Exploring University Students' Perceptions, Experiences, and Challenges in Learning Qualitative Research: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Qualitative research has become an essential component of higher education, enabling students to understand human experiences, social issues, and complex phenomena through interpretive inquiry. Despite its growing importance, many university students experience difficulties in learning and applying qualitative research methods. This study explored the perceptions, experiences, and challenges of government university students in learning qualitative research in Sri Lanka. An exploratory qualitative research design was adopted, and data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 30 undergraduate students selected using maximum-variation purposive sampling. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and themes. The findings revealed that students generally held positive perceptions of qualitative research, recognizing its value for understanding people's experiences and developing critical thinking, communication, and analytical skills. However, participants also reported substantial challenges, particularly in understanding qualitative concepts, conducting interviews, coding data, and performing thematic analysis. Practical exposure, lecturer and supervisor support, previous research experience, and peer collaboration emerged as the key factors influencing students' confidence and engagement. The study concludes that qualitative research is best learned through experiential and practice-oriented approaches rather than theoretical instruction alone. It recommends strengthening practical training, coding workshops, continuous academic supervision, peer-learning opportunities, and access to qualitative data-analysis software to enhance qualitative research education in Sri Lankan government universities.

Keywords

• Qualitative Research
• University Students
• Research Methodology
• Learning Experiences
• Thematic Analysis

How to cite

Nuwani Kalhari Munasinghe (2026) ‘Exploring University Students' Perceptions, Experiences, and Challenges in Learning Qualitative Research: A Qualitative Study’, Nile - Eurasian International Journal of Humanities, 1(2), pp. 1–15. https://doi.org/10.68283/neijh.v1.i2.a01