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2014/2015  BA-BSOCO4001U  Applied Qualitative Methods and Mixed Methods

English Title
Applied Qualitative Methods and Mixed Methods

Course information
Language English
Course ECTS 7.5 ECTS
Type Mandatory
Level Bachelor
Duration One Semester
Course period Spring
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for BSc in Business Administration and Sociology
Course coordinator
  • Liv Egholm Feldt - Department of Business and Politics (DBP)
Main academic disciplines
  • Philosophy and philosophy of science
  • Methodology
Last updated on 21-11-2014
Learning objectives
On successful completion of the course, the student should be able to design and execute qualitative as well as combinations of quantitative and qualitative inquiries in relation to substantive issues in the cross-field of business administration and sociology. Specifically, the student should be able to:
  • formulate and operationalize a research problem that is suitable for treatment by means of qualitative methods or a combination of basic quantitative and qualitative methods,
  • design a qualitative or mixed methods research project using methods from the course curriculum in the analysis of research problems within the cross-field of organisational sociology and business administration,
  • discuss when and why it is relevant to use qualitative and/or mixed methods in the analysis of organisations and their surroundings; and
  • critically assess strengths and weaknesses of the applied methods in relation to a concrete research problem.
Course prerequisites
The courses BA-BSOCU1013U Applied Organisational Analysis, BA-BSOCU1017U Qualitative Methods, BA-BSOCU3000U The Company from a Contextual Perspective, and BA-BSOCO4001U Applied Qualitative Methods and Mixed Methods have one intergrated exam. You can only participate in BA-BSOCO4001U Applied Qualitative Methods and Mixed Methods if you also register for the other courses: BA-BSOCU1013U Applied Organisational Analysis, BA-BSOCU1017U Qualitative Methods, BA-BSOCU3000U The Company from a Contextual Perspective.
Prerequisites for registering for the exam
Number of mandatory activities: 2
Compulsory assignments (assessed approved/not approved)
The written part at the poster workshop consists of the slides uploaded for presentation in the workshop. The oral part of the examination is the participation in the inclass presentation and discussant assignment.

Requirements about active class participation (assessed approved/not approved)
Participation in the poster workshop in the courses Qualitative Methods and Applied Quantative Methods and Mixed Methods is mandatory in order to participate in the second year project. If a student is unable to participate in the workshop, due to illness, the makeup examination is a 10-page home assignment which is to be approved by the course coordinator. For more details, see separate guidelines.
Examination
The course shares exams with
BA-BSOCU1017U
Course content and structure

This course aims to provide students with (1) knowledge about different designs, possibilities and limitations of quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as knowledge about the validity of these methods, and (2) skills to use different combinations of mixed methods and different analytical strategies in relation to the cross-field of organizational sociology and business administration, as well as the ability to critically reflect on the knowledge produced.

Course Desciption.
This course comprises three blocs. The first bloc discusses the kinds of questions that mixed methods may address, and how a mixed methods research project may be designed. The second bloc focuses on issues around data collection and analysis. Finally, the third bloc discusses how the findings may be integrated and interpreted, and how a mixed methods project may be reported and evaluated. The course curriculum thus covers all stages of the research process. While the curriculum suggests a linear research process, however, it will be emphasized throughout that the different stages are interdependent and that the process is in fact iterative. Each class will thus necessarily also touch on other stages in the research process.
Teaching methods
Each of the three blocs consists of two classes in consecutive weeks. Each class is followed by a workshop in which students apply their newly acquired knowledge of mixed methods to their second year projects.
For these workshops, students will be split into two groups. These groups will stay the same for the whole course. Throughout, students will be working in teams. The teams will be the same as for the second year projects.
In advance of each workshop, each team prepares an assignment. These assignments are closely related to both the content of the week’s class and the second year project. All assignments will be available on learn a week in advance. All teams are expected to shortly present their assignment during the workshop. Moreover, another team will be assigned as discussants, and will prepare feedback. We will rotate who discusses whose project with every workshop. A schedule indicating presenters and discussants for each weak will be uploaded to learn.
To make sure that the discussants have enough time to prepare feedback, each team has to upload the assignment to learn at least 24 hours in advance of the workshop. This schedule is tight, but please note that the assignments are short and preparation for the discussion should therefore not take long.
Last updated on 21-11-2014