Course syllabus for Research design and methods

Course syllabus adopted 2021-02-09 by Head of Programme (or corresponding).

Overview

  • Swedish nameResearch design and methods
  • CodeTEK190
  • Credits7.5 Credits
  • OwnerMPMEI
  • Education cycleSecond-cycle
  • Main field of studyIndustrial Engineering and Management
  • DepartmentTECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS
  • GradingTH - Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3), Fail

Course round 1

  • Teaching language English
  • Application code 26121
  • Maximum participants90
  • Block schedule
  • Open for exchange studentsYes
  • Only students with the course round in the programme overview.

Credit distribution

0107 Take-home examination 7.5 c
Grading: TH		 7.5 c

In programmes

Examiner

Go to coursepage (Opens in new tab)

Eligibility

General entry requirements for Master's level (second cycle)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Specific entry requirements

English 6 (or by other approved means with the equivalent proficiency level)
Applicants enrolled in a programme at Chalmers where the course is included in the study programme are exempted from fulfilling the requirements above.

Course specific prerequisites

The course is obligatory for the MEI program. Prerequisite course Technological Change and Industrial Transformation

Aim

This course introduces and trains students in how to plan, perform and present empirical investigations of management problems. Students will learn how to formulate research questions, select appropriate empirical methods, analyze qualitative and quantitative data, present and report data and findings, reflect upon and motivate methodological choices and understand ethical ramifications of choices and actions.

Learning outcomes (after completion of the course the student should be able to)

After completion of the course, the student should be able to:
a. Formulate practically or academically relevant questions
b. Describe and discuss the relationship between research design, research methods, and data analysis to answer research questions
c. Design and conduct a practice-driven or theoretically oriented empirical investigation based on on a consistent relation between research design, data collection and -analysis.
d. Estimate or delineate data needs in relation to research question, relevant models and frameworks
e. Arrive at conclusions based upon empirical investigation and to communicate the results to relevant stakeholders.
f. Understand research quality and ethical ramifications of choices and actions
g. Critically reflect on their own previous choices of methods and understand the
consequences of selecting one method rather than another.

Content

The course introduces the topic of research methods and discusses its scope and relevance and introduces an overview of the array of available methods and an in-depth discussion of the most relevant methods. Moreover, the course provides in depth knowledge about specific methods and techniques relevant to the subject area, and discusses the importance of critical thinking.


Organisation

The course consists of lectures, work shops, hand-in, both individually and in groups.

Literature

Announced in course syllabus.

Examination including compulsory elements

The examination consists of a compulsory seminars and work shops with a hand-in and a written exam in the form home assignments on specific parts of the course. The home assignment is clearly a course element, thus an element for learning and deepening the knowledge. It consists of writing a reflective text on one or several topics relating to methodological problems.

The course examiner may assess individual students in other ways than what is stated above if there are special reasons for doing so, for example if a student has a decision from Chalmers on educational support due to disability.