BUSI 815 is Liberty's DBA course in qualitative research methods. Its written work is six forums, a literature review, one assignment for each of the five qualitative designs (narrative, phenomenology, case study, and grounded theory with ethnography), an interview transcript assignment, and a qualitative data analysis assignment worth 150 points.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as BUSI 815 Qualitative Research Methods, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as BUSI815.
What BUSI 815 covers
The catalog description: This course examines the qualitative method used in doctoral research, with a focus on five qualitative designs: narrative, phenomenological, grounded theory, ethnographic, and case study. Underpinning philosophical assumptions are presented in context with the selected qualitative designs. The course also covers data collection, analysis, and validation measures appropriate for qualitative research.
The course examines qualitative methods in doctoral research through five designs: narrative, phenomenological, grounded theory, ethnographic and case study, with their philosophical assumptions, data collection, analysis and validation. The texts are Creswell and Poth, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches; Yin, Case Study Research and Applications; and Keller and Alsdorf, Every Good Endeavor.
The course guide lists each assignment and its points but places specific requirements and rubrics in the course content; follow those for lengths and formats. Each week runs Monday to Sunday, and the final week ends Friday.
Textbook named in the published guide: Creswell & Poth, Qualitative Inquiry & Research Design (2018). Keller & Alsdorf, Every Good Endeavor (2012). Yin, Case Study Research (2018). Check the current edition in your Canvas section.
BUSI 815 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discussion Board Forum 1 | 50 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 1 | Discussion Board Forum 2 | 50 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 2 | Literature Review | 100 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 3 | Discussion Board Forum 3 | 50 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 3 | Narrative Assignment | 100 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 4 | Discussion Board Forum 4 | 50 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 4 | Phenomenology Assignment | 100 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 5 | Case Study Assignment | 100 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 6 | Grounded Theory and Ethnography Assignment | 100 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 6 | Interview Transcript Assignment | 40 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 7 | Discussion Board Forum 5 | 50 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 8 | Discussion Board Forum 6 | 50 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
| 8 | Qualitative Data Analysis Assignment | 150 | Not set in the guide; requirements are in the course content |
Week 1: Discussion Board Forum 1
The forum on the week's qualitative research readings, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 1.
Week 1: Discussion Board Forum 2
The forum on the week's qualitative research readings, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 1 Discussion Board Forum 2.
Week 2: Literature Review
A literature review supporting a qualitative study, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 2 Literature Review.
Week 3: Discussion Board Forum 3
The forum on the week's qualitative research readings, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 3 Discussion Board Forum 3.
Week 3: Narrative Assignment
An assignment applying narrative research design, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 3 Narrative Assignment.
Week 4: Discussion Board Forum 4
The forum on the week's qualitative research readings, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 4 Discussion Board Forum 4.
Week 4: Phenomenology Assignment
An assignment applying phenomenological design, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 4 Phenomenology Assignment.
Week 5: Case Study Assignment
An assignment applying case study design, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 5 Case Study Assignment.
Week 6: Grounded Theory and Ethnography Assignment
An assignment applying grounded theory and ethnographic designs, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 6 Grounded Theory and Ethnography Assignment.
Week 6: Interview Transcript Assignment
An interview transcript assignment, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 6 Interview Transcript Assignment.
Week 7: Discussion Board Forum 5
The forum on the week's qualitative research readings, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 7 Discussion Board Forum 5.
Week 8: Discussion Board Forum 6
The forum on the week's qualitative research readings, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 8 Discussion Board Forum 6.
Week 8: Qualitative Data Analysis Assignment
An assignment analyzing qualitative data, the course's largest, following the requirements in the course content. How to write BUSI 815 Week 8 Qualitative Data Analysis Assignment.
How BUSI 815 is graded
The published guide totals 1,000 points. The six forums are 50 each (300), the literature review 100, the four design assignments 100 each (400), the interview transcript 40, the data analysis assignment 150 and the checklist 10.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussion Board Forums (6) | 300 |
| Literature Review | 100 |
| Narrative Assignment | 100 |
| Phenomenology Assignment | 100 |
| Case Study Assignment | 100 |
| Grounded Theory and Ethnography Assignment | 100 |
| Interview Transcript Assignment | 40 |
| Qualitative Data Analysis Assignment | 150 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 960 to 1000 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Each course module/week begins on Monday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach BUSI 815
Learn the distinctions among the five designs early (what each studies, its unit of analysis, data and analysis); Weeks 3 to 6 each have a design assignment.
The interview transcript in Week 6 feeds the data analysis assignment in Week 8, so conduct and transcribe your interview carefully.
Questions students ask
What are the five qualitative designs in BUSI 815?
Narrative research, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography and case study, as presented by Creswell and Poth.
What is the BUSI 815 qualitative data analysis assignment?
The course's largest assignment (150 points, Week 8), analyzing qualitative data; its requirements are in the course content.
Working through BUSI 815 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.