THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Health in Social Science : Nursing Studies

Postgraduate Course: Designing Research in Nursing, Health and Social Care (NUST11092)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Health in Social Science CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryDesigning Research in Nursing, Health and Social Care introduces students to key principles in designing nursing, health and social care research. This course will take students through the research design process, from searching the literature, to identifying and formulating a research question, looking at ethical considerations when designing research and the decisions that need to be made in justifying methodological and method(s) choices. Students will also be introduced to epistemological and theoretical perspectives that underline methodological choices when designing research as well as the role of reflexivity in qualitative research and the significance of the scientific method in quantitative research.
Course description On completion of this course, students are expected to have gained a detailed and critical understanding of the principle issues in designing nursing, health and social care research. Students will be able to conduct a literature search in a systematic way, develop and justify a sound research question and defend their methodological choices.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements First degree or equivalent. As required for the MSc Advancing Nursing Practice. A basic (undergraduate) knowledge of research methods is expected.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 10, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 176 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) The summative assessment for this course consists of the development of a research question and its justification (2,500 words, 100%).

There will also be a formative assessment.
Feedback Systematically conducted literature search with a 500-1,000 word written report on how this literature search was conducted, including the production of a Prisma flow diagram. Students can conduct this search on a topic of their interest but not on the topic for their summative assignment.

Students will have a Library session before this assignment to equip them with the necessary skills to conduct this work.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the role of research in nursing, health and social care.
  2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of how feasible research questions are developed, including the appreciation of alternative research approaches.
  3. Understand and critically reflect on the importance of searching the literature systematically, including the development of a search strategy and its justification.
  4. Understand the significance of different theoretical and epistemological positions in research and its application to research (e.g. research design, methodological and analytical choices).
  5. Demonstrate a critical understanding of ethical principles and how these apply to nursing, health and social care research.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Students develop their ability in developing a research question that is amenable to empirical investigation, apply their critical thinking and reasoning skills in research design and develop transferable skills in relation to identifying and location evidence.
KeywordsResearch,Research design,Nursing,Health care,Social care
Contacts
Course organiserDr Susanne Kean
Tel: (0131 6)50 3042
Email: susanne.kean@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMr David Morris
Tel: (0131 6)51 3969
Email: dmorri14@exseed.ed.ac.uk
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