Qualitative Research in Public Health (POPH90231)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5Dual-Delivery (Parkville)

You’re viewing the 2025 Handbook:
Or view archived Handbooks

Overview

Availability
Semester 1 - Dual-Delivery
Semester 2 - Dual-Delivery
FeesLook 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: 8 November 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: 8 November 2024

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

A short-answer written assignment

  • 1500 words
Week 535%

A research proposal

  • 3000 words
During the examination period60%

A critical reflection on achievement of course objectives through classroom and assessment activities

  • 500 words
During the examination period5%

Last updated: 8 November 2024

Dates & times

  • Semester 1
    CoordinatorEmma Barnard
    Mode of deliveryDual-Delivery (Parkville)
    Contact hours
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period 3 March 2025 to 1 June 2025
    Last self-enrol date14 March 2025
    Census date31 March 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail 9 May 2025
    Assessment period ends27 June 2025

    Semester 1 contact information

    ebarnard@unimelb.edu.au 

    Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

    OR

    Currently enrolled students:

    Future Students:



  • Semester 2
    Principal coordinatorRichard Chenhall
    CoordinatorEmma Barnard
    Mode of deliveryDual-Delivery (Parkville)
    Contact hours12 hours of recorded and online instructional content and 12 hours in tutorials either online or face-to-face (optional)
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period28 July 2025 to 26 October 2025
    Last self-enrol date 8 August 2025
    Census date 1 September 2025
    Last date to withdraw without fail26 September 2025
    Assessment period ends21 November 2025

    Semester 2 contact information

    ebarnard@unimelb.edu.au 
    r.chenhall@unimelb.edu.au

    Melbourne School of Population and Global Health

    OR

    Currently enrolled students:

    Future Students:



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: 8 November 2024

Further information

Last updated: 8 November 2024