Sociology: The Research Process

This course gives you a deeper understanding of the research process in sociology. You examine how epistemology – the way knowledge is understood and justified – relates to theory, methods and research design, and you learn to connect each stage of the research process into a clear and well‑structured project plan. The course is taught in English and can be taken as a freestanding course or as part of the Master’s Programme in Sociology.

You will get a clear introduction to important ideas in the philosophy of science and see how different research approaches are used in today’s sociology. You will also explore how theories can guide and develop a research project, and how different methods – alone or combined – can help you answer different kinds of research questions.

A key part of the course is understanding how your own study can link to earlier research in the field. Accordingly, you learn how a well‑structured literature review helps you anchor and motivate a clear, theoretically grounded research question.

Overall, the course prepares you for your degree project and for research-related activities and project planning more broadly.

Course syllabus

The syllabus contains the formal and legal details of the entire course. It’s a legal document outlining the course structure and requirements, intended mainly for administrative use.

Course literature

The course literature listed may be updated up to eight weeks before the course begins.

Teaching includes lectures, seminars and workshops. Seminar and workshop sessions involve active participation and are therefore compulsory. Each module is assessed through an individual written take‑home exam. At the Department of Sociology in Lund, you meet dedicated teachers who are active researchers, giving you insights into current sociological research. The course is taught in English and consists of two modules:

1. Theory, methods and scientific perspectives (9 credits)
   You explore major traditions in the philosophy of science and look at how different research approaches are used in sociology today. You learn how theories are used and developed in different types of research projects, and how different methods – alone or combined – can be chosen to address different research questions.
2. Designing your research (6 credits)
   This module focuses on research design and the relationship between the stages of the research process. You begin with the role of the literature review in defining and motivating a research question. You then learn how to build on the insights from Module 1 to design a clear, well‑argued and realistic research proposal.

After completing the course, you will have strengthened your ability to work independently with sociological research processes. You will be able to craft clear, theoretically grounded questions and make sense of existing research in a specific area, helping you identify where further studies or new ideas could be developed.

Through engagement with sociological theory, methodological discussions and practical exercises, you will develop the skills to design a feasible study that makes realistic use of time and resources. Your ability to assess the suitability of different research designs will deepen, along with your capacity to reflect critically on research paradigms and ethical considerations.

These skills provide a solid foundation for your degree project and prepare you for further research‑related work. The knowledge you gain is valuable whether you plan to continue within sociology, pursue advanced studies, or work in contexts where systematic analysis, methodological insight and critical reflection are essential.
The course provides clear preparation for the degree project and is compulsory within the Master’s Programme in Sociology (SASCO).

Entry requirements

Admission to the course requires 90 credits in a social sciences subject comprising sequential courses. English 6.

Selection criteria

Seats are allocated according to: ECTS (HPAV): 100 %.

Tuition fees for non-EU/EEA citizens

Citizens of countries outside:

• The European Union (EU)
• The European Economic Area (EEA) and
• Switzerland

are required to pay tuition fees. You pay an instalment of the tuition fee in advance of each
semester.

Tuition fees, payments and exemptions

Full programme/course tuition fee: SEK 33,750
First payment: SEK 33,750

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Note that you may also need to pay an application fee, or provide proof of exemption.

Application fee

No tuition fees for citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland

There are no tuition fees for citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.