College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Graduate Catalog

245 for advanced studies in the field. Specific focus and topics are to be approved by the chair of the Department of History and Political Science and advertised to students in advance of each offering. If the content changes, this course may be repeated with the prior permission of the department chair. Every Year Summer NSAM 6700 – Directed Thesis in National Security Affairs and International Relations The directed thesis serves as a capstone on the student’s experience in the National Security Affairs and International Relations (M.S.) program. As such preparation for this course began on day one of the student’s course of study of in the program. The theories, research methods and analytical skills, and substantive knowledge acquired by the student through the master’s curriculum provide the foundation upon which this thesis project is built. Students must complete all other coursework in the program before undertaking the directed thesis. Working under the direction of a designated faculty member in the program students will be responsible for developing and planning an innovative project, crafting a viable thesis, engaging in research using appropriate primary and secondary resource material, and executing a polished work of analysis that contributes to knowledge in the field. In addition to submitting a written thesis, students are required to offer an oral defense of their project. Every Year Fall, Winter, Summer QRGP – Qualitative Research QRGP 6300 Foundations of Qualitative Research This course introduces students to the epistemological, theoretical, methodological, and procedural foundations of qualitative research. Students will learn common factors qualitative approaches to inquiry share as well as learning the specifics of the major qualitative research methodologies such as generic qualitative description, grounded theory, phenomenology, ethnography, narrative analysis, and discourse analysis. Students will also be introduced to the variety of professional settings in which qualitative research is utilized including academia, business and organizations, international development, and private consultation. Offered fall. QRGP 6301 Qualitative Data Collection The course provides students an opportunity to learn the basics of qualitative research design with a focus on qualitative data generation, collection, and preparation. Students will learn how to select appropriate research sites, gain access to data sources, design and manage sampling strategies, conduct individual and group interviews, carry out field observations, collect documents, transcribe, and compose field notes. Students will also learn quality control measures such as maintaining research journals and diaries. Offered winter. QRGP 6302 Qualitative Data Analysis I This course covers best practices in generic qualitative, ethnographic, and grounded theory analysis. Students will learn how to conduct within-case and across case analysis, coding and conceptualization, transforming data, and report writing. Students will also learn quality control measures such as constant comparison, member checking, peer debriefing, and conducting audit trails. Offered fall. QRGP 6303 Qualitative Data Analysis II This course covers best practices in phenomenology, narrative inquiry, and discursive analysis. Students will learn how to conduct thematic analyses, phenomenological reduction, creative synthesis, microanalysis, and report writing. Students will also learn quality control measures such as bracketing, epoché, and verisimilitude. Offered winter. QRGP 6304 Appraising Qualitative Research This course covers the appraisal and review of products emanating from qualitative research including papers, articles, posters, grant proposals, books, book prospectus, dissertations, theses, and systematic reviews. Students will learn how to assess the quality of qualitative research products, construct and use criterion-based rubrics, and compose reviews. Students will also serve as ad hoc reviewers for The Qualitative Report ( TQR ). Offered occasionally. QRGP 6305 Qualitative Research Design This course covers knowledge and skills needed to design a qualitative research study and compose a qualitative research proposal. Students will learn how to construct and justify a qualitative research study, synthesize the relevant research literature, generate discovery-oriented research questions, select sites and samples, create a manageable method including a quality control system, address ethical issues, and discuss potential implications and limitations. Students will compose their own qualitative research proposals and Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects (IRB) protocols and consent forms. Offered summer. QRGP 6306 Conducting Qualitative Research I This course covers the activities involved in the initiation of a qualitative research study. Students will start the study they proposed in QRGP 6305 Qualitative Research Design. Offered occasionally. QRGP 6307 Conducting Qualitative Research II This course covers the activities involved in the culmination of a qualitative research study. Students will complete the study they proposed in QRGP 6305 Qualitative Research Design and started in QRGP 6306 Conducting Qualitative Research I. Offered occasionally. QRGP 6308 - Writing Qualitative Research