Taught over 5 consecutive full days. The course will run online. It will comprise a series of live and pre-recorded lectures/materials, complemented by informal small and large group practical activities and discussions.

By the end of the course participants should be able to:

1. appreciate the importance of qualitative research methods in the study of health, illness, and health services and systems;
2. understand how to identify when a research topic requires qualitative research methods, and be able to select the most appropriate methods to answer the particular research question;
3. practise the skills required to conduct in-depth interviews, facilitate focus groups, and undertake observation and/or ethnographic research;
4. begin to analyse qualitative data; and
5. know how to employ qualitative research methods alongside other methods in health research.

The course is open to anyone who would like to understand the use of these methods or begin to learn how to use them.

Attendees do not need to have any previous background in or knowledge of qualitative research methods, although some experience of or ideas for a health-related research project using qualitative approaches would make the course more relevant.

This course is intended to give an overview and hands-on introduction to qualitative research methods, as used in the social sciences and health-related research. Methods introduced include individual interviews, focus groups and participant observation, as well as research design, ethical issues, data analysis, mixing qualitative and quantitative methods and writing up findings for publication.

Day 1 introduces qualitative research and interviewing techniques.

Day 2 covers study design (including qualitative sampling) and focus groups.

Day 3 focuses on ethnographic and observational methods.

Day 4 covers data analysis (including coding, thematic analysis and computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software).

Day 5 covers mixing and integrating methods and writing up research findings for publication. Students will also have the opportunity to plan a qualitative project of their choice through a structured workshop.

The course organisers are:

• Dr Jon Banks, Senior Research Fellow
• Dr Katie Whale, Research Fellow
• Dr Anna Pease, Research Fellow

To make sure the course is suitable for you and you will benefit from attending, please ensure you meet the following prerequisites before booking:

Before booking this course, please make sure you read the information provided above about the target audience and prerequisites. It is important that you have access to the relevant IT resources needed for the course and meet the knowledge prerequisites to ensure you can get the most from the course.

Bookings are taken via our online booking system, for which you must register an account. To check if you are eligible for free or discounted courses please see our fees and voucher packs page. All bookings are subject to our terms & conditions, which can be read in full here.

For help and support with booking a course refer to our booking information page, FAQs or feel free to contact us directly. For available payment options please see: How to pay your short course fees.

Participants are granted access to our virtual learning platform (Blackboard) 1 to 2 weeks in advance of the course. This allows time for any pre-course work to be completed and to familiarise with the platform.

To gain the most from the course, we recommend that you attend in full and participate in all interactive components. We endeavour to record all live lecture sessions and upload these to the online learning environment within 24 hours. This allows course participants to review these sessions at leisure and revisit them multiple times. Please note that we do not record breakout sessions.

All course participants retain access to the online learning materials and recordings for 3 months after the course. 

University of Bristol staff and postgraduate students who do not wish to attend the full course may instead register for access to the 'Materials & Recordings' version of this course: Further information and bookings.

100% of attendees recommend this course*.
*Attendee feedback from 2024.

Here is a sample of feedback from the last run of the course:

"Speakers and faculty had good knowledge on the subject, were friendly, approachable and helpful" - Course feedback, May 2024

"I have found this course extremely interesting and feel like i've learnt a lot. I really enjoyed the practical elements, specifically leading a focus group and the observation task. It's also been really helpful discussing my thoughts regarding my research study and receiving helpful feedback" - Course feedback, May 2024

"This was a great course. It covers a real breadth of the different aspects of qualitative research. Tutors were very knowledgeable and approachable. I liked the mix of live sessions, independent study and pre-recorded lectures. It really opened my eyes to the different uses of qualitative research, and how these could complement quantitative research. I came feeling a bit apprehensive and slightly suspicious (!) of qualitative work, and now feel inspired!" - Course feedback, May 2024

"The lectures were informative and gave a good overview, and the presenters were able to clarify any queries raised. The practical interview & focus group exercises and the data analysis session provided a good insight into some of the difficulties that one might face when conducting qualitative research" - Course feedback, May 2024

"The moderators were fab! i felt that the course was super engaging and i felt comfortable contributing in breakout rooms which is out my comfort zone" - Course feedback, May 2024

"The course was scheduled well and had a lot of interaction which kept people engaged. it was overall very enjoyable and information was easily digested" - Course feedback, May 2024

"I'm very pleased to have attended and feel I've got a lot from it and will help me greatly in my future qualitative research" - Course feedback, May 2024

"Varied, comprehensive and well organized. Really interactive and kept my engagement despite being 5 full days online!" - Course feedback, May 2024

"The course is very well organized and it's been very helpful for me in improving my qualitative research skills" - Course feedback, May 2024