Doing Social Research: working with qualitative data (L3079)

15 credits, Level 5

Spring teaching

In this module, you’ll learn how to conduct sociological research using qualitative methods. You’ll explore key debates in the social sciences, including research design, epistemology, and studying sensitive and ethical issues. Practical experience will focus on gathering and analysing qualitative data through methods such as:

• interviewing
• participant observation
• textual analysis.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 30 hours of contact time and about 120 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.