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2015/2016  BA-BPOLO1219U  Philosophy of Social Science and Applied Qualitative Methods

English Title
Philosophy of Social Science and Applied Qualitative Methods

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 10 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc/MSc i International Business and Politics, BSc
Course coordinator
  • Hubert Buch-Hansen - Department of Business and Politics (DBP)
Main academic disciplines
  • Philosophy and ethics
Last updated on 16-02-2016
Learning objectives
To achieve the grade 12, students should meet the following learning objectives with no or only minor mistakes or errors: The overall purpose is to develop students’ skills in making informed and reasoned methodological and theoretical choices in their own analytical work. At the end of the course students are expected to be able to:
  • Describe, compare, and discuss the basic positions in the philosophy of science.
  • Formulate a research question.
  • Make and critically assess theoretical and methodological choices.
  • Retrieve relevant information and data.
  • Produce and present coherently argued answers, combining theory, methodology, and data, to the research question posed.
  • Explain how their own work is situated in relation to the above (i.e. the basic positions in the philosophy of science and qualitative methods).
Examination
Philosophy of Social Science and Applied Qualitative Methods:
Exam ECTS 10
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance.
Individual or group exam Group exam, max. 5 students in the group
Size of written product Max. 60 pages
5 students: 60 pages
3-4 students: 40 standard pages
2 students: 30 standard pages
1 student: 20 standard pages
Assignment type Project
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-step scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and external examiner
Exam period Spring
Make-up exam/re-exam
Another examination form
Re-exam when the ordinary exam is failed is an individual oral exam (20 minutes per student) based upon the same group project with a 3-standard page supplement.
Make-up exam when ill at the ordinary exam is an individual oral exam (20 minutes per student) based on the same group project.
Make-up exam when ill during the writing of the project is a 20 minutes oral exam in the entire curriculum. No aids are allowed.
Course content and structure

The overall purpose is to develop students’ skills in making sound, informed, and reasoned methodological and theoretical choices in their own analytical work. The course covers i) key positions in the philosophy of social science, ii) qualitative methods used in contemporary political economy and business studies, iii) the writing of a project report.

 

The course introduces established philosophy of social science positions, such as positivism, constructivism and critical realism. It brings into focus the implications of philosophy of science for the research design, including the choice of theory, methods and data.

 

In extension of the lectures, students write a project report under the guidance of a faculty supervisor. Students choose their own project theme and develop their own research question. The project must i) apply theories in an empirically grounded analysis, ii) it must use either qualitative or quantitative methods to analyse data and iii) it must relate theoretical and methodological choices to philosophy of science.

 
Teaching methods
Lectures
Last updated on 16-02-2016