Introduction to Phenomenology and its Application in Qualitative Research (FutureLearn)

Introduction to Phenomenology and its Application in Qualitative Research (FutureLearn)

Find out about the philosophical fundamentals of phenomenology and how it can be integrated in qualitative research. Build strong qualitative research methods and learn how to use phenomenology. Phenomenology is one of the most influential philosophy schools. It focuses on exploring in-depth aspects of lived experience in a variety of contexts. On this four-week course, you’ll get to know the main themes of philosophical phenomenology and how it can be put to use in qualitative research.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see FutureLearn's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Through real-life examples, you will find out how qualitative researchers have benefitted from using this philosophical tradition.
You’ll also discover how phenomenology and qualitative methods work together and how you can integrate phenomenology at different stages of a qualitative research project.
Using phenomenology in the study of human lived experience enables researchers to access insights that other approaches cannot achieve. Often, it can be the only possible way to study certain topics in social sciences.
Nevertheless, guidance for researchers in the humanities and social sciences is scarce. This course will help fill this gap by showing you how phenomenology can be put to use in academic fields focusing on, for example, education, sport, psychology, and health.
You’ll critically examine examples of how phenomenology has been applied and gain practical skills in how this can be done.

Discover phenomenological research with The Open University and the University of Southern Denmark
Throughout the course, you will engage in debates with other learners to help you evaluate the challenges of integrating phenomenology and qualitative research methodologies. You will also have the opportunity to start thinking about your own research project and interests.
This course has been designed by The Open University – an industry lead in distance education – and the SDU (University of Southern Denmark), to provide you with a supportive social learning experience.

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Explore the main themes of philosophical phenomenology.
  • Assess the benefits of using this philosophical tradition in qualitative research.
  • Explore how to integrate phenomenology at different stages of a qualitative research project.
  • Evaluate the challenges of integrating phenomenology and qualitative research methodologies.
  • Engage with debates related to this interdisciplinary methodology.
  • Evaluate examples of research which integrate phenomenology and qualitative methodologies in education, health and sport.
Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Interviewing Methods (Coursera) Coursera
American Psychological Association

Interviewing Methods (Coursera)

This is primarily aimed at first- and second-year undergraduates interested in psychology, data analysis, and qualtitative research methods along with high school students and professionals with similar interests. This course delves into the variety of interviewing methods used in qualitative research in psychology, focusing on phenomenology, narrative inquiry, and grounded theory, relating each of these to common philosophical stances taken by qualitative researchers.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Qualitative Research Methods for Mental Health in War and Conflict (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
King's College London,Birzeit University

Qualitative Research Methods for Mental Health in War and Conflict (FutureLearn)

Understand the importance of mental health research in areas of war and conflict and strengthen your qualitative research skills. Learn about the effects of conflict on people’s mental health. There is a prevalence of ill mental health due to conflict and war-affected populations worldwide. Yet, we lack locally relevant and reliable mental health information as research capacity and resources are insufficient. This four-week course will expose you to various research methodologies, skills and resources.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
UX Evaluation: User Testing (edX) EdX
HECMontrealX,HEC Montréal

UX Evaluation: User Testing (edX)

Master UX evaluation using a variety of skill sets and methods. Uncover the knowledge of user testing from a guerrilla approach to formal lab evaluations required for compliance tests. Testing! 1-2, 1-2! You’re interested in user experience and you have a scientific way of thinking? UX needs you! User testing is an empirical practice. This expertise is the most widespread and sought-after of the UX fields.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Become a Pharmacy Preceptor (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Taipei Medical University

Become a Pharmacy Preceptor (FutureLearn)

Learn how to become an effective pharmacy preceptor, exploring the qualities a great preceptor needs. Good internship programs are vital for training healthcare providers well - that’s why effective pharmacy preceptors, the teachers who guide students through their pharmacy training, are so important. This course will provide those looking to to be internship preceptors, in the context of pharmacy education, with basic knowledge about pharmacy precepting.

Self Paced
4 Weeks
Social Norms, Social Change I (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

Social Norms, Social Change I (Coursera)

This is a course on social norms, the rules that glue societies together. It teaches how to diagnose social norms, and how to distinguish them from other social constructs, like customs or conventions. These distinctions are crucial for effective policy interventions aimed to create new, beneficial norms or eliminate harmful ones. The course teaches how to measure social norms and the expectations that support them, and how to decide whether they cause specific behaviors.

Aug 3rd 2026
4 Weeks
Qualitative Research in Psychology (edX) EdX
American Psychological Association,APA

Qualitative Research in Psychology (edX)

In this course you will learn about the foundations of qualitative inquiry—and how it differs from quantitative research. You will gain practice in common qualitative traditions—like phenomenology and ethnography—and some of the methods they use, such as interviewing. You will gain the competence, confidence, and “know-how” to begin planning your very own qualitative study of a topic in psychology.

Self Paced
Self-Paced
Why Experience Matters: Qualitative Research (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Griffith University,Deakin University

Why Experience Matters: Qualitative Research (FutureLearn)

Explore the methods and tools qualitative researchers use to understand human behaviour and solve social problems. What attitudes and beliefs drive human behaviour? Qualitative research explores people’s stories and lived experiences to help us understand their perceptions, motivations and behaviour. It uses personalised research methods such as interviews, focus groups and observation to help us view the world from another’s perspective.

No sessions available
2 Weeks
A Beginners' Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of Reading

A Beginners' Guide to Writing in English for University Study (FutureLearn)

Learn how to use English for study at university or college and develop your writing skills, vocabulary and grammar. Academic writing can be very different from other types of written English. This course has been developed to help you learn the basics of academic writing and develop your English language skills.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks
Teaching Students Who Have Suffered Complex Trauma (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
Queensland University of Technology

Teaching Students Who Have Suffered Complex Trauma (FutureLearn)

Find out what complex trauma is, how it affects children and adolescents, and what can be done to help. Learn how to support students who have experienced complex trauma. Complex trauma affects the physical, emotional and social development of children and adolescents. In order to minimise harm, teachers and school leaders need to respond appropriately using trauma-informed practices and policies. In this course, you’ll get an introduction to what complex trauma is and how it affects young people’s development at school.

Self Paced
2 Weeks
Observational Methods and Qualitative Data Analysis (Coursera) Coursera
American Psychological Association

Observational Methods and Qualitative Data Analysis (Coursera)

This is primarily aimed at first- and second-year undergraduates interested in psychology, data analysis, and qualitative research methods along with high school students and professionals with similar interests. This course delves into the qualitative research traditions of ethnographic inquiry and case study in psychology, emphasizing the use of participant observation. Students will explore the unique practices, data gathering and analysis methods, and researcher involvement in these traditions.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Professional Development for Early Career Teachers (FutureLearn) FutureLearn
University of East Anglia

Professional Development for Early Career Teachers (FutureLearn)

Find out how to develop and improve your teaching abilities as you start your career as a teacher. Improve your teaching practice and learn to manage your workload. The early stages of a career in teaching can be daunting. You’re regularly faced with new responsibilities and challenges. On this course you will get advice and support on improving your teaching skills as well as juggling your workload so you’re able to handle these challenges.

Self Paced
5-12 Weeks