pgcert in qualitative health research methods

Level: Postgraduate

Duration: 1–2 years part-time

Start date: October 2024

Open to applications for 2024 entry.

Up to a week's notice of closure will be provided. Please check the admissions status .

The Programme is delivered in conjunction with Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences and is supported by the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine.

Postgraduate Certificate in Qualitative Health Research Methods

Course details, developing future leaders in qualitative research.

This course aims to develop future leaders in qualitative research. It will equip students with the skills they need to conduct high quality, robust qualitative research. Through face-to-face and online sessions, students will develop excellence in the design, conduct and critical appraisal of qualitative research. All sessions are led by expert tutors with significant experience in research and teaching. 

This course will suit novices to qualitative research and those who have some experience, but want to hone their skills. It is designed for both busy professionals and full-time students. 

The Programme is delivered in partnership with Oxford's  Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences,   one of the world's most important  academic centres for primary care, and leaders in world-class research and training  for over 20 years.  It is also supported by the  Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine .  Find out more about the history of the centre and the Evidence-Based Health Care Programme  here .

Course Director:  Anne-Marie Boylan , Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences

Watch the video below for more information about the course and the student experience:

Student opinion

You can also watch former student Mike Tringale discussing why qualitative research methods are so important in evidence-based medicine and how they provide transferrable skills for real-world decision-making on YouTube here .

Quick links

Programme details, course aims, fees and funding.

• Application details – entry requirements and how to apply

Accommodation

The Postgraduate Certificate in Qualitative Health Research Methods is a part-time course. There are three compulsory modules which can be taken over 1–2 years. 

• Qualitative Research Methods : Provides an introductory overview of the principles and practice of qualitative research.
• Advanced Qualitative Research Methods : Provides students with the knowledge, insights and techniques relating to the more advanced aspects of qualitative research.
• Mixed Methods in Health Research : Introduces students to the nature and design of mixed methods research.

The majority of modules are run over either an eight, or fifteen week learning cycle.  Most modules are either delivered fully online or in a blended format, however, some modules are only delivered with a blended format that includes a 5 day attendance in Oxford, and some are only run entirely online.  In any given year, not all delivery formats for a module may be available.

Blended format: an initial period of self-directed study is spent on introductory activities using a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This is followed by a week spent in Oxford for supported face-to-face teaching, and then a further period of Post-Oxford activities (a mixture of self-directed and supported distance learning also delivered through the VLE). The final week of each module is for self-directed personal study, shortly followed by the assignment submission.  

Fully online format: These are delivered through the VLE with the first week allocated to self-directed introductory activities. This is followed by an intensive week of 5 consecutive days of synchronous and asynchronous teaching sessions, and then a further period of activities (A mixture of self-directed and supported distance learning also delivered through the VLE). The final week of each module is for self-directed personal study, shortly followed by the assignment submission.  Courses usually run over an 8 week period.

Part-time attendance details

As a part-time student, you must complete at minimum of one compulsory module ‘in person’ in Oxford. Each ‘in person’ module requires you to attend a week (5 days) in Oxford for supported face to face teaching. Your other modules can be made up of a mix of ‘in person’ or fully online modules. For additional note: All students are required to attend a minimum of one module in each academic year on course. This can either be ‘in person’ or fully online.

Assessment methods

Assessment for each module will be based on a written assignment, which shall not be of more than 4,000 words.

This course aims to provide holistic training in qualitative methods, developing students’ ability to design, conduct and critically appraise qualitative research, and their ability to engage with theory and wider debates.

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

• Independently develop, design and conduct primary qualitative research, confidently adopting a flexible approach as per the philosophical underpinnings of this mode of naturalistic inquiry;
• Critically reflect on their role (and the role of the research team) in the research process, appreciating the consequences this has on the research they conduct, whilst endeavouring to mitigate its impact;
• Critically engage with all aspects of qualitative research, including various methodological approaches and quality appraisal;
• Critically engage with theory and wider debate in qualitative research (including on elements associated with rigour, such as critical appraisal)

Fee rates for the academic year 2024-25*

*Rates for 2025/26 to be confirmed

These rates (in pounds sterling) are for students joining in the 2024-25 academic year and will increase annually.

Illustration for full programme (completing in one year):

• Annual award fee: £8,455*
• Module fees: £2,570 (per taught module)*

Total fee = £16,165*

The annual award fee is due for every academic year (or part-year) attended; module fees are due in advance as invoiced. Fees must be paid in accordance with the Terms and Conditions for the programme.

• The fee rates listed are for the academic year shown, and you should be aware that these rates will increase annually.
• The Illustration is based on the fee rates for the academic year shown; however, fee rates for attendance in future years will increase, so students attending for more than one year should expect the total to be higher than is shown in the Illustration. The exact amount will depend on the fee rates set annually, and upon the years you are in attendance; these are normally published well before the start of each academic year, but for your own budgetary purposes you may wish to estimate a 9.9% annual increase on fee rates.

Scholarships

Details of funding opportunities, including grants, bursaries, loans, scholarships and benefit information are available on our  Sources of Funding page .

Application details

Levels and demands.

For the full Selection Criteria please refer to the Graduate Admissions and Funding website .

How to apply

Applications for this course should be made via the  University of Oxford Graduate Admissions website.  This website includes further information about this course and a guide to applying .

Early application for the programme is advised. Applications which have not been fully completed before the application deadline cannot be considered, so please ensure any applications are received by us in good time so that we may advise of missing or incorrectly completed elements. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to telephone interview, and asked to provide evidence of their funding for the programme.

Applications open in September for entry in the following academic year.  To see if this course is still open for applications for admission please visit the University of Oxford Graduate Admissions website . Courses with a green admission status are open for applications, amber means the course will be closing at 12 noon on the following Friday and red means it has closed to new applications.

For further information on applying, please refer to the Application Guide. Please read our Terms and Conditions before submitting your application. If you would like to discuss your application or any part of the application process before applying please contact:

Tel: +44 (0)1865 270453 - Email: [email protected]

Central accommodation for visitors and students at the Department for Continuing Education

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

Evidence-based health care programme Overview

Msc in evidence-based health care, msc in ebhc teaching and education, postgraduate diploma in health research, postgraduate certificate in health research, evidence-based health care bulletin, evidence-based health care upcoming courses, evidence-based health care programme talks.

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Health Research Methods - MSc/ PGDip/ PGCert

Annual tuition fee for 2024/25: UK: £10,530 full-time International: £23,310 full-time More details

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Our most reliable knowledge about health, diseases and their treatment comes from high-quality research. This programme develops the skills you need to understand the critical elements in planning, undertaking and analysing research in health care - vital skills for anyone wanting to develop or enhance their career in health care and health-related research.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

Our modules can be accessed in a variety of ways including as standalone modules (10 or 20 credits each) or through the 60 credit PG Certificate; 120 credit PG Diploma or the 180 credit Masters

If you wish to study this programme to Postgraduate Diploma level then you will need to complete the taught elements of the programme but will not need to complete a dissertation, which is only available to those studying for the Masters.

This modular multidisciplinary programme offers a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or a Masters in Health Research Methods and is particularly suitable for:

• clinical and allied health professionals (including doctors, nurses, midwives, dietitians, physiotherapists)
• laboratory-based scientists wishing to further understand or transition to population-based research
• graduates looking to launch their career in health research
• intercalating medical students who have completed at least three years of full-time study
• those in the commercial health care sector (including the pharmaceutical or devices industries), public sector organisations (including local government), NGOs, voluntary sector and charities
• foundation skills for postgraduate research programmes (including PhD)

The aims of the course are to provide a world class programme that meets the needs of those wanting or needing:

• a detailed understanding of the range of methodologies and analyses utilised in applied health research
• the necessary skills to critically interpret the findings of health research resulting from different methodologies.

MSc intercalation

Please note that this programme can be taken as an intercalated option for those studying MBChB Medicine and Surgery at another Institution. To apply for the Intercalated MSc Health Research Methods please fill in this registration form and we will be in touch with details about how to apply. For more information, please contact us on [email protected] .

