ME-631 Researching Social Sciences: Philosophical and Methodological Foundations
- ECTS Credits:
- 10
- Responsible department:
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Course Leaders:
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- Devendra Bahadur Thapa
- Marco Seeber
- Lecture Semester:
- Autumn
- Teaching language:
- English
- Duration:
- 1 term
Teaching language
EnglishRecommended prerequisites
A basic research methods course (preferably at the master’s level). The students must satisfy the admission requirements for the PhD programme in Social Sciences.
Course contents
The objective of the course is to develop knowledge and skills in the different facets of social science research. The relationship between research problem, design, and methods of analysis including ethical issues, are central elements.
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philosophical foundations of social science research
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research paradigms and progress in social science
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formulating a research question
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research design
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selecting methods in social sciences (qualitative and quantitative research methods, proactive research approaches, action and design research)
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ethical issues in social science research
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publishing in social sciences - the process up-close
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will be able to
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describe and explain the philosophical foundations of social science research
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describe and explain the different research paradigms used in social science research, the process of conducting research, and how knowledge is transmitted and developed
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formulate a research question and design a doctoral research project
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apply the various research methods used in social science research: qualitative, quantitative, and proactive research
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apply ethical standards in the dissertation work
Examination requirements
Participation in every session of the course unless previously agreed exemptions. In the event that a student misses a module or a part of it, s/he will be required to submit a written analysis and critique of a published article that has employed the module’s research method.
Teaching methods
The course will be conducted as a combination of lectures, workshops and seminars. Students are required to read the assigned literature before coming to each session. Students will be matched to a mentor in the first session who will guide them in developing and completing the term paper.
Evaluation
The person responsible for the course, in consultation with the student representative, decides the method of evaluation and whether the courses will have a midterm- or end of term evaluation, see also the Quality System, section 4.1. Information about evaluation method for the course will be posted on Canvas.
Assessment methods and criteria
The students will be evaluated based on a term paper (approximately 7000 words) developing a research design for their doctoral research project. The term paper will be graded as pass or fail, where pass is equivalent to a grade B or better.
Other information
Contact person: Professor Devendra Bahadur Thapa
Reduction of Credits
This course’s contents overlap with the following courses. A reduction of credits will occur if one of these courses is taken in addition:
| Course | Reduction of Credits |
|---|---|
| ME-625 – Researching Social Sciences | 5 |