FME3515 Qualitative Research Methods 7.5 credits

The course consists of a mandatory module on schools of thought in qualitative methodology and an elective module where the student may inquire further into a specific methodology. The elective module is an opportunity for the student to link the course to the individual thesis project. The various methodological schools will be described and discussed by researchers who have previous experience in emplogying them in fieldwork. The course will be organized as a series of discussion seminars and group work, as well as individual tasks - all aimed at developying the ability to synthetisise knowledge and concepts from several different sources.

The course aims at providing the students with an overview of dominating schools of qualitative research methodology within the subject are Industrial Management. Methodological schools that will be discussed during the course include: action research, participant observation, feminist methodology, textual analysis, ethnography, critical incidents and various forms of qualitative interview techniques. In the course, choices of methodology and analysis will be explicitly related to epistemological axiological assumptions. After finishing the course, the student shall be able to:

• handle the linkage between epistemology, axiology, research problem, research aim, empirical fieldwork and analysis
• describe different methodological schools within qualitative research
• handle methodological issues in a reflexive manner, in written and oral presentations.

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• INL1 - Assignment, 7.5 credits, grading scale: P, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Active participation in lectures and seminars. Term paper in the format of a methodology chapter linking epistemological and axiological assumptions with research problem aim, empirical fieldwork and data analysis.

Luca Urciuoli

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.