Institute for International Health and Development - IIHD

Short Courses

***New Module at IIHD***

Research Design and Planing by Distance Learning

This distance learning module will be run as a pilot in 2011-2012 for a small group at a reduced fee (£320 home students; £578 international students). A limited number of places are available.

What is this module about?
In this module you acquire skills necessary for designing and planning a coherent research project and writing a competent research proposal in the area of international health and development. The research project could be part of your Msc. It could also be any other small scale applied research project which you may want to conduct, for instance when working for a NGO or medical institution.

Here are some of the topics we will discuss:
• How to identify a research question
• How to design and plan a research project
• Collecting data in the field: Practical and ethical issues
• Writing a research proposal
• Procedures for rigorous literature reviews.
• Qualitative and (basic) quantitative data analysis.

What is the assignment? Is it of any use for me?
The module assignment is a research proposal which could form the basis for a Msc dissertation or a similar type of small-scale research project. Being able to produce a high quality research proposal will help you to do well in a Msc dissertation project but will also facilitate getting research funding or a research job in the future.

Who is the module for?
For anyone who is keen to develop their research skills, and is intending to conduct small scale research in international health and development (broadly defined).

Who are the students?
Most students will be registered for one of the Msc courses at IIHD: Human Resources for Health, Health Systems, International Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health; Social Justice, Health and Development and Social Development and Health. Some students may be affiliated with other institutions. IIHD attracts a highly international and diverse audience of often mature
students, many of whom have significant practical experience in the area of international health and development. We encourage student interaction and peer learning.

When will the module run?
The module will run interactively for 7 weeks between October 24th 2011 and December 9th. After that, you have 5 weeks to prepare the module-assignment, which is due on January 13th.

How many credits do I get for it?
You will get 15 SCOTCAT or 5 ECTS credits for this module (subject to module validation). This means that you are expected to invest 150 hours in this module, or on average of 12 hours per week.

What are the Entry Requirements?
• An honours degree in a related subject area (e.g. public health, sociology, anthropology etc.)
• A professional qualification in a related area recognised for professional body membership and equivalent in academic terms to an honours degree
• A qualification in a related area from a professional institution and not less than 3 years professional experience at a level approved by the Admissions committee.

Are there other requirements I have to meet?
There are a few requirements you must meet if you want to take this module.

• The module runs for 7 weeks, after which you have 5 weeks to complete the assignment. During these weeks you must be able to invest at least 12 hours per week. You are expected to log on and contribute to discussions at least twice a week.

• You need regular access to the internet and a computer, and you need to be fairly
comfortable with working with computers.

• Students are expected to have some basic prior knowledge of research
methodology. The module will enable you to learn more about qualitative and (basic) quantitative methodologies, and you will learn how to apply your knowledge to the design of a coherent research project and the writing of a convincing proposal.

What can I expect from a distance learning module?
Effective distance learning requires active student participation and collaboration, probably more so than traditional face-to-face learning. You may have to get used a little to the online learning environment, but support will be available throughout the module. Importantly, students tend to appreciate the greater flexibility and active involvement which distance learning affords!