Course Catalogue

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Part 1 of the Honours year that involves the undertaking of an extended piece of action research within a defined health and social sector organisation. This course introduces students to the general research process - undertaking a literature review; creating a research proposal and applying for ethical approval through the SoIS Ethics Committee.

A group workshop will meet weekly.

Additionally, one-to-one supervision will normally be available every week. The regularity and length of each meeting may be adjusted as appropriate.

Mandatory Entry Requirements

Entry to the course will be dependent on the completion of 360 credits; Honours Entry Grade Point Average of 11 or higher (i.e. weighted 50% for Levels 1&2, and 50% for Level 3 results).

Recommended Entry Requirements

As above

None

Honours Action Research Project (semester 2)

Literature Review (45%)

Research proposal (45%)

Viva (10%)

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to:

1. Develop self-directed skills in research question formulation, literature searching, critical analysis and project planning in the context of an appropriate action-oriented health or social policy issue.

2. Develop skills in managing the negotiated nature of investigative research work in an applied health and social sector practice context.

3. Promote articulation between this ground and the variety of insights that students have gained from study in the rest of the programme.

4. Nurture self-sufficiency and intellectual curiosity in applied health and social sector research.

5. Stimulate critical reflection on the personal, ethical, organisational and political ramifications of such work.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate proficiency in research question formulation, literature searching, critical analysis and project planning in the context of an appropriate action-oriented health or social policy issue.

2. Manage the negotiated nature of investigative research work in an applied health and social sector practice context.

3. Articulate the nature of the specific research ground with insights gained from study in the rest of the programme.

4. Demonstrate self-sufficiency and intellectual curiosity in applied health and social sector research.

5. Reflect critically upon the personal, ethical, organisational and political ramifications of such work.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.