PSY7202 Advanced Qualitative Research Methods

This course is designed to help students appreciate and develop the ability to undertake social science research using the qualitative approach. In this case the students should gain conversance in qualitative data collection using non-statistical research approaches; be able to manage, analyse, present, interpret, and draw conclusions on qualitative findings. The course should further provide a background that will move the students to read cutting edge advances in qualitative research. The major theme in the course is that moderate and isolated investigations can advance the cause for extensive investigations.  In this context, stories, personal histories, revelations, ethnographies, demographic studies, events, case studies, interviews, and focus groups offer a window through which we can gain insight of circumstances relating to our existence. The content in this course unit introduces the fundamental elements of a qualitative approach to research and is designed to help post graduate students understand and become proficient in the qualitative research method.

Course Objectives
This course has been designed to:

• Enable graduate students appreciate and integrate appropriate qualitative research methods in undertaking their research work for the requirements for the award of their master of education degrees
• Give graduate students a foundation in qualitative approach to critical analysis of issues through suggested cases in coursework
• Equip graduate students with basic skills of handling qualitative data collection, analysis, and interpretation by exposure through project work.

Learning Outcomes

• Define and explain qualitative research and distinguish its features from quantitative research.
• Recognize which methods to use in a given research situation and justify the selection
• Describe steps of how to design, collect data, and make analyses for a qualitative project
• Demonstrate sufficient skills in generating well designed reports of qualitative research results