Three ways to learn, depending on where you are in your qualitative research journey. Start wherever suits you, and move along as you need more support and training.

Qualitative Research Training

Three ways to learn, depending on where you are in your qualitative research journey. Start wherever suits you, and move along as you need more support and training.

There is no expectation that you work through these training offerings in order. Plenty of people come straight to a bootcamp because they have a deadline and need help now, or they’re already further on in their research journey or career. Others take a course, sit with it for a few months, and get back in touch when they find something difficult or encounter a stumbling block when collecting their data. And some might only take the one course they require at a certain time – i.e. supervisors unfamiliar with a qualitative method who’d like to brush up on it to better support their students.

Three ways to learn, mapped on to the stage you are at in your journey

Start wherever suits you. Most people begin with an on-demand course and move along as they need more but you can dip in and out as necessary.

1. On-demand courses

Self-paced online video courses you can work through at a time that suits you. Recorded sessions, downloadable materials, and 60 days access.

Best if: you want to build understanding around a full-time job, fieldwork, or teaching; you are early in your qualitative journey; or you would rather learn without a live audience.

Browse on-demand courses

2. Live masterclasses

Half-day sessions taught live online, more advanced, and each on a specific qualitative method, approach, or problem. Small enough group sizes that you can ask about your own challenges and questions.

These sessions are for those in the midst of their qualitative practice – collecting data, considering how best to support their participants (i.e. via trauma-informed principles and practice, or sensitive research design), or analysing their qualitative data via i.e. reflexive thematic analysis.

Best if: you have a particular topic to get to grips with; you learn better with other people in the room; or you want to ask questions as they come up rather than working them out alone.

See upcoming masterclasses

3. Bootcamps

Four weeks of live training and group coaching, working on your own data with expert support and guidance while you do it (and with your peers).

Best if: you have data now and need to get moving; you want accountability and structure; or you have tried on your own and got stuck.

Find out about bootcamps

Which is right for me?

The most common situations, and what usually helps in each. Find the one closest to yours.

“I’m new to qualitative approaches and have no idea where to start. My supervisors don’t do qual.”

Begin with an on-demand course on the method you are using AND the Introduction to Qualitative Research course. You need these before anything else will make sense, and you can do that in your own time without committing to dates.

BROWSE ON-DEMAND COURSES

“I have started coding and something feels wrong.”

This could be a sign that your codes are describing topics rather than capturing meaning – an extremely common place to get stuck, and not a sign that you are doing it wrong, but a sign to work on how to improve your codes and move beyond description. The masterclass on reflexive thematic analysis will show you what to do and give you confidence. But, if you want someone to look at your actual data with you along the way, and greater support and accountability, the bootcamp is the better fit (or next step after the masterclass).

SEE UPCOMING MASTERCLASSES

“I have themes but they feel thin, or like a summary of what people said.”

Almost everyone does this initially. Moving from topic summaries to themes that interpret the data is one of the hardest parts of the thematic analysis process and the part least well taught. The Reflexive Thematic Analysis Bootcamp spends a full week on each of the six phases, guiding you through your own data (or examples provided by the trainer if you don’t yet have all your data collected).

FIND OUT ABOUT BOOTCAMPS

“I have a deadline for analysis completion or thesis submission and I need to get moving.”

A bootcamp. Four weeks, structured, with accountability each week and someone to ask when you get stuck. Accountability does more for a stalled analysis than more reading of articles will.
Or 1:1 coaching/mentoring sessions to work through your sticking points and be held accountable.

FIND OUT ABOUT BOOTCAMPS

FIND OUT ABOUT 1:1 COACHING

“I can do the analysis but I cannot defend it.”

This is a rigour and reflexivity question rather than a coding one. The masterclasses cover how to justify your analytic choices, but one-to-one coaching or mentoring with me is also worth considering if you are preparing for a PhD viva, journal paper review or (re)submission.

MENTORING AND COACHING

“I am choosing between methods and I am not sure which fits.”

Start with the on-demand introduction to qualitative analysis, which covers the main approaches and what each method is actually for. If the decision is consequential and you want a second opinion on your specific study or method design, a one-to-one consultation is the faster route.

MENTORING AND COACHING

“I am commissioning training for a team or cohort.”

Everything here can be delivered in-house, tailored to your team, discipline or organisation. It is usually better value than sending several people to open sessions.

IN-HOUSE DELIVERY FOR ORGANISATIONS

Still not sure?

Send me a message describing where you are and I will tell you honestly what I think would help – including if the answer is none of this and what else might work.

Get in touch

Commissioning for a university department, doctoral training centre or research team? All of this can be delivered in-house.

In-house delivery for organisations