CQ courses consistently receive high ratings from students. Based on available evaluations, on average, students agree or strongly agree with all positive measures of CQ instructor evaluations (i.e. the instructor is accessible to students, clearly communicates concepts and connections, stimulates critical thinking and creates positive learning experiences).
Furthermore, based on available evaluations, on average, students agree or strongly agree on all positive measures of CQ course evaluations. This indicates that the course met stated objectives, was relevant to student learning and future careers, provided appropriate resource materials, and employed appropriate methods of evaluation.
Descriptions of courses in the EQR course series can be viewed below. To view curriculum maps for Master’s (MSc) and PhD students, click here
‘Essentials of Qualitative Research’ Courses
CHL 5107: Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods
Course level: Master’s only
Instructor: Not specified
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: There are no prerequisites for this course. CHL5107 is a requirement for MPH Health Promotion, Occupational and Environmental Health and Community Nutrition students. Students from other programs and fields will be admitted space permitting with the permission of the instructor. A small number of places in this course are reserved for students in the EQR series from contributing CQ partners.
Description: This is an introductory course intended for Masters students in public health with limited prior exposure to qualitative research. Students will acquire a sound introductory-level understanding of the qualitative research enterprise, become informed consumers of qualitative research, and be able to participate in the conduct of needs assessments, program evaluations and other applied qualitative public health research. Since this is an introductory course, students pursuing qualitative research for master and doctoral thesis work will need to take additional courses to acquire the required proficiency for that level of research.
Course syllabus: Not provided
CHL5115: Qualitative Analysis and Interpretation
Course level: PhD only
Instructor: Dr. Sarah Elton
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: Students require prior training and/or experience with qualitative research and knowledge of the theoretical and philosophical foundations of qualitative inquiry. Course prerequisites: CHL5131, SWK6307, or equivalent. Ideally students should be in the late data gathering and analysis phase of their research. Students at the proposal writing and pre-data generation stage also benefit from the course, though all students need qualitative data to work with for their assignments.
Description: This is an advanced graduate-level course in qualitative research methodology that focuses on the theory, techniques and issues of data analysis and interpretation. The course is designed for students doing qualitative research i.e., generating both qualitative data and conducting qualitative (non-numeric, interpretive) analysis. The course aims to give students knowledge and experience in these analytic practices, but also to enhance their ability to articulate and address the core theoretical and methodological issues of qualitative inquiry. Although the topics discussed are generic to critical qualitative methodology, the literature and class instruction draw heavily on the field of health, as well as the instructor’s own work in ecological approaches to health, food systems, and posthumanist theory.
Course syllabus: Winter 2025
CHL5122: Advanced Qualitative Research: Framing, Writing and Beyond
Course level: PhD only
Instructor: Dr. Sarah Elton
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: This course provides a structured opportunity for PhD students to progress in writing their qualitative doctoral dissertation. The goals of this course are to develop a writing practice and a community of peer writers. By the end of the course, students should aim to have one chapter or article draft completed. Course prerequisites: At least one of the following list CHL5131, NUR1025, KIN5540, CHL5134, SWK6307, SWK 6007 and/or CHL5115, which is strongly recommended.
Description: It is intended that the course topics will support students in writing their dissertation and prepare them for different kinds of writing after graduation, particularly as qualitative health researchers. The course is set up as a dissertation writing workshop and thus will counter the isolation and potential stalling of thesis work at this stage. It will provide mentorship to address the particular challenges of qualitative inquiry and scholarship in the health sciences and in other settings. This course also facilitates the formation of networks that can serve as resources to students as they complete their theses and move forward in their careers.
Course syllabus: To be posted
CHL5131: Theoretical Foundations of Qualitative Health Research
Course level: PhD only
Instructor: Dr. Rupaleem Bhuyan
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: The course may be taken by those just entering this methodological arena, or by those familiar with techniques/methods but missing the theoretical dimension. The course is designed for PhD students who have committed to qualitative theses and those who are taking the Essentials of Qualitative Research (EQR) course series.
Description: This course provides the critical foundations to qualitative health research. It examines the conceptual and philosophical bases of various frameworks/approaches to qualitative research and their methodological implications. Specific debates related to theories employed in the field of health, research questions, designs, the positionality of the researcher, rigour, and ethics will be discussed. The course sets the stage for the ‘how-to hands-on’ instruction that comes in the data generating and analysis courses.
