Postgraduate Course: Qualitative Research Methods (CMSE11560)
Course Outline
| School | Business School | 
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences | 
 
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) | 
Availability | Available to all students | 
 
| SCQF Credits | 20 | 
ECTS Credits | 10 | 
 
 
| Summary | Qualitative Research Methods introduces students to issues of research idea generation, ethics, research design, and qualitative methods for use in business dissertations. It will help students choosing a dissertation topic, research questions and appropriate qualitative methods required for their major piece of independent research and their future work in business. | 
 
| Course description | 
    
    The course provides students with an understanding of the research process and a thorough introduction to qualitative (as well as basics of quantitative research) method. The course equips students with the skills and knowledge necessary to prepare for a significant research project using qualitative research methods.  
 
Content: 
- What is qualitative research?  
- Research ethics  
- Basics of Quantitative Research  
- Qualitative research design  
- Case studies  
- Interviewing  
- NVIVO analysis workshop  
- Observation and ethnography  
- Qualitative data analysis  
- Writing up  
 
Student Learning Experience: 
Tutorial/seminar hours represent the minimum total live hours - online or in-person - a student can expect to receive on this course. These hours may be delivered in tutorial/seminar, lecture, workshop or other interactive whole class or small group format. These live hours may be supplemented by pre-recorded lecture material for students to engage with asynchronously.
    
    
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites | 
 | 
Co-requisites |  | 
 
| Prohibited Combinations |  | 
Other requirements |  None | 
 
 
Information for Visiting Students 
| Pre-requisites | None | 
 
		| High Demand Course? | 
		Yes | 
     
 
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2023/24, Available to all students (SV1) 
  
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Quota:  None | 
 
| Course Start | 
Semester 2 | 
 
Timetable  | 
	
Timetable | 
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) | 
 
 Total Hours:
200
(
 Lecture Hours 20,
 Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) | 
 
  Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) | 
100% coursework (individual) - assesses all course Learning Outcomes | 
 
| Feedback | 
Feedback will be provided on the assessment within agreed deadlines. 
 
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| No Exam Information | 
 
Learning Outcomes 
    On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
    
        - Identify the role of qualitative business research in the discipline of business.
 - Understand different ontologies and epistemologies.
 - Understand research ethics requirements.
 - Plan and conduct different methods of data collection.
 - Analyse different forms of qualitative data.
 
     
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Reading List 
| Myers, M.D. (2020). Qualitative Research in Business & Management (3rd edition). London: Sage. |   
 
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills | 
Knowledge and Understanding 
After completing this course, students should be able to: 
- Demonstrate  a  thorough  knowledge  and  understanding  of  contemporary  organisational  disciplines; comprehend the role of business within the contemporary world; and critically evaluate and synthesise primary and secondary research and sources of evidence in order to make, and present, well informed and transparent organisation-related decisions, which have a positive global impact. 
 
Practice: Applied Knowledge, Skills and Understanding 
After completing this course, students should be able to: 
- Work with a variety of organisations, their stakeholders, and the communities they serve -learning from them, and aiding them to achieve responsible, sustainable and enterprising solutions to complex problems. 
 
Communication, ICT, and Numeracy Skills 
After completing this course, students should be able to: 
- Convey meaning and message through a wide range of communication tools, including digital technology and  social  media;  to  understand  how  to  use  these  tools  to  communicate  in  ways  that  sustain  positive  and responsible relationships. 
- Critically evaluate and present digital and other sources, research methods, data and information; discern their  limitations,  accuracy,  validity,  reliability  and  suitability;  and  apply  responsibly  in  a  wide  variety  of organisational contexts. 
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| Keywords | Not entered | 
 
 
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Prof John Amis 
Tel: (0131 6)51 5545 
Email:  | 
Course secretary | Miss Mary Anne Boeff 
Tel: (0131 6)50 8072 
Email:  | 
   
 
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