Entry requirements

Prerequisite course for this course is: IV602G Globalisation, Sport and Health

Progression level in relation to degree requirements

A1F

Course contents

Course objectives

The aim of the course is to develop deeper understanding of research methods, with special focus on qualitative methods, and ethical considerations in the field of sport science.

Course contents

The course addresses qualitative methods for data collection and analysis. Scientific texts with a sport science focus are assessed from a methodological perspective. Moreover, ethical considerations and requirements within sport science research are discussed.During the course, the student also develops knowledge about emerging methods within sport science, for example the use of social media, decolonizing methodologies and auto-ethnography.In addition, special emphasis is placed on knowledge and skills to write a project plan for a well-defined sport science research project. This includes identifying and formulating questions within a limited field of interest, and presenting methodological and ethical considerations.

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:

1. assess different types of qualitative scientific texts with focus on methodological questions,
2. assess ethical issues in relation to qualitative research,
3. show a developed understanding for and ability to problematise different research methods,
4. formulate and justify research questions for a qualitative study and, based on these, discuss ethical and methodologial considerations.

Learning activities

The course contains varied work formats that can consist of lectures, guest lectures, seminars, group exercises, study visits and self-study. The sessions that require compulsory attendance are announced at the start of the course.

Assessment

The course is assessed as follows:

Portfolio 3 credits, 3 hp; graded with the A-U scale. The exam assesses the learning outcomes 2 and 3.

Annotated Bibliography 2 credits, 2 hp; graded with the A-U scale. The exam assesses the learning outcomes 1 and 2.

Project Plan 2,5 credits, 2,5 hp; graded with the A-U scale. The exam assesses the learning outcome 4.

For grade A on the course, two of the examinations should be graded A and one examination, A or B.

The grading criterion are announced at the start of the course.

Course literature

Tracy, Sara. J. (2019). Qualitative Research Methods: Collecting Evidence, Crafting Analysis, Communicating Impact. (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. (435 pages). Available online

Smith, Brett and Sparkes, Andrew (2016). Routledge Handbook of Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise. London: Routledge. (518 p). Available online

250 pages of peer-reviewed articles.

Course evaluation

Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).

Interim rules

If a course is no longer offered, or has undergone significant changes, the students must be offered two opportunities for re-examination based on the syllabus that applied at the time of registration, for a period of one year after the changes have been implemented.

Additional information

If a student has a Learning support decision, the examiner has the right to provide the student with an adapted test, or to allow the student to take the exam in a different format. The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.