Course syllabus: An updated syllabus will be posted in early November.
CHL5134: Institutional Ethnography
Course level: Both Master’s and PhD
Instructor: Dr. Daniel Grace
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: No formal prerequisites.
Description: As a method of inquiry, Institutional ethnography (IE) provides an analytic tool box to help researchers map social relations and explicate how individuals are governed. IE, at its heart, is about working towards a more equitable society and is analytically concerned with exploring the ways in which power is exerted in practices of ruling. Developed by Canadian feminist scholar Dorothy Smith, this alternative sociology provides a research strategy that allows for an understanding of the socially organized nature of everyday life. IE is committed to discovery and is a highly empirically-driven form of social research which draws principally from primary interview, observational, and text-based data sources.
This approach to critical social science focuses on the material actualities of people’s lives in order to help develop analytic descriptions of ruling practices. For the institutional ethnographer, starting investigations with objective social or political theories, or notions of a pristine Archimedean point, are rejected in favour of beginning with the experiences, events, and concerns of people in the everyday world. Many institutional ethnographies focus upon the text-mediated nature of everyday life and seek to reveal how ruling relations are organized or enabled by the production, widespread circulation, and activation of texts. To ground their investigations in people’s actual activities, institutional ethnographers have adopted a generous understanding of work as that which involves a combination of intention, effort, and a degree of acquired skill or competence.
We begin the course by reading some of the foundational writings of Dorothy E. Smith on the development of IE. After understanding the social ontology of this critical research strategy, we turn to a discussion of how one may actually go about conducting an institutional ethnographic study. We pay focused attention to the role of interviews and the analysis of texts to investigate ruling relations. We discuss political activist ethnography and the ways in which IEs may be put into practice. In our final weeks, we critically discuss how IE may be used along with other theoretical and methodological traditions as well as critiques of this alternative sociology. Throughout the course we draw on examples of IEs that have been conducted to explore diverse research problematics in and beyond the field of public health.
Course syllabus: View DOCX
CHL 5138: Critical Qualitative Health Research Theory and Methods
(formerly JRP1000: Theory and Method for Qualitative Research)
Course level: Both Master’s and PhD
Instructor: Drs. Naomi Thulien and Cheryl Pritlove *Drs. Pritlove and Thulien instruct this course in alternating years. Dr. Pritlove will be teaching the course in Winter 2026 – please direct course-related inquiries to her directly.
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: This course is an advanced introductory level course and has no specific course prerequisites. The course is designed for PhD students with limited preparation in qualitative research studies, who are looking for a balanced development of theoretical depth and practical skills, to support the execution of a qualitative doctoral thesis, as well as Master’s students who have prior experience with qualitative research and are completing a Master’s thesis.
While not a specific requirement for PhD trainees, some knowledge of qualitative methods and social theory is beneficial toward success in the course. Permission of the instructor (Dr. Pritlove for Winter 2026) is required for enrolment. Audits are not generally accepted. Priority is given to PhD and Master’s learners in faculties that are contributing CQ partners.
Description: This course is designed to provide learners with skills to undertake qualitative health research that moves beyond self-evident meanings and superficial explanations. There is added emphasis on conducting qualitative research through the lenses of health (in)equity, social justice, and critical theory. Learners will examine the philosophical assumptions and paradigms underpinning qualitative research, common methods of data generation, elements of study design, and reflexive data analysis. There are no formal lectures; instead, learners are expected to attend each class prepared to critically engage with classmates/course instructors about what they are learning and still curious about, and how this learning is impacting how they conceptualize their proposed research.
Course syllabus: View PDF
KIN 5536: Qualitative Inquiry in Sport and Physical Activity
Course level: Both Master’s and PhD
Instructor: Dr. Michael Atkinson
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: This course has no prerequisites.
Description: Qualitative inquiry represents a diverse range of approaches to studying the experiences of individuals participating in sport and physical activity. This course seeks to examine qualitative research methods and methodologies in sport and physical activity settings. This course will examine foundational issues of epistemology, ontology, and paradigms, methods of data collection, analysis, and forms of representing qualitative research findings.
