Qualitative Methods in Social Research

Undergraduate | 2026

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Mode icon
Mode
Mode
Your studies will be on-campus, and may include some online delivery
On campus
area/catalogue icon
Area/Catalogue
SOCI 2100
Course ID icon
Course ID
201052
Campus icon
Campus
Adelaide City Campus East, Adelaide City Campus West, Magill
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course owner
Course owner
School of Society and Culture
Course coordinator
Course coordinator
Tanya Zivkovic
Course level icon
Course level
2
Work Integrated Learning course
Work Integrated Learning course
No
Study abroad and student exchange icon
Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes

Course overview

This course introduces students to the various traditions, methodologies, and methods that inform qualitative research. Qualitative research helps researchers access deep aspects of lived experience and can address some of the elusive why questions of social life. Qualitative research highlights the complexity and richness of social life, which is typically inaccessible to large-scale social surveys. Students will encounter a wide range of qualitative research methods and perspectives, for example, feminist perspectives, symbolic interactionism, ethnography, discourse analysis, and qualitative interviews. Students will have the opportunity to test out some of these methods and will also develop skills in qualitative research design.

Course learning outcomes

  • Identify the strengths and limitations of qualitative research, and when it is especially valuable to engage in qualitative inquiry
  • Discriminate between different qualitative methodologies and methods
  • Conduct qualitative fieldwork and produce a qualitative research report
  • Demonstrate the ability to align research questions with qualitative methods and methodologies and justify the appropriateness of this alignment

Availability

Census date Icon
Census date
Fri 27/03/2026
Enrol by date
Enrol by date
Fri 13/03/2026
Last day to W
Last day to W
Fri 10/04/2026
Last day to WF
Last day to WF
Fri 08/05/2026

Class details

Adelaide City Campus East

Class number
Class number 30008
Section
Section LE01
Size
Size 90
Available
Available 83
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
- Adelaide City Campus East ,
Class number
Class number 27608
Section
Section WS01
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 30
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
24 Feb - 14 Apr Tuesday 2:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Engin and Maths Sciences, G07
5 May - 26 May Tuesday 2:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Engin and Maths Sciences, G07
Class number
Class number 27607
Section
Section WS02
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 25
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
25 Feb - 15 Apr Wednesday 10:10am - 12pm Adelaide City Campus East Hughes, 111b
6 May - 27 May Wednesday 10:10am - 12pm Adelaide City Campus East Hughes, 111b
Class number
Class number 27610
Section
Section WS03
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 29
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
24 Feb - 14 Apr Tuesday 12:10pm - 2pm Adelaide City Campus East Hughes, 111b
5 May - 26 May Tuesday 12:10pm - 2pm Adelaide City Campus East Hughes, 111b
Class number
Class number 27609
Section
Section WS04
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 29
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
24 Feb - 14 Apr Tuesday 9:10am - 11am Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S336A-B
5 May - 26 May Tuesday 9:10am - 11am Adelaide City Campus East Helen Mayo South, S336A-B

Census date Icon
Census date
Fri 04/09/2026
Enrol by date
Enrol by date
Fri 21/08/2026
Last day to W
Last day to W
Fri 18/09/2026
Last day to WF
Last day to WF
Fri 16/10/2026

Class details

Adelaide City Campus East

Class number
Class number 59684
Section
Section LE01
Size
Size 120
Available
Available 120
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
- Adelaide City Campus East ,
Class number
Class number 59000
Section
Section WS01
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 30
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
4 Aug - 22 Sep Tuesday 2:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Hughes, 323
13 Oct - 3 Nov Tuesday 2:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Hughes, 323
Class number
Class number 58999
Section
Section WS02
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 30
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
5 Aug - 23 Sep Wednesday 2:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Ligertwood, 314
14 Oct - 4 Nov Wednesday 2:10pm - 4pm Adelaide City Campus East Ligertwood, 314
Class number
Class number 58998
Section
Section WS03
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 30
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
6 Aug - 24 Sep Thursday 12:10pm - 2pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG24
15 Oct - 5 Nov Thursday 12:10pm - 2pm Adelaide City Campus East Napier, LG24
Class number
Class number 58997
Section
Section WS04
Size
Size 30
Available
Available 30
Dates Days Time Campus Location Instructor
3 Aug - 21 Sep Monday 12:10pm - 2pm Adelaide City Campus East Barr Smith South, 511
12 Oct - 2 Nov Monday 12:10pm - 2pm Adelaide City Campus East Barr Smith South, 511

Prerequisite(s)

  • must have completed 1 of CRIM1002 Introduction to Research Methods in Criminology/POLI1006 Fundamentals of Social Research

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A

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