Entry requirements

15 credits in the Urban Studies Master programme

Progression level in relation to degree requirements

The course forms part of the main area of Urban Studies, second cycle.

Course contents

The purpose of the course is that students should develop their knowledge and understanding of research methodological and epistemological and ontological issues within the main field of Urban Studies and how to apply them in urban research.

The course is structured around three modules focusing on different research methodology: ethnography, socio-spatial analysis using geographical information science (G.I.S), and critical mapping.

The course consists of several interactive elements.

• Introductory presentations in lecture form of methodological and theory of knowledge themes relevant to the field of Urban Studies.
• Practical exercises in the form of workshops where students identify important and interesting urban issues and develop their skills in analysing them.
• Examination presentations where students practise analyzing an urban issue using empirical material collected through small-scale investigations with the methods introduced in the course.

Learning outcomes

Following successful completion of the course students should demonstrate

1. knowledge and understanding of the principles and epistemological roots of the different research methodologies that are relevant to knowledge formation and methodological competence within the main field of Urban Studies
2. the ability to describe and discuss different methods, their strength and weaknesses and their areas of application
3. knowledge of ethical issues related to different methodologies and the ability to critically reflect over his/her own role and position as a researcher
4. the ability to make assessments of the application of relevant methods to an urban research issue informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical considerations
5. the ability to critically and systematically integrate different relevant investigation methods to analyse and assess a research issue/problem
6. the ability to critically evaluate and reflect over research findings in relation to the methodologies and methods used in speech and writing
7. an insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used.

Learning activities

Three methodological themes – ethnography, socio-spatial analysis (GIS), and critical mapping– form the basic structure of the course. Work formats include, in addition to individual literature studies, exercises, workshops and presentation work in the form of text and image as well as seminars in various forms.

Assessment

• Ethnographic Methodologies: Individual Assignment (4 credits) (objectives 1 – 7) (grading scale A-E, U)
• Ethnographic Methodologies: Active individual participation in seminar/workshop (1 credit) (objective 4- 6) (grading scale UG)
• Socio-Spatial Analysis using GIS: Individual Assignment (4 credits) (objectives 1 – 7) (grading scale A-E, U)
• Socio-Spatial Analysis using GIS: Active Individual Participation in Seminars/Workshops (1 credit) (objective 4- 6) (grading scale UG)
• Critical Mapping: Individual Assignment (4 credits) (objectives 1 – 7) (grading scale A-E, U)
• Critical Mapping: Active Individual participation in seminars/workshop (1 credit) (objective 4-6) (grading scale UG)

Completion of the course requires that all examined parts have been successfully completed.

The course grade is determined by the average of the three themes A-E grades, with each module contributing equally – one third – to the overall grade

Course literature

• Denscombe, M. (2014). The Good Research Guide. For small-scale social research projects. 5th ed. McGraw-Hill/Open University Press, Maidenhead. Available as e-book
• Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln Y. S. Eds. (2018). The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research, 5th ed. Eds.. Sage, Thousand Oaks. Available as e-book
• Articles and other material will be provided electronically

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