Handbook home
Qualitative Research in Public Health (POPH90231)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Online
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
ebarnard@unimelb.edu.au
r.chenhall@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/
Semester 2
ebarnard@unimelb.edu.au
r.chenhall@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 - Online Semester 2 - Online |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
This is a compulsory subject in the Master of Public Health. Qualitative research plays an important role in public health as it can explain how people experience a particular health issue or why they perform a health-related behavior, taking into account specific social, political and economic contexts. Public health practitioners need to be able to undertake and interpret a range of published research (including qualitative research) in order to gather evidence for practice, identify gaps in evidence and evaluate current practice.
This subject will introduce students to qualitative research in public health - both the principles underlying design and the strengths and weaknesses of different qualitative methodologies. It will cover a range of methods, such as individual interviews, group interviews, visual and participatory methods. Each element of research design will be covered, from recognising research paradigms and sampling strategies through to the different types of analysis. Students will learn how to design, plan and evaluate qualitative research as sources of evidence in public health.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students will be able to:
- Describe the contribution of qualitative research to public health
- Describe various research paradigms and reflect on how they impact the design and conduct of research
- Identify ethical issues in qualitative research, and define the particular ethical principles that apply to research with indigenous communities.
- Devise research questions suitable to qualitative research
- Formulate a qualitative research design to answer a public health question, including; selecting the population and sample, recruitment methods, data collection tools and approach to analyses.
- Identify the key steps in the development of data collection tools (e.g. interviews, focus groups, and observation)
- Critically appraise the findings, strengths and weaknesses of published qualitative research in public health.
Generic skills
Upon completion of this subject students will have developed skills in:
- Critical thinking and analysis
- Problem-solving
- Finding, evaluating and using relevant information
- Written communication
- Persuasion and argumentation
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
A short-answer written assignment
| Week 5 | 35% |
A research proposal
| During the examination period | 60% |
A critical reflection on achievement of course objectives through classroom and assessment activities
| During the examination period | 5% |
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 1 - Online
Coordinators Emma Barnard and Richard Chenhall Mode of delivery Online Contact hours Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 27 February 2023 to 28 May 2023 Last self-enrol date 10 March 2023 Census date 31 March 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 May 2023 Assessment period ends 23 June 2023 Semester 1 contact information
ebarnard@unimelb.edu.au
r.chenhall@unimelb.edu.auMelbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/
- Semester 2 - Online
Coordinators Emma Barnard and Richard Chenhall Mode of delivery Online Contact hours 12 hours of recorded and online instructional content and 12 hours in tutorials either online or face-to-face (optional) Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 24 July 2023 to 22 October 2023 Last self-enrol date 4 August 2023 Census date 31 August 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 September 2023 Assessment period ends 17 November 2023 Semester 2 contact information
ebarnard@unimelb.edu.au
r.chenhall@unimelb.edu.auMelbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: https://study.unimelb.edu.au/
What do these dates mean
Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:
- Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
- And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
- Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement.
Last updated: 31 January 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
None
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Course Master of Public Health Informal specialisation Sexual Health Major Public Health Informal specialisation Gerontology Major Tailored Specialisation Major Tailored Specialisation Informal specialisation Health, Gender and Society Informal specialisation Infectious Disease Epidemiology Informal specialisation Health Policy, Systems and Practice Informal specialisation Indigenous Health Informal specialisation Global Health Informal specialisation Doctor of Medicine Informal specialisation Epidemiology and Biostatistics Informal specialisation Evaluation and Implementation Science Informal specialisation Health Economics and Economic Evaluation Major Environment and Public Health Major Tailored Specialisation - Links to additional information
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 31 January 2024