PECOS4025 – Analytic perspectives on peace and conflict
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This class examines fundamental principles of research methods and design in political science as applied to the field of peace and conflict research. It prepares students to design and conduct an independent research project of their own.
This class also equips students to assess the validity and reliability of published research in political science and to reflect on ethical challenges pertaining to research in the field of peace and conflict.
Learning outcome
Knowledge:
Students learn
- Fundamental principles of research methods and research design in political science
- How to assess the validity and reliability of inferences in research designs and published findings
- How to discuss ethical problems and challenges in peace and conflict research
Skills:
After taking this class students can
- Identify and discuss different strategies for inference in political science research
- Distinguish between different kinds of research questions and strategies for inference
- Identify and tackle bias problems in political science research
- Design and implement a research design in the field of peace and conflict studies
Basic competencies:
Students learn
- How to create and improve a research design suited to answer their research question
- How to think systematically about measurement, inferences and explanation in political science research
- How to engage in constructive assessment of research design choices and strategies for inference, especially in issue areas with limited or biased data
- How to provide constructive feedback on research design to others and how to integrate such feedback into their own project
Admission to the course
The course is reserved for students enrolled in the master programme Peace and conflict studies.
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with PECOS4021 – Research Methods (discontinued).
Teaching
Lectures and seminars
Compulsory activity:
- Attend first seminar
- Attend two of the following four seminars
- Present draft of the term paper in one of the seminar sessions for discussion
Examination
Students will prepare one final paper on challenges to inference on a topic of their choice in the field of peace and conflict studies (3000-4000, words excluding references).
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.