This course introduces PhD students in Political Science to key debates in qualitative research methods and covers the foundations of case studies and process-tracing. The course first probes important debates in the philosophy of science, develops students' qualitative literacy and capacity to evaluate qualitative research, and debates connections between research ethics and qualitative methods. Students then cover the foundations of two overarching qualitative methods — case studies and process-tracing — by mastering strategies for case selection, cross-case comparative inquiry, and within-case processual analysis.