study20Preparation of presentation
Guided independent study68Coursework completion - conducting research, analysing data, writing the finished product

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

http://www.compasss.org/about.htm

http://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs

https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/moynihan/cqrm/APSA_s_Qualitative_and_Multi-Method_Research_Section/

http://methods.sagepub.com/cases?utm_source=Adestra&utm_medium=email&utm_content=SAGE%20Research%20Methods%20Cases&ut%20m_campaign=7LA066B&utm_term

 

Other Learning Resources

http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/mod/resource/view.php?id=168656/ 

You can find lots of advice relating to essay writing at:

http://www.services.ex.ac.uk/cas/employability/askills/essay/index.htm

You can also find other useful advice related to general study skills at: http://www.services.ex.ac.uk/edu/student-learning-skills/resources.shtml