Course Catalog

POLS 531 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods	3 Credits
This course is designed to help students develop their research design skills in qualitative methods. The objective is to enable graduate students to create and critique sophisticated qualitative research designs in political science. In order to do so, the seminar explores the techniques, strengths, and limitations of qualitative methods by scrutinizing the logic and application of comparative-historical research, case- study, process-tracing, and textual analysis. The course further takes on epistemological issues in the social sciences such as causality, theory testing, case selection, inference, and the philosophy of social science. Even though qualitative research can stand on its own, this course stresses the advantages of not viewing the qualitative methods in isolation from other methods. Accordingly, the course encourages the use and application of mixed-method research in political science. It also aims to expose students to ethical considerations in research and publishing.
Last Offered Terms Course Name SU Credit Spring 2026-2027 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Spring 2025-2026 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Spring 2024-2025 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Spring 2023-2024 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Spring 2022-2023 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Spring 2020-2021 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Spring 2019-2020 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Fall 2018-2019 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Fall 2017-2018 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Fall 2016-2017 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Fall 2015-2016 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Fall 2014-2015 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Fall 2013-2014 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Fall 2012-2013 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Fall 2011-2012 Qualitative and Textual Research Methods 3 Spring 2006-2007 Research Methods II 3 Spring 2004-2005 Research Methods II 3
Prerequisite: __
Corequisite: __
ECTS Credit: 10 ECTS (ENGINEERING: / BASIC:)
General Requirements: