Postgraduate Module Descriptor

POLM140: Qualitative Methods in Social Research

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

The aims of this module are to introduce you with core issues in qualitative research in social sciences; to enable you to gain a critical understanding of the opportunities, challenges and prospects for qualitative research in social sciences; and to provide you with the tools for designing a sound research design for qualitative inquiry in social research.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here - you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. demonstrate comprehensive awareness and understanding of the core issues in conducting qualitative research in social sciences; 2. appraise empirical application of research designs in qualitative research in social sciences 3. appraise empirical application of research designs in qualitative research in social sciences
Discipline-Specific Skills	4. demonstrate advanced skills in the core principles of research design, data collection and analysis; 5. recognize and critically discuss the contested and provisional nature of scientific knowledge; 6. assess the relevance, significance and implications of the logics of inquiry in social science research;
Personal and Key Skills	7. discuss, evaluate and synthesise complex arguments effectively; 8. engage constructively in complex discussions and debates; 9. develop advanced autonomous learning skills, notably self-direction and time management.

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:

Qualitative research in social sciences: opportunities, challenges and prospects
Research design(s) for qualitative research
Logics of inquiry in qualitative research
Traditions and techniques in qualitative research
What is a case in qualitative research? How to select case(s)?
What is data in qualitative research? How to collect data? How to triangulate data?
The role of context in qualitative research
Mixing data, mixing methods
Validity and generalisability
Ethics, transparency and reproducibility
Publishing qualitative research

This module provides critical understanding of sound methodology in qualitative research. You are expected to engage on your own, over the course of this module, with these core issues in qualitative research methodology in regard with one or several specific method(s) for qualitative research of your choice.

Learning and Teaching

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

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	278	0

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

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	22	11x 2 hour seminars
Guided independent study	118	Private study reading and preparing for the module
Guided independent study	160	Preparation of coursework

Online Resources

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

ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Other Learning Resources

Politics Essay Writing Guide:

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