60 credits with progression within the main field of IMER (IMER I (30 credits) and IMER II: The Challanges of Ethic Diversity (15 credits) and IMER II: Europe and International Migration (15 credits)

The course is part of the main field of study International Migration and Ethnic Relations 61-90 credit level and meets the degree requirements for the degree of Bachelor, main field of study International Migration and Ethnic Relations.

Module I – Research Methodology (14 credits)
The module covers the most important research designs/methodologies in IMER research such as statistics, comparative analysis, case studies, experiments, text analysis and narrative analyses, both with respect to philosophical and theoretical foundations and concrete methods and techniques of data collection.

Module II – Bachelor Thesis
The Thesis is a supervised project. Supervision is carried out on an individual basis and includes seminar meetings with the supervisor and a thesis defense including oppositions.

Module I – Research Methodology (14 credits)

After completing the module, the student should be able to:

• Describe the main characteristics of different methodologies in IMER research.
• Describe the main philosophical and theoretical foundations of different methodologies in IMER research.
• Assess the strengths and weaknesses of different methodologies in IMER research.
• Assess the relevance and applicability of different methodologies in relation to diverse research aims and questions.
• Assess the relevance and reliability of different forms of data collection for a given research topic and aim.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the methodological implications of different philosophical and theoretical standpoints.
• Demonstrate a deeper ability to analyze and critically assess the progress within the research field of IMER.
• Formulate a delimited research topic and link it to an appropriate research design.
• Plan small research projects.
• Analyze, discuss and compare research projects in a critical and constructive manner.

Module II – Bachelor Thesis

After finishing the module, the student should be able to:

• Show in-depth understanding of key methodological procedures and key concepts within the field of IMER;
• Work on and present a Thesis of limited scope, within an agreed time frame, that meets the standard procedure of academic work in the social sciences and humanities;
• Assess the academic, social and ethical implications of his/her work.
• Present his/her research results in a report in which conventional language usage and format are observed;
• Act as both opponent and respondent in a scientific thesis seminar; and
• Through the thesis, show an increased understanding of basic critical and scientific approaches to theory within the humanities and social sciences.

Module I – Research Methodology

Lectures, seminars and individual studies.

Module II – Bachelor Thesis

Supervision, seminar and the writing of a thesis. To further assist them in their studies, students have access to the university’s computer rooms and library. During the writing of the thesis, teacher’s supervision is provided. A student who has not finished the project work during the course or has not received a passing grade on the project work at the end of the course cannot be guaranteed continued supervision.

Module I – Research Methodology

The module is assessed through i) active participation and presentation of written work in the seminars (4 credits) and through ii) the production of an individually written paper (10 credits).

Re-take examinations

Students who do not pass the regular course exams have the minimum of two re-take opportunities. Re-takes follow the same form as the original exams, apart from re-takes for seminar participation, which take the form of individual written assignments.

Module II – Bachelor Thesis

The course is examined by means of an individual written thesis (15 credits) which is defended at an opposition seminar. Each student is also required to provide the opposition for another project (thesis defence and opposition, 1 credit).

In order to pass the course, student musts submit the paper and defend it at the final seminar as well as oppose another student’s thesis.

Module I – Research Methodology

• Cresswell, John W. & Crewell, J David, (latest edition) Research Design – Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches, Los Angeles: SAGE Publications.
• Moses, Jonathon, Knutsen, Torbjorn L (latest edition) Ways of Knowing, Competing Methodologies in Social and Political Research, Hampshire: Palgrave.
• Okasha, Samir, (latest edition) Philosophy of Science: a very short introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press
• Silverman, David (latest edition) Interpreting Qualitative Data, London: SAGE publications.

+ Course portfolios with extended reading on different methodologies and resources for data collection.

Module II – Bachelor Thesis

• Literature is chosen in agreement with the project supervisor.

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).

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.

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.