Ethnographic Methods of Data Collection (507X8B)

15 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Spring teaching

On this module, you’ll develop your understanding of ethnographic research methods.

You’ll explore secondary accounts and conduct your own projects. You’ll evaluate participant observation, informal conversations and interviewing as research methods. You’ll focus on:

• access to ethnographic settings
• comportment in the field
• the interpretation of observations
• the process of recording ethnographic data through fieldnotes.

Project teams will present and analyse the creation, planning and practice of their projects.

Topics include:

• accessing settings
• overt and covert observations in natural settings
• participant observation
• talking with research subjects
• field research in familiar and unfamiliar cultures
• recording observational data, including field notes and diaries.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 13 hours of contact time and about 137 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2025/26. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.