F2022

Global Studies * / International Development Studies * / International Public Administration and Politics * / Politics and Administration * / Public Administration *

master course

English

You register for activities through stads selvbetjening during the announced registration period, which you can see on the Study administration homepage.

When registering for courses, please be aware of the potential conflicts and overlaps between course and exam time and dates. The planning of course activities at Roskilde University is based on the recommended study programmes, which should not overlap. However, if you choose optional courses and/or study plans that goes beyond the recommended study programmes, an overlap of lectures or exam dates may occur depending on which courses you choose.

In case of too few registrations, the course will be cancelled.

Mixed methods has become increasingly popular both in the social sciences and among practitioners. This course offers students an opportunity to add value to the quality of their research designs and analyses and to their ability to work with multiple methods in a reflexive and versatile manner. Many societal challenges are best studied by combining methods and by relying on diverse data-sources. This is the raison d'être of mixing methods. Studies of key societal problems associated with issues such as crime, poverty, health, climate change often benefit from integrating quantitative and qualitative data and analyses. Crime statistics in isolation, for instance, do not bring us much closer to devising solutions to the problem. By the same token interviews with victims and perpetrators of crime are less valuable if not backed by crime statistics.

The key aim of the course is to increase the breadth and depth of understanding of mixing methods by offsetting the weaknesses inherent to using each approach by itself. This is no easy task. Combining different types of data and analytical approaches places demands on the researcher’s ability to overcome problems of compatibility and potential incommensurability. The course equips participant with methodological tools to harvest the benefits of mixing methods and disciplines. In the course, we will cover core concepts in mixed method research such as triangulation, sequencing and pacing, nested approach, sampling, qualitative-led integration, quantitative-led integration and theory-building.

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of different mixed methods research designs including the conditions under which they are preferable to single method designs in addressing an academic and/or practical problem
• Applied knowledge of key tools and concepts for mixed methods research
• In-depth knowledge of the main caveats as well as advantages of mixing methods and disciplines in academic research

Skills:

• Skills in identifying, justifying and criticizing different methodological approaches to mixing methods
• Skills to carry out state-of-the art mixed methods research designs in addressing academic and/or practice-oriented issues including both qualitatively- and quantitatively-driven designs
• Skills to evaluate and select mixed methods in research and professional practice

Competencies:

• Competency to independently plan and carry out complex mixed methods designs within specific time frames
• Competency to co-operate with colleagues in applying mixed methods to relevant issues in research and professional contexts
• Competency to reflect on the weaknesses and strengths of the chosen methodological research design

5 ECTS => 135 hours of expected working effort: Classes: 5*4 hours = 20 hours Readings & preparations for class: 60 hours Exercises & presentations: 20 hours Exam assignment: 35 hours

Morse, J. M. & Niehaus, L. (2009): Mixed Method Design: Principles and Procedures. Routledge. Available online via RuB: https://www-taylorfrancis-com.ep.fjernadgang.kb.dk/books/9781315424521

A full curriculum including journal articles will be available when the course commences.

There will be an opportunity to get oral feedback on the exercises and discussions in class.

Participants can expect to have collective feedback on the written exams (as a whole), as well as the opportunity for oral feedback in person for the individual written exams.

ISE Studyadministration (ise-studyadministration@ruc.dk)

Olivier Rubin (rubin@ruc.dk)
Jesper Dahl Kelstrup (kelstrup@ruc.dk)

5

• Knowledge and understanding:

  Knowledge and understanding of academic and/or scientifically based practice-oriented methods and their application and relevance on an advanced level

• Being able to understand and critically reflect upon academic and/or scientifically based practice-oriented methods in the field of social science research and how they are used in the students’ future careers as, for example, lecturers, project managers, consultants, managers or researchers

• Skills:

  Carrying out studies and analyses with the aid of academic and/or scientifically based practice-oriented methods

• Evaluating and selecting methods from research-related and professional practices

• Being able to communicate and discuss academic and/or scientifically based practice-oriented studies in a type of language that is correct, clear, professionally accurate, well-structured and well-argued

• Competences:

  Working with colleagues in the application of various academic and/or scientifically based practice-oriented methods and forms of analysis in relation to relevant issues in research and professional contexts

• Reflection on one’s own learning and taking responsibility for one’s own professional development

• Research and professional premises for academic and scientifically based practice-oriented analyses
• Approaches to the use of academic and/or scientifically based practice-oriented tools in research and professional contexts, respectively

Lectures, exercises, student presentations, peer feedback and discussions.

Elective course

Individual written take-home assignment in a research question of own choice.

The character limit of the assignment is: maximum  26,400 characters, including spaces.
The character limit includes the cover, table of contents, bibliography, figures and other illustrations, but exclude any appendices.

The students start writing the take-home assignment during the course. The duration is 7 days and may include public holidays. The submission deadline will be announced on study.ruc.dk.


Assessment: 7-point grading scale.

Samme som ordinær eksamen / same form as ordinary exam