Qualitative Skills for Criminologists
PostgraduateGRF-CCJ7372024
Course information for 2024 intake View information for 2025 course intake
Hone your practical skills in collecting, analysing and presenting qualitative data. Understand the issues of research design, ethics and politics, and identify criteria to evaluate research in a critical review of published work.
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- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Qualitative Skills for Criminologists
About this subject
After successfully completing this subject you should be able to:
- Discuss and debate the main characteristics, strengths and weaknesses of qualitative social research.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the process of qualitative research, including issues of research design, ethics and politics.
- Identify criteria by which to evaluate qualitative research and apply these criteria in critical review of published work.
- Demonstrate an understanding of different techniques for qualitative data collection and the practical and ethical issues involved.
- Discriminate between different qualitative approaches and their application.
- Demonstrate an ability to systematically collect, manage, analyse and write-up qualitative data.
- Why do qualitative research?
- Study design, rigour and ethics
- Qualitative interviewing
- Focus groups
- Designing a Focus Group
- Ethnographic fieldwork
- Using visual materials
- Using the internet
- Documentary Research
- Approaches to Analysis
- Presenting qualitative research
- Observation and Field Notes
This subject was previously known as Qualitative Social Research.
This subject provides students with an opportunity to develop practical skills in collecting, analysing and presenting qualitative data. It starts with an overview of the philosophical, practical and ethical issues involved in `doing' qualitative research before introducing students to a wide range of qualitative data collection methods. Students will also learn how to organise, analyse and write up qualitative research data. Throughout the degree, a hands-on approach will be taken, providing an opportunity to develop research skills and to develop a critical evaluative perspective on the research process itself.
- Inductive Thematic Analysis (50%)
- Fieldwork exercise (20%)
- Designing a focus group (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Core
- GRF-MCJ-MAS-2024 - Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Elective
- GRF-FMH-MAS-2024 - Master of Forensic Mental Health
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
GRF-MCCJ7037 (Not currently available)
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice
PostgraduateGRF-MCJ-MAS
Master of Forensic Mental Health
PostgraduateGRF-FMH-MAS