This one-day course will be offered online only. Attendance is required as the course will not be recorded. Knowing how to develop various types of qualitative research studies to respond to complex research and community priorities is rewarding, but can also be daunting. This short course provides practical skills for conducting various types of qualitative research in U.S. and international settings. First, students will learn about the epistemological and theoretical foundations of qualitative research and the range of methodologies currently used such as programmatic qualitative research, ethnography, grounded theory, phenomenology, and case studies. Next, the short course provides step-by-step instructions on how to develop and implement various qualitative methods and designs, such as interviews, focus groups, and observations – and how to handle single- versus multi-method qualitative studies or cross-sectional versus longitudinal qualitative studies. Students will learn basic principles for data generation, ethics, and data quality in qualitative studies. We will also focus on practical steps for data analysis, including data management, transcription, and coding. Traditionally, qualitative research is conducted in-person, and students will be trained for in-person interactions. However, the short course’s concluding module teaches students about techniques required for contemporary qualitative research online and by phone, including consideration of recent advances in conducting qualitative research using social media. This course is designed to provide new knowledge for both introductory and intermediate students.

This course will count as 6.0 CSS short course hours.