CRP 6201

Research Design and Qualitative Methods

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

Researchers and practitioners in the field of international studies and planning often conduct qualitative research to understand the impacts of and people's experiences with development and planning projects. Then, how do we produce effective qualitative research questions? What data should we gather to address those questions? What methods should we use? How do we prepare for field research? How do we process and analyze the collected data? How do we link literature, research questions, methods, and data to formulate arguments and make conclusions? Throughout the semester, we will address these questions through lecturers, in-class activities, method exercises, and data analysis workshops. The goal of the course is to give students hands-on experiences with qualitative research that contributes to understanding urban and regional issues in our society. The course is loosely organized around the stages and techniques of designing and conducting qualitative research. Students will practice using qualitative research methods to collect data, analyze it, draw conclusions, and observe professional research ethics. Students will also learn about how qualitative methods contribute to scientific inquiry and how identity, power, and politics interplay to influence the qualitative research process and outcomes.

Last 4 Terms Offered 2024FA, 2023FA, 2021SP, 2019FA

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