module specification

 The module aims to provide students with an opportunity to analyse a management issue in policy implementation in the fields of health or social care. It will enable students to reflect on and critically appraise the range of issues which a particular policy is designed to address and provide an opportunity to build on students’ existing knowledge and experience of policy development and implementation. Using a range of theoretical and practice-based perspectives from social science disciplines, students’ will apply their understanding of how the context affects the implementation of policy and the role of managers in assuring the effectiveness.
Students are expected to be self-motivating and able to work independently. They will have completed SH7xxx Research for Health and Social Care before undertaking the Dissertation, and will already have produced a Research Proposal which should provide the basis for their dissertation.

The module aims:
 To integrate the skills and knowledge-base underpinning the core modules on the Masters programme and focus these on management of a specific policy in the field of health or social care
 To apply appropriate knowledge of related research as well as theory, policy and practice in relation to the chosen issue
 To promote critical reflection on the process of developing and executing a post-graduate level dissertation.

SH7xxx Research Methods for Health and Social Care

 The dissertation is mainly self-directed, however, a series of workshops, seminars, and supervisory support is made available.

Students receive support in the form of online seminars, workshops, and from a designated supervisor for 15 weeks, to prepare students to complete and write up their dissertation research in the following 15 weeks (supervision support continues during the second 15 weeks).

Workshop and online seminar support is provided in the following areas:
An orientation to the dissertation project
The supervision process
Constructing a relevant research question
Structuring the dissertation
Writing the dissertation

 On completion of the module, students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate an ability to systematically plan, organise and write a substantive Masters level project on a topic of health management and policy relevance, accurately applying academic conventions.
2.    Select, synthesise and apply appropriate social science theories, methodologies, techniques and ethical principles to inform their own inquiry
3.    Critically reflect on relevant management theories, processes and techniques in an applied context
4.    Demonstrate synthesis between the literature and materials used and the findings of the project
5.    Interpret and evaluate evidence systematically and critically to make sound judgements
6.    Communicate key issues, arguments, findings and conclusions clearly in a style that conforms to academic conventions.

 The dissertation is assessed through the submission of a 12,000 - 15,000 word dissertation (90%) usually submitted in week 13 of the relevant semester.

 Core texts:
Aveyard, H. (2014). Doing a literature review in health and social care. (3rd edition). Berkshire: McGraw-Hill

Aveyard, H. (2011). A beginner’s guide to critical thinking and writing in health and social care. Berkshire: McGraw-Hill

Bell, Judith, (2014), Doing your research project: a guide for first-time researchers /
Maidenhead : McGraw-Hill Education

Bowling, A. (2014). Research methods in health. Investigating health and health services. (4th edition). Berkshire: McGraw Hill

Davies, Martin & Hughes, Nathan, (2014),Doing a successful research project: using qualitative or quantitative methods, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.

O'Leary, Zina,(2017) . The essential guide to doing your research project / London:
SAGE Publications Ltd .

Thomas, Gary, (2017), How to do your research project: a guide for students / London :
SAGE Publications

Walliman, Nicholas, (2011), Your research project : designing and planning your work /
London: SAGE.

Additional Texts:

Avebury. Silverman, D (2011), Interpreting Qualitative Data, 4th ed, London: Sage
Publications.

Fetterman, D M (2009), Ethnography: Step by Step, 3rd ed, London: Sage Publications

Hart, J (2004), Doing Your Masters Dissertation, SAGE

May, T (2011), Social Research: Methods, Issues, Problems, 4th edn., Milton Keynes:
Open University Press.

Punch, K.F. (2006), Developing effective research proposals, 2nd edn, SAGE

Vaus, D (2012), Surveys in Social Research, 6th edn., London: Routledge.

Yin, R K (2008), Case Study Research, London: 4th ed, Sage Publication