Module HEAS44115: Qualitative Methods Applied to Policy and Health Research

Department: Health [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

HEAS44115: Qualitative Methods Applied to Policy and Health Research

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To introduce the key principles of qualitative research and to demonstrate their application to the empirical study of public policy and global health, in terms of the skills necessary for the planning, data generating and dissemination stages of research
• To provide both theoretical grounding and practical experience of qualitative research.

Content

• Philosophy and theory in research
• Overview of qualitative methodologies
• How to locate and critically appraise academic papers
• The research process: from planning to dissemination
• Research methods, including pragmatic and governance aspects
• Data analysis options
• Ethical dimensions of enquiry
• Reflexivity, rigour and subjectivity

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of module students will have an understanding of:
• The role of qualitative research approaches in public policy and global health
• The relationship between theory, method and data
• Issues related to the ethical conduct of research
• The process of writing a research proposal

• Examine the philosophical assumptions underlying different types of research
• Define the types of research questions that can be appropriately addressed using qualitative methodologies
• Explore the range of techniques for generating qualitative data and identify the advantages and disadvantages associated with these techniques
• Evaluate and apply different approaches to qualitative data analysis
• Apply a structure to locate and critically evaluate research articles
• Discuss critical concepts such as objectivity, subjectivity, reflexivity and bias.

• Intellectually locate students’ own ideas, and those of others, in terms of theory, method and potential for application
• Choose the most appropriate method to address a particular research question
• Practice the skills needed to design, conduct and evaluate qualitative research strategies
• Locate, retrieve and manage information from a variety of sources
• Develop a reflexive awareness of the impact of political, social and professional contexts on the production and potential uses of knowledge claims.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lecturing - Introduces the key principles of theory and practice in qualitative research – Outlines the main components of different qualitative research approaches – Examines the use of these approaches in answering policy and health-related questions.
• Tutorials and seminars - Allow students to work through concepts in more detail, providing both teacher and peer led input, promoting discussion and developing inter-professional communication and team-working skills.
• Structured reading - Allows students to pursue topics in greater detail, enabling both familiarity with key texts and a deeper understanding of the subject knowledge generally.
• Independent study, research and analysis - Focuses student knowledge more deeply by pursuing aspects of the module that are of special interest to themselves and exploring specific applications in their field of study.
• Essay assessment will test students' critical knowledge and understanding of key concepts, their ability to argue coherently and communicate effectively in writing, and to reflectively assess their proficiency in thinking through how various qualitative research methods might be applied to address a topical issue in public policy and global health.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

A short literature review on a topical issue, plus an in-depth critique of one peer-reviewed research article (1000 words maximum).

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University