• an understanding of the core methodological issues involved in doing interdisciplinary work (as is expected in the context of the IBP Programme)
• familiarity with the main methodologies practiced in each of the three IBP streams
• an ability to independently develop and justify a methodological approach
• the capacity to critically assess and relate these methodological approaches

The course gives a hands on introduction to the methodological practice in the context of the IBP MSc program. It departs from a discussion of the core methodological issues involved in doing inter- and multi-disciplinary work of the kind encouraged in the program. It then gives an overview of the kinds of methods involved in the different disciplines taught, an in-depth understanding of selected methodologies and an occasion for student to practice the methodologies on their own. The course then proceeds to encourage critical reflection on the advantages and drawbacks of the methodological choices any project has to make. The course concludes on a discussion about the role of methods in the context of an MSc Master's thesis .