Course syllabus: View PDF
KIN 5540: Narrative Methods in Health Research
Course level: Both Master’s and PhD
Instructor: Dr. Michael Atkinson
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: Not specified
Description: Narrative methodologies and their associated techniques of research practice have ascended to popularity in health-related research across the social sciences, humanities, and medical sciences. In this course, we examine the rise of narrative methods in the pursuit of phenomenological and existential accounts of pain, illness, disease, and more patient-oriented modes of healthcare. Specific attention is given to the ontological and epistemological underpinnings of narrative methods, and several narrative-producing methodologies such as narrative interviewing, life history analysis, discourse analysis, arts-based narratives, visual and documentary approaches, and narrative ethnography. Emphasis is also given to the complex and evolving relationship between narrative methods, the field of narrative (bio)ethics, and the practice of narrative medicine by healthcare practitioners. The use of case studies, first-hand or experiential assignments, writing workshops, and the analysis of patient accounts of pain, illness, and suffering will highlight the personal significance and translational impact of narrative approaches within healthcare.
Course syllabus: View PDF
NUR 1025: Doing Qualitative Research: Design and Data Collection
Course level: PhD only
Instructor: Dr. Denise Gastaldo
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: Students must have taken CHL5131, CHL5138 or an equivalent doctoral-level introductory qualitative research course prior to taking this course. Students from outside Nursing should email the instructor to enrol. Preference will be given to students in CQ contributing Faculties.
Description: This course addresses theory and practice of qualitative research fieldwork and data generation. Discussing issues of research design started in CHL5131, the focus is on the practical considerations associated with writing research proposals, entering the field, coordinating fieldwork, techniques of data generation, and analysis. Students develop a thesis proposal in this course.
Course syllabus: View PDF
PHM 1137: Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in the Health Sciences
Course level: Both Master’s and PhD
Instructor: Dr. Heather Boon
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: Not specified
Description: Qualitative research methods are gaining in importance in the health sciences, and the need for graduate students to learn about qualitative research and conduct their own projects is growing. Unfortunately, basic training in qualitative research often focuses mostly on the tools – or methods – used by qualitative researchers, ignoring their important historical, intellectual and social underpinnings. In Block 1, this graduate seminar course will introduce students to qualitative research methods in the health sciences. It will anchor qualitative research in ways that will help students articulate its relationship with other forms of research, its strengths and limitations, and emphasize the continuous questioning that is characteristic of interpretive and critical qualitative research. In Block 2, students will learn about specific tools for qualitative data collection; and in Block 3, they will learn about different ways to analyze data.
Each 2 hour class will include a critical discussion of the readings, short didactic sessions with hands-on activities and group discussion. This course has a substantial required reading load; students are expected to complete the week’s readings before class, and to be ready to discuss and apply them to specific research topics during class discussions. Examples from the qualitative health sciences literature and from the instructor’s own research will help students connect methods texts to published empirical articles, and to demystify the research and publication process.
Course syllabus: View DOCX
REH 5200: Theory and Method in Qualitative Research: Critical and Creative Approaches to Inquiry
Course level: PhD only
Instructor: Dr. Janet Parsons
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: Students should have prior familiarity with social theory and/or qualitative approaches to research. Interested students should contact the Instructor, Dr. Janet Parsons at j.parsons@utoronto.ca, to see if this course is right for them.
Description: This course explores a range of qualitative research methods and theoretical perspectives with emphasis on the role that theory plays across the different stages of the research process. Students will examine the underlying theoretical assumptions of qualitative research methods and the implications that these assumptions have for framing a research problem, study design, data collection, and data analysis. We will explore ethical considerations, efforts in decolonizing qualitative research, arts-based approaches in health research, assessments of study quality, and the role of writing in qualitative research. The course provides opportunities to attain practical, hands-on experience with developing research questions, data collection, and data analysis.
