Course syllabus Research Design and Methods, War Studies
Swedish name: Forskningsdesign och analysmetoder, krigsvetenskap
Course code:
2KR030
Valid from semester:
Autumn Term 2025
Education cycle:
Second cycle
Scope:
15.0 credits
Progression:
A1N
Grading scale:
Three-grade scale
Main field of study:
War Studies
Department:
Department of War Studies and Military History
Subject:
War Studies
Language of instruction:
The teaching is conducted in English.
Decided by:
Institutionen för krigsvetenskap
Decision date:
2025-05-05
Entry requirements
Officer's degree or bachelor's degree of 180 credits, of which 90 credits are in War Studies or an equivalent subject. English skills equivalent to English B or English 6.
Course content and structure
Designing coherent and consistent research is essential for studying political and social phenomena. Good research plays a fundamental role in understanding and explaining war and peace, as well as crisis management, security and defence policies. This course offers the student a broad overview of existing approaches, methods and research tools in war studies and political science. In addition to learning specific analytical methods, the course aims to provide students with the necessary skills to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches to research, including ethical considerations when conducting research. The course introduces different ways of looking at how we can achieve new knowledge and how reliable research designs can be constructed. In a neopositivist part of 7.5 credits and an interpretive part of 7.5 credits of the course the student builds skills to independently analyse and conduct scientific investigations.
Type of Instruction
- Lectures
- Seminars
Objectives
After completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:
Skills and abilities
Judgment and approach
Skills and abilities
- apply relevant social science concepts related to various research traditions,
Judgment and approach
- compare and contrast different research methods,
- independently assess the strengths and weaknesses of different research designs,
- critically evaluate methodological choices in published research,
- develop an appropriate research design to address a given research problem.
Examination formats
Assessment takes place individually through the submission of two on-campus written examinations and active participation in mandatory seminars.
One examination covers the neo-positivist part of the course and the other examination covers the interpretive part. Each examination is equivalent to 7,5 credits of the final grade.
The examiner may decide to request supplementary assignments in order to achieve a passing grade on the course. Supplementary assignments shall be submitted no later than ten working days after the result and supplementary assignment for the examination in question have been notified. Examination papers submitted late will not be graded unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner.
To earn the grade Pass with Distinction (VG) in the course, the student must actively participate in the mandatory seminars, and earn a grade of Pass with Distinction for both individual on-campus written examinations.
To earn the grade Pass (G) in the course, the student must actively participate in the mandatory seminars, and earn a grade of Pass for both individual on-campus written examinations.
Grading criteria are presented no later than at the start of the course.
There is no limit on the total number of examination opportunities.
One examination covers the neo-positivist part of the course and the other examination covers the interpretive part. Each examination is equivalent to 7,5 credits of the final grade.
The examiner may decide to request supplementary assignments in order to achieve a passing grade on the course. Supplementary assignments shall be submitted no later than ten working days after the result and supplementary assignment for the examination in question have been notified. Examination papers submitted late will not be graded unless special circumstances exist that are acceptable to the examiner.
Grading
To earn the grade Pass with Distinction (VG) in the course, the student must actively participate in the mandatory seminars, and earn a grade of Pass with Distinction for both individual on-campus written examinations.
To earn the grade Pass (G) in the course, the student must actively participate in the mandatory seminars, and earn a grade of Pass for both individual on-campus written examinations.
Grading criteria are presented no later than at the start of the course.
Restrictions in Number of Examinations
There is no limit on the total number of examination opportunities.
Transitional provisions
When the course is no longer offered or when the course content has changed substantially, the student has the right to be examined once per semester during a three-term period in accordance with this syllabus.
Other regulations
The course cannot be part of a degree with course whose content matches the content of this course in whole or in part.
On completion of the course, an evaluation will be conducted under the auspices of the course director and serve as the basis for any changes to the course.
If the Swedish Defence Univerity has formally decided that the student is entitled to receive special educational support due to disability, the examiner may decide on alternative forms of examination for the student.
On completion of the course, an evaluation will be conducted under the auspices of the course director and serve as the basis for any changes to the course.
If the Swedish Defence Univerity has formally decided that the student is entitled to receive special educational support due to disability, the examiner may decide on alternative forms of examination for the student.