Course content

Qualitative research methods are well suited in order to study personal experiences, understanding, reflections and reasoning. The course will provide an overview of questions concerning theoretical background, collecting data, analysis and reporting of relevance for clinical and health sciences research in a medical research tradition

Learning outcome

Knowledge of main principles of qualitative research and practical experience with data collection and methods of analysis relevant for clinical and health sciences research
LEARNING OUTCOME: When fullfilled SMED8015, the students are able to carry through qualitative research studies which is in front of the tematic research field.
KNOWLEDGE: After completed course, the students are able to consider the adequacy and suitability of the different qualitative research methods.
SKILLS: After completed course, the students are able to plan and carry out group based and individual qualitative interviews. The students are able to consider the suitability in different methods to analyse text data.
GENERAL COMPETENCE: After completed course, the students are able to carry through new qualitative resarch projects.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures and assignments (both individual and group assignments), with most of the work done in groups. The course report which is used for assessment of the course is done in groups. The subject is only carried out if there are enough of students registered.
The subject is taught in Norwegian in the spring semester and in English in the autumn semester.The teaching is delivered during one week from Monday 08.30 o'clock to Thursday 16.00 o'clock, usually in week 4 (Norwegian) and week 38 (English). A one day compulsory exam seminar is held approximately 8 weeks later. In the time between the teaching and the exam seminar the students works in groups.

Compulsory assignments

• Two written assignments and transcribed interwiew
• Comment on exam seminar

Required previous knowledge

Masters degree. Persons admitted to a PhD program at the Medical faculty have priority.

Course materials

Svend Brinkmann, Steinar Kvale (2014). InterViews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (3rd edition). Los Angeles, Calif,: SAGE Publications. 424 pages. ISBN: 9781452275727.
For Norwegian speaking students: Kirsti Malterud (2011). Kvalitative metoder i medisinsk forskning (3.utgave). Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. 240 sider. ISBN: ISBN 9788215018003.

Malterud K. Systematic text condensation: a strategy for qualitative analysis. Scand J Public Health. 2012 Dec;40(8):795-805. doi: 10.1177/1403494812465030.

The set book has to be read before the start of the course.
Other articles will be given at the start of the course

Credit reductions