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Why does doing qualitative research matter? Who should be included and how do we access them? How do we ask good questions? How can we best analyse qualitative data? Learn from our experts on how to design, conduct and analyse interviews and focus groups with this practical introduction to scholarly qualitative research for policymaking.
This short course is a practical introduction to scholarly qualitative research for policymaking, with a focus on designing, conducting and analysing interviews and focus groups. It asks and answers four core questions:
- Why does doing qualitative research matter?
- Who should be included in qualitative research and how do we access them?
- How do we ask good questions?
- How can we best analyse qualitative data?
At a glance
Format: Online
Duration: 4 weeks (excluding orientation)
Commitment: 3 hours per week
Cost: $1,495 (or $1,195 for early bird registrations by 28 July)
Start/end date: 28 August - 18 September 2025 with a course orientation / meet and greet on 21 August
Group discounts available.
Testimonials
I came to this course a bit anxious about the work I need to do in future (involving qual. research.) My experience to that point had been quite intense - people telling me in detail about pitfalls to avoid, of specifically how they had gone about particular projects. But the experience of this course was more akin to being given the lay of the land, a compass and reassurance that it's going to be ok! It was just at the right level of complexity to be stretched without being overwhelmed.
Real-world Application
The lectures and interactive live sessions will include real-world examples from qualitative research projects that the presenters have undertaken; as well as practical examples to work through to help you design your own ethical and rigorous research.
Course curriculum
- Module 1 Why does qualitative research matter?
- Module 2 Who to include and how to access them
- Module 3 How to ask questions
- Module 4 How to analyse qualitative data
Session schedule
This course will run as an online and distance program in 2025. It is scheduled to run across four weeks, 28 August - 18 September 2025 with a course orientation / meet and greet on 21 August. Specific dates and times to note in your diary are as follows:
- 1:00pm-2:00pm Thursday 21 August 2025 – Meet and greet / Course introduction
- 1:00pm-2:30pm Thursday 28 August 2025 – Live session 1
- 1:00pm-2:30pm Thursday 4 September 2025 – Live session 2
- 1:00pm-2:30pm Thursday 11 September 2025 – Live session 3
- 1:00pm-2:30pm Thursday 18 September 2025 – Live session 4
Note: Dates and times are in Canberra time (AEST). The calendar invite for each session should automatically adjust to your timezone when you add it to your calendar. You can check at a site like this to be sure.
Learning outcomes
- Understand the distinct role for qualitative methods of data collection and analysis for policymaking
- Evaluate different ways of undertaking qualitative data collection
- Match research questions with methods
- Understand ethical decision-making in research design choices
- Justify population and sample selection choices
- Capacity to make informed choices about in-person and online data collection methods
- Understand how to design researchable questions for projects
- Understand how to choose and apply a range of qualitative methods
- Understand how to design theme-based open-ended questions for interviews and focus groups
- Capacity to thematically code and synthesis large datasets of qualitative data
- Understand the usefulness of qualitative analysis software
- Capacity to design a report using qualitative data analysis
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for individuals at any level of their career who are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of qualitative methods of data collection and its usefulness and application to policy issues. The course is designed for those with no prior background.
Presenter
Dr Laura Davy
Dr Laura Davy
Dr Laura Davy is a lecturer in Policy and Governance at the Crawford School of Public Policy. She has a background in political theory, sociology and social policy research, and has published on disability theory, the ethics of care, human rights, and disability policy and services.
Her current research focuses on policy listening and citizen engagement, in the context of the implementation and outcomes of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and international trends in disability and social care policy and practice. She is particularly interested in human rights informed approaches to policy design and implementation and the implications for service users and citizens of the shift towards individualised and market-based social services delivery.
Online training: How it works
This is a real-time, date-specific course, in which you will join live classes, engage and connect with experts, other course participants and the Executive Education team. Here’s how it works:
- Pre-course live session. This is an opportunity for you to grab a cuppa and join our meet and greet before the course commences.
- Practice + Study. Set aside 3 hours per week – this time commitment will vary depending on how deeply you choose to engage with the material. It is up to you.
- Course pack. Each participant will receive a carefully curated workbook, which includes everything you need to guide you through the course.
- Live sessions with presenter. This is a specified date and time for you to come together with the presenter and other participants to consolidate your learning.
- Post-course. On completion of the course, you will receive your post-course resources for your reference and further learning.
Why choose online training?
- No time off work – study and practice when you can.
- Busy schedule? No problem, you can go at your own pace, join just the live classes, and do the course work whenever suits you best. We know that work and family obligations can be overwhelming. Mix and match the schedule to fit your life.
- No travel. This is a course right at your fingertips. With no travel expenses, this is a very affordable option for high-level training with world-leading experts.
- Live interaction with world-leading experts. You’ll have direct access to all the best resources and trainers.
- Working remotely? With the online and distance format, we welcome participants from around the world to join us.
FAQs
What if I can’t make a live session? No problem, we understand you are busy. Live sessions are recorded for you to catch up in your own time.
What if I’m in a different time zone? All advertised course times from 6th October 2024 to 6th April 2025 are scheduled in Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) otherwise known as GMT+11. From 6th April 2025 scheduled times are Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) or GMT+10. Convert for your time zone here.
What if I am not tech savvy? As long as you have access to a phone or computer, you will have no problems. Our online courses require a working laptop, desktop or smart device with good internet connection. Bring your headset. Join the tech-check session for support and insider tips.
I would like to purchase multiple courses, are there any discounts available? Yes, discount offers are available if you would like to book multiple courses throughout the year. You may contact us to discuss further options.
I work for a company or organisation that would like to enrol multiple employees in the same time. Is it possible? Yes, discounted rates are available for groups attending from the same organisation. Get in touch with us if you want to register as a group.
Can’t find the answers are you looking for? Contact our team for support at csee@anu.edu.au.
