There appears to be some confusion about the prerequisites for my course ITSF5001 (Ethnography and Participant Observation). It is written in the course listing as "ITSF5000." This should be read as "ITSF5000" OR EQUIVALENT).
Essentially, I expect you, the student registering for the course, to have taken some introductory research course (preferably stressing qualitative or ethnographic methods) and, most importantly, to have started thinking concretely about a research project.
Ideally, you, the student, will have conducted a pilot project and already have some notes or other material to work with.
If not, you will be expected to conduct a brief pilot during the first few weeks of the course. If you do not have access to your intended field site, you will be expected to conduct research in an analoguous setting using analoguous techniques.
In any event, I expect you to be ready to hand in a summary proposal (3 to 5 pages) within the first three weeks of the course.
Questions I would ask you |
My answers |
| Are you a doctoral student? | If NO, you will have to contact me, even if you qualify on the other grounds. |
| Have you taken ITSF5000? |
If YES, just state this to my secretary who will then give you permission. You do not need to contact me. If NO, proceed to the next questions |
| If you have NOT taken ITSF5000, have you taken ANOTHER research design courses (in your program or elswhere)? |
If NO, it is unlikely that I will give you permission. If YES, e-mail me to specify what these courses have been and there is a good chance that I will give you permission. However I will also want the answer to the next question. |
| Do you have a draft project to pilot during the course that you can hand in a summary five page proposal during the third week of the class? | If NO, I might give you permission if you have answered YES to the other questions, but the course will not be very helpful to you. |