DWA 299 Qualitative Methods and Research Design

The goal of this course is to provide students with some of the tools to embark on systematic inquiry in Political Science. It will introduce students to qualitative methods in Political Science; ethical issues in qualitative research, proposal writing, and interviewing techniques; and finally, the essential components of a research paper (a proper research question, thesis, literature review, and case selection). Guidance through the Institutional Review Board process will be provided. This course is geared towards students preparing grant applications, preparing to conduct research abroad, and/or preparing for their Senior Comprehensive thesis since they will be expected to apply the methods they learn to their own research topics.