Course content

The course gives students the opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge about specific research methods, both theoretically and practically. The in depth courses lectures in research design, data collection, analysis and reporting. This course offers various research methods, and in recent years we have offered the following methods: interview, discourse analysis, quantitative methods, literature review as a method, and video observation. Further information regarding the various specializations to choose from will be given by the start of semester.

Learning outcome

The student has:

- thorough insight of key principles of chosen specialization

- specialized knowledge and skills in chosen specialization

- advanced knowledge about the research process and skills in formulating research questions, choosing research design, selecting unit for data collection and analysis, and reporting in chosen specialization

- advanced knowledge of the quality criteria in the chosen specialization

The course provides a basis for conducting their own master's thesis project. One of the purposes of the work in this course is the possibility to reuse it in the master's thesis.

Learning methods and activities

Lecture/Seminar: 4 hours of lecture/seminar per week in weeks 44-48. The teachings can be scheduled in blocks.

Mandatory activities: Minimum 80% attendance at all lectures.

Coursework requirements: Coursework requirements must be fulfilled before the examination submission. The number of coursework requirements will be determined at the beginning of the semester.

The possibility of alternative teaching plan: Alternative teaching arrangements may be organized in some specializations if five or fewer students enroll.

Compulsory assignments

• 80 % mandatory attendance
• Mandatory assignment

Required previous knowledge

Bachelor's degree in social sciences, educational sciences, humanities or equivalent

Course materials

The required reading material is approximately 500 pages.

Credit reductions