Course syllabus: View PDF
SWK 4512: Research Knowledge for Social Justice
Course level: Both Master’s and PhD
Instructor: Dr. Izumi Sakamoto
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: Not specified
Description: This course explores the promotion of social justice and inclusiveness through research and evaluation in social work practice and other community-based settings. Learners will become familiar with some of the methodologies that have been developed to challenge social inequalities. Central to this course are methodologies that seek to redress power dynamics between researchers and those being “researched,” and explores models of research with, rather than on, communities. We will examine the strengths and challenges of community-based research methods, also exploring insights provided by Indigenous/decolonizing, arts-based, feminist action, participatory, and other anti-oppressive approaches to research. Whereas this course will focus more on qualitative research methods in the context of community-based approaches to inquiry and knowledge production, social justice research may also be conducted using quantitative and survey-based methods, and strategies for doing so with a lens of cultural humility will be discussed. During the course, learners will have an opportunity to explore a diverse range of research methods through experiential in-class research “workshops” and applied learning exercises. Learners will then design their own research project proposal that reflects one or more of such approaches to research and evaluation as discussed in the course.
Course syllabus: View PDF
SWK 6007: Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Social Work
Constructivist Grounded Theory Method and Phenomenology: From Design to Data Analyses
Course level: Both Master’s and PhD
Instructor: Dr. Ramona Alaggia
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: Not specified.
Description: This advanced research methods course will delve into two major qualitative designs -constructivist grounded theory method and interpretive phenomenology. Students will learn key theoretical assumptions and methods of these two approaches to facilitate ethical engagement with vulnerable research participants on sensitive topics, while also working towards the highest standards of qualitative rigor. The course will provide students opportunities to familiarize themselves with the nuances of these methodologies, and implications for data generation and analysis. Textual data will be the units of analyses. Initial and focussed coding as well as open, axial and selective coding will be taught as practiced in the grounded theory tradition. As well, how to conduct thematic analysis for phenomenological based data will be taught. Interpretive methods and trustworthiness will be covered as part of the research process. Further, hands on practice will be required for research interviewing and in using NVivo software. Students will be provided data for analyses or may use their own.
Course syllabus: View PDF
Critical Discourse and Narrative Approaches to Interpretive Policy Analysis
Course level: PhD only
Instructor: Dr. Rupaleem Bhuyan
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: Prior graduate coursework in qualitative methods is required (e.g. SWK6307H).
Description: This methodology course will focus on critical discourse and narrative approaches to interpretive policy analysis. We will examine the contemporary debates in the area of interpretive research and ground these debates in relation feminist, post-colonial, and critical race methodologies. In particular, we will examine the ‘linguistic turn’ in social science and how theories of language complicate the research process. We will also explore the ‘cultural turn’ in social science which reflect debates of how human life is lived across multiple cultural contexts. And finally, we will address the ‘critical turn’, which engages how power and knowledge are embedded in the process of research. In addition, will discuss and practice common strategies to access and collect data (e.g., observation, interviewing, finding existing documents), methods of organizing and representing different forms/genres of data for analysis (e.g., transcripts, electronic texts, images, hand-written notes); and strategies to analyze and represent your analyses for different audiences.
Course syllabus: View PDF
SWK 6307: Designing and Implementing Qualitative Social Work Research
Course level: PhD only
Instructor: Dr. Peter Newman
Enrolment process and pre-requisites: There are two spaces reserved in this seminar course for doctoral students from CQ participating programs.
Description: This introductory course to qualitative research is part of the foundation curriculum for first year PhD students in Social Work. The course will begin with an overview of the history of qualitative research in social work and the health sciences. We will examine philosophical debates and paradigms that inform qualitative methodology including: positivism and scientific inquiry, the influence of interpretivism, tensions between subjectivity and objectivity, research positionality, reflexivity, ethics, participatory research, and representation of research results.
The course will also focus on data collection and analysis techniques that include: defining the research question, selecting the research setting, choosing data collection methods (i.e. in-depth interviews, observation, document analysis, arts-based methods), using software for data management and data coding (i.e. NVivo, HyperResearch), and analysis writing. Each of these techniques will be discussed in relation to theoretical and methodological approaches (e.g. narrative analysis, discourse analysis, ethnography and grounded theory).
The lab component will involve hands-on exercises and peer consultation to help students design and conduct original qualitative research. Major assignments will include: 1) developing a research proposal and ethics protocol, 2) preparing a sample of data for analysis (i.e. field notes and transcript of an in-depth interview), and 3) preparing an analysis report of key findings.
Course syllabus: To be Posted
See here for a list of more theory courses at the University of Toronto.
