Course Description
International Research Course
The IRC is a three-credit guided self-directed qualitative study course. Students will already have knowledge and experience with core qualitative research concepts and have some minimal research skills in designing, executing, writing, and presenting their own research projects. Students wishing to enroll in the IRC should complete the London Through the Lens of Qualitative Research course during Phase 1 of the term or have passed an introductory class to qualitative research methods from another institution.
During this course, students will undertake a qualitative study under the tutorial advice of a designated FIE faculty member. The framework for this course is a case study. The case study approach provides a focused way for students to view a phenomenon and to apply a set of methods, with an emphasis on ethnographic observation, but including in-depth interviewing and document review. The case study is applicable across many fields and topic areas and pays particular attention to the context in which the phenomenon in question operates. The topics that students will explore will be consistent with their own individual interests but will exploit the overseas experience. Topics will be required to centre on British cultural, historical, political, or contemporary contexts and may have a comparative dimension.