2021/22 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue
NUFF5495M Research Project in International Health
45 creditsClass Size: 40
Module manager: Joseph Hicks
Email: j.hicks@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: 1 Oct to 31 Aug View Timetable
Year running 2021/22
This module is not approved as an Elective
Objectives
This module is the culmination of the MSc in International Health programme, building upon the learning from previous modules. The goal is to allow students to gain independent experience of designing and conducting a small research project in international health. Students can choose to do their fieldwork in a foreign country, allowing cross-cultural learning through exposure to a foreign health system. This experience also will strengthen a student's personal development skills including planning, independent working and initiative.The choice of countries that you can go to for your project is dependent on travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, even if this may be your country of origin.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this module students will be able to:
- develop a feasible and ethical research protocol to investigate a topic relevant to international health
- use their research protocol to plan and conduct safe fieldwork to collect data, working effectively with local stakeholders
- demonstrate appropriate analysis of these data
- critically evaluate these findings in relation to current literature, including developing recommendations for improving health practice and policy
- clearly present all of the above in well-structured written assessments, according to the provided guidelines
Skills outcomes
At the end of this module, students will be familiar with international health research priorities, research methodology, research ethics and health & safety risk assessment.
Syllabus
Each student is assigned a project supervisor who provides support and guidance on the research project throughout the module. The international health topic will be of the student's own choosing, with guidance from the student's project supervisor and the module leader. Also, supervisors prepare a list of potential topics from which the student can choose.
Learning from the two preceding pre-requisite modules on research methods (Statistics for Health Sciences (YCHI5045M) and Applied Qualitative Methods (MEDR5250M)) will inform the development of the research protocol. This protocol will be submitted for ethical approval through the University's research ethics framework. Teaching and guidance will be given on research ethics, preparing for fieldwork, health and safety of fieldwork, and writing a project report. Students must have their risk assessment form approved before fieldwork begins. The final project report is the last assignment submitted on the programme, and can take the form of a journal article.
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Lecture | 5 | 3.00 | 15.00 |
| Seminar | 1 | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Tutorial | 5 | 0.50 | 2.50 |
| Independent online learning hours | 3.00 | ||
| Private study hours | 427.50 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 19.50 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 450.00 | ||
Private study
Private study- Pre- and post-session reading, as recommended by the academic staff
- Preparing for fieldwork including liaising with the host for fieldwork
- Fieldwork
- Preparation of the assessments and the risk assessment form
- Independent online learning
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Proposed topics are approved by the module leader early in the module. The project supervisor has responsibility to monitor the progress of the student's schedule of activities during the module. Students and supervisors agree written minutes of each tutorial. Students receive individual feedback (around a third of the way through the module) on the quality of the research protocol in the summative assessment. Students also receive individual feedback at the same time on their research ethics from the relevant University research ethics committee. Students receive individual feedback (prior to fieldwork starting) on the health and safety issues of their fieldwork using the University's fieldwork risk assessment procedure.Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Project | Project report - 5,000 words | 70.00 |
| ------------------------- | Research protocol - 2,500 words | 30.00 |
| ------------------------- | Research ethics - using the research protocol assessment: PASS/FAIL | 0.00 |
| ------------------------- | Risk assessment form - length as required: PASS/FAIL | 0.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
The format of this assessment is subject to change due to restrictions imposed by Covid-19; the assessment will continue to meet the learning outcomes and the PSRB requirements. The research protocol and project report compensate each other, ie it is possible for a student to fail one component but still pass the module overall. This is consistent with all other modules offered by NCIHD.
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 12/08/2021
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