Qualitative Methods in Health Research: Practice, Principles, and Critical Considerations

DRPH 200 Subject & Catalog Number

Description

Whether you plan to conduct qualitative research yourself or to use existing qualitative research to inform your professional practice, this course provides a framework for understanding when qualitative methodologies can help you answer the questions you care about, which designs are appropriate, and how to evaluate the quality of qualitative research. The course introduces fundamental questions, principles, and skills necessary to critically design, conduct, interpret, and appraise qualitative research. Through interactive sessions combining lectures, discussions, and practice exercises, we aim to cultivate practical knowledge and critical awareness essential to conducting high-quality, ethical, reflexive qualitative research.

We begin by exploring the philosophical foundations and key characteristics of the qualitative research paradigm and the value of qualitative methodologies for health research. Throughout the course, we critically reflect on the implications of such foundational philosophical and theoretical positionings for the practice of qualitative research, i.e., for designing, conducting, and evaluating qualitative research projects. For example, recognizing that historical, social, and structural forces shape (all) research processes, we explore: epistemological assumptions concerning what (or whose) knowledge ‘counts’ as legitimate and how those assumptions shape methodological designs; debates about which criteria can or should be used to establish quality in qualitative research; ethical issues that extend beyond procedural compliance to include context-specific and relational dimensions of research design and fieldwork practices; and reflexive considerations of our public health researcher role(s) and relationships with stakeholders in diverse fields. 

Interactive class sessions and assignments focus equally on developing practical skills for conducting qualitative research, including generating data through interviews, focus groups, observations, and analyzing qualitative data. Students will have opportunities to design and plan qualitative studies, conduct and evaluate observations and interviews, critically appraise and debate quality and ethical issues, and practice analyzing qualitative data. Assessment is through class participation, individual assignments, and a small group project.

Note that in aiming to cover a breadth of topics, this course does not provide in-depth or advanced-level training on any one aspect of qualitative data generation or analysis. There are no prerequisites for this course.