ES100L (at least 25 credits completed) and ES200L (at least 7.5 credits completed)

The course is part of the main field European Studies on intermediate level (31-60 credits)

The course has a key function for the main area of the programme of European Studies: departing from the first year studies it aims to present a number of research areas within European Studies, and to focus on possible topics for thesis writing. In its second half the course provides knowledge and training in research methods, and furthermore practices the writing of a scientific thesis. The course is divided into three modules.

The first module, Research areas in European Studies (15 hp) introduces the multidisciplinary range of subjects and approaches housed within European Studies and presents several research areas in European Studies. It furthermore builds on the student’s choice of one orientation and research area, on the basis of one of these presented research areas, and in group work fashioning a proposal for a problem area and concrete research questions for the coming thesis writing within the programme. The result is presented during a seminar day with individual poster exhibitions, and by individually writing a literature review of that problem area.

The second half of the semester contains the Method and Minor Thesis course. The second module of the semester is constituted by the common Methods Course (7,5 hp) of the dept. of Global Political Studies (GPS). The aim of the module is to introduce the students to the essentials of methodology and methods in the social sciences and humanities. The course combines a theoretical approach to general questions of research and knowledge, with practical hands-on investigation. The course prepares the students for the minor thesis that follows immediately after this course. The third and last module of the semester is the Minor Thesis course (7,5 hp), where the student writes an individual scientific essay. The course contains both group and individual supervision, partly in the form of seminars, where the students are expected to present and discuss their own thesis project, as well as giving feedback on the drafts of other students. The module is concluded by an examination and opposition seminar when the students presents and defends their own thesis and delivers an opposition on the thesis of another student.

After completing the course the student shall be able to:

1. Show in-depth knowledge of research areas and problems in the field of European Studies
2. Show knowledge of the multidisciplinary character of European Studies
3. Together with other students in group develop and present relevant problems and to formulate preliminary research questions in the field of European Studies
4. Independently overview, present and critically reflect on and discuss central problems within European Studies, both orally and in written form
5. Identify the need for further studies and in-depth knowledge in the main area
6. Define and apply key methodological concepts in the social sciences and humanities
7. Describe and compare different research designs and methods in the social sciences and humanities
8. Explain and assess how aim, theory, research design, method and results affect one another in a logically coherent sequence
9. Select and apply appropriate research methods to address different research questions
10. Carry out small research assignments where method is applied to material/data
11. Assess the academic, social and ethical implications of research in the social sciences and humanities
12. Critically and independently process material in an academic and structured analysis in the minor thesis, and
13. Critically and constructively assess other scientific works in the role of opponent

The course builds on independent reading of literature, lectures, group assignments, seminars with presentations, tutorials in group and individually and individual writing.

A student who has not finished the minor thesis work during the course or has not received a passing grade on the minor thesis work at the end of the course does not have a formal right of continued supervision.

Module 1 is examined through active seminar participation and participation in group work aiming at developing a problem area within European Studies, and an individual presentation of posters and a written research overview with a preliminary problem formulation

Module 2 is assessed through a written research design for the minor thesis project, and through (mandatory) participation in opposition seminars including the defense of their own research design.

Module 3 is examined through the writing of a minor thesis, and through (mandatory) participation in opposition seminars including the defense of their own thesis

If the student has missed mandatory group activities it can be compensated by another, usually written assignment.

• Booth, Wayne, Gregory Colomb, Joseph Williams, Joseph Bizup and William Fitzgerald, The Craft of Research, Chicago 2016, fourth edition (e-book and core book for writing processes in the whole program)
• Halperin & Heath, 3rd ed (2020) Political Research. Methods and Practical Skill, Oxford: Oxford University press.
• Birrell Ivory, Sarah (2020) Becoming a Critical Thinker, Oxford: Oxford University Press
• Lindström Fredrik (2002) European Studies as a Field of Knowledge -theoretical, methodological and practical reflections, Studentlitteratur, Lund (pdf-file available for students)
• May, T. (2011 – 4th edition), Social Research – Issues, methods and process, Open University Press. (also used in the second semester). (selected chapters)
• SAGE SRMO database on social research methods (via Malmö University Library)

The course literature constitutes of the above listed titles + books, book-chapters and/or articles connected to the research approaches introduced in Module 1 and the selection of texts that are used in the GPS-common Method Module.

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.

The syllabus is a translation of a Swedish source text.