2025/2026
Research Methodology in the Social Sciences with Emphasis on the Qualitative Components
Type:
Mago-Lego
Delivered by:
Department of Public Administration
When:
3, 4 module
Open to:
students of all HSE University campuses
Instructors:
Liudmila Zaichenko
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
6
Contact hours:
28
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The current course will be valuable for Master's students in their second year of studies and is aimed at developing their own understanding of how and why their research should be conducted. The course represents an introductory overview of research paradigms that inform social research: positivism and interpretivism, making emphasis on interpretive methodologies in the social sciences and their value for social inquiry.
The main aim of the course is to teach students to comprehend the architecture of their own research project, which presupposes understanding the coherence between the problem statement and the choice of research design selected for the chosen research questions and purposes. This introductory course is fully grounded in international literature and is constructed in line with how similar courses are taught in international research universities.
Alongside more general topics, such as 'Identifying a research gap and reviewing the literature' and 'General overview of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research designs', students will be introduced to more specific topics addressing interpretive (QUAL) paradigms. These include 'Introduction to Phenomenology', 'Introduction to Hermeneutics', 'History of Symbolic Interactionism', and others, which will facilitate a nuanced understanding of qualitative approaches in social sciences inquiry.
The course aims to develop competencies and skills including critical thinking, academic writing, the ability to interpret and assess from various angles and perspectives, and the capacity to dichotomize and synthesize information in the process of creating one's own educational path.
During the course, students will learn how to navigate international citation databases such as Scopus and Web of Science (WoS), and will be introduced to the fundamentals of academic writing for publication in international journals in the social sciences.