Qualitative Methods

Code:

C110

Acronym:

METQL

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Scientific Research Methods

Instance: 2025/2026 - 2S (since 09-02-2026 to 22-05-2026)

Active?	Yes
Course/CS Responsible:	Criminology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
C	12	Oficial Study Plan LC 2023	1	-	6	-

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

This course aims to provide an introduction to Qualitative Research in social sciences and criminology. The course will:
a) present the start and developments of qualitative research epistemologies at the heart of social sciences and Criminology
b) provide an introduction to the logics of qualitative research
c) support in developing basic skills in conceiving and planing a qualitative research, especially in the topics of crime, deviance, victimisation and social control;
d) offer a braod perspective about the most important methods of data collection and analysis.

Learning outcomes and competences

By the end of the course, it is expected that the students should have acquired:

- An overview of the emergence and developments of Qualitative Research considering theoretical and epistemological paradigms in social sciences;
- Knowledge concerning the Qualitative Research logics, and the ways in which methodological choices are closely linked to theoretical and conceptual issues;
- Basic skills concerning design and implementation of a qualitative reserach project on the study of crime, deviance and social control;
- Skills conserning methods and procedures of collecting and analyzing data in Qualitative Research.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

N.A.

Program

I. Introduction to Qualitative Research:
1. Historical background and epistemological framework of Qualitative Research;
2.The Qualitative Research in the study of Crime, Deviance and Social Control;
3. Quality issues in Qualitative Research: criteria and procedures.

II. The process of Qualitative Research

1. The qualitative research planning:
a) Theory, definition of objectives and research questions;
b) Research design and types of qualitative studies;
c) The relationship between research questions and methodological issues;
d) The circularity of the research process.

2. Sampling in Qualitative Research
a) creating a sample and its connection with the population
b) recruiting participants or creating corpus of documents
c) ethical procedures

3. Methods of data collection in Criminology:
a) Observation, ethnography and visual Criminology; 
b) Qualitative interview and Focus Group
c) Document analysis
d) online methods

4. Data analysis in Qualitative Research:
a) Qualitative Methods and techniques;
b) Plurality and complementarity
c) Reflexivity

Mandatory literature

Flick Uwe; Métodos qualitativos na investigação científica. ISBN: 972-9413-67-3
Frank E. Hagan; Research methods in criminal justice and criminology. ISBN: 978-0-13-504388-2
King Roy D. 340; Doing research on crime and justice. ISBN: 978-0-19-928762-8
Mason Jennifer; Qualitative researching. ISBN: 0-8039-8986-5
Rita Jorge Holbeche Tinoco de Faria; Qualitative research in criminology. ISBN: 978-3-031-18400-0
Jody Miller; Qualitative research in criminology. ISBN: 978-1-4128-5677-5
Emma Wincup; Criminological research. ISBN: 978-1-4462-0913-4
Heith Copes; The^Routledge handbook of qualitative criminology. ISBN: 978-0-415-65970-3

Complementary Bibliography

Bardin Laurence; Análise de conteúdo. ISBN: 978-972-44-1320-4
Virginia Braun; Successful qualitative research: a practical guide for beginners. ISBN: 978-1-84787-581-5
Glaser Barney G.; The^discovery of Grounded Theory. ISBN: 0-202-30260-1
Barney G. Glaser; Theoretical sensitivity
Hammersley Martyn; Ethnography. ISBN: 0-415-08664-7
Krippendorff Klaus; Content analysis. ISBN: 0-7619-1545-1
Kvale Steinar; Interviews. ISBN: 978-0-7619-2542-2
Rubin Herbert J.; Qualitative interviewing. ISBN: 0-8039-5096-9
Silverman David; Doing qualitative research. ISBN: 7619-5823-1

Teaching methods and learning activities

Teaching methodologies combine the presentation and discussion of syllabus with practical exercises, allowing the acquisition of research abilities on planning, collection methods and data analysis.
This process is complemented with the analysis of qualitative studies through the reading and discussion of scientific articles.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho de campo	20,00
Trabalho escrito	20,00
Exame	60,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	104,00
Frequência das aulas	30,00
Trabalho de campo	10,00
Trabalho escrito	20,00
Total:	164,00

Eligibility for exams

N.A.

Calculation formula of final grade

Students will be assessed throughout the semester with a written assignment and  (40%) and the final examination (60%).

The evaluation ss of a written assignment with the results of fieldwork duly integrated into the design of qualitative research and includes a critical reflection on the student's learning process.

The final grade is the average obtained from both elements of the assessment: the written assignment and the final examination.

As per existing rules, when there is an assessment throughout the semester and a final examination, students will fail the course when obtaining a grade lower than 8 on any of the assessments.

Examinations or Special Assignments

NA

Internship work/project

NA

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

NA

Classification improvement

According to the general rules