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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2024/2025

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Health in Social Science : Interdisciplinary Social Sciences in Health

Postgraduate Course: Community participation in professional practice: involving publics in research, design and evaluation (ISSH11021)

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
SummaryService providers now have the responsibility to include local people or affected communities in their professional practice, particularly in the design and evaluation of interventions. Research, notably on health and social issues, is required to demonstrate community participation - more recently using terms such as public engagement and co-production. However, the extension of involvement in the traditionally expert-led processes of research, design and evaluation raises significant methodological and ethical questions for the research process.

This course meets a training need for a range of individuals and organisations attempting to establish individual projects and the transformation of organisations towards greater community participation in research and evaluation. Organisations include statutory bodies (NHS, NICE, HSE), government departments and agencies, local authorities, independent health and social care providers (including charities), research and innovation institutions (universities, NIHR, MRC) overseas governments and international agencies (World Health Organisation, United Nations High Commission on Refugees, Oxfam). It aims to provide practitioners with a structured opportunity for study, dialogue, application and reflection.

It will be offered as an option for students on the following MSc degree courses ¿ Public Health, International Health, Global Health: Non communicable Diseases, Integrated Service Improvement and Science Communication. When taken together, the two residential sessions will also constitute a stand alone CPD short course, with assessed and accredited components.

This course will be taught using blended and work-based learning, including the use of a virtual learning environment. Students will gain an understanding of approaches to participatory research that involve communities as collaborators. Using an examination of a series of case studies, they will learn how to apply them in a range of contexts in professional practice, including the framing of research questions, data gathering and the interpretation of results for policy-makers. Students will learn core skills such as building collaborations with diverse types of individuals and communities, the co-design of research protocols and deliberative processes of dialogue and mutual learning.

The course is aimed both at professionals attempting to apply these techniques in their organisations and graduate students who will propose, and where possible carry out, projects in collaboration with public and third sector organisations.
Course description Not entered
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
Successful students will at the end of the course will be able to:

a) Knowledge and project management of community participation

1.Have a critical understanding of conceptual, theoretical and methodological dimensions of community participation.
2.Have an awareness of the current policy and practice issues, including organisational contexts which are relevant to community participation.
3.Use critical judgement to select appropriate representatives of interest groups that could potentially be involved in different types of participatory research and evaluation.
4.Design and develop strategies for community involvement.
5.Understand, and be able to develop, community collaborations.
6.Manage their own learning and development.

(b) Transferable skills
1.Have a critical understanding and application of the basic principles of strategic planning processes.
2.Apply a range of practical skills, including design, management, facilitation, communication, networking, evaluation and teamwork.
3.Apply critical thinking, analysis and reflective practice, based on an awareness of personal values and attitudes.
4.Apply systematic approaches in the academic environment, the workplace and in personal situations where knowledge needs to be expanded.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserProf Heather Wilkinson
Tel: (0131 6)51 3925
Email: H.Wilkinson@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Sue Larsen
Tel: (0131 6)51 6671
Email: Sue.Larsen@ed.ac.uk
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