Why study this course?

• You will gain an advanced understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods in a global health care context. The programme provides in-depth knowledge and practical experience of the range of methodologies and analyses applied in health-related research and will enable critical interpretation of the findings of health research resulting from different methodologies
• This programme is run and taught by researchers and lecturers actively involved in leading health research nationally and internationally.
• The programme has a modular nature which allows the flexibility for participants to shape the programme to fit their needs and teaching takes place in one-week blocks.
• The programme is delivered in a progressive dynamic environment of up-to-date health research that employs rigour, discipline, and high standards.
• The University of Birmingham is a thriving and dynamic institution that combines over a century of heritage with one of the most compelling and ambitious agendas in higher education. It is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions for clinical, pre-clinical and health. With world-leading activity across a range of subjects, it remains one of the UK’s most broadly-based research-led universities.
• The University has a particularly strong track record in Health Research and Health Research Methodology.

This modular multidisciplinary programme in Heath Research Methods offers a Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits) and a Masters in Health Research Methods (180 credits). This programme is vital for anyone wanting to develop or enhance their career in health care and health-related research.

You will gain knowledge and understanding of:

• the range and application of research methods in health care
• critical evaluation and interpretation of published literature
• epidemiology, to a level that enables formulation of appropriate questions about health at a population level, the selection of appropriate techniques through which such questions can be addressed and the analysis, synthesis and presentation of the data collected
• statistical tests and their proper use in the analysis of various types of data, to a level that will enable critical analysis of statistical approaches in the epidemiological and clinical trials literature and the correct application of statistics in their own project work

You will attain the ability to:

• critically evaluate published literature, analyse and interpret data and devise areas for further study
• design and undertake research in a relevant field
• undertake self-directed learning and applying these skills in future work
• appropriately synthesise and present existing and new research findings and concepts

The programme can be studied either full-time, part-time or over up to five years by flexible learning. Non UK/EU students may only study the programme on full-time basis.

Core modules:

You will study the following core modules:

• Introductory module (non-assessed programme overview week)
• Epidemiology Statistics and Research Methods (20credits)
• Practical Epidemiology and Statistics * (20 credits)
• Dissertation (60 credits)

Optional modules:

You will choose 80 credits from the list below.

• Healthcare Public Health * (10 credits)
• Health Economics * (10 credits)
• Qualitative Research Methods * (20 credits)
• Systematic Reviews and Evidence Synthesis * (20 credits)
• Clinical Trials (MPH) * (20 credits)
• Economic Evaluation in Health Care * (20 credits)
• Health Information and Health Informatics * (10 credits)
• Advanced Statistical Methods * (10 credits)
• Mixed Methods Research Designs * (20 credits)

Please note: some optional modules may have pre-requisites

Postgraduate Diploma

You will take the 120 credits from taught modules as per the Masters choices but will not complete the dissertation.

Postgraduate Certificate

You will obtain 60 credits from a choice of core and optional modules. You can transfer from the Certificate to Diploma and from Diploma to the Masters based on appropriate performance.

*These modules are available on a stand-alone basis. For more details click on the module title.

• UK: £10,530 full-time; £5,265 part-time
• International: £23,310 full-time; £11,655 part-time

Intercalation option:

• UK: £16,290
• UK: £7,020 full-time; part-time £3,510
• International: £15,540 full-time
• UK: £3,510 full-time
• International: £7,770 full-time

Applicants will need to pay a £500 non-refundable deposit at the point of accepting an offer to study on the programme. The deposit is put towards payment of fees when students join the course.

Self funding students can choose to pay in instalments by direct debit .

Learn more about fees and funding .

Are you an international applicant?

Find out more about the deposit >> .

Postgraduate Loans for Masters students

As a UK resident you can apply for a government loan for postgraduate Masters study. This is a contribution towards the costs of study and whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs will be at the discretion of the student.

Find out more about the Postgraduate Loan

Birmingham Masters Scholarship Scheme

The University of Birmingham is offering over 60 awards of £2,000, based on academic and professional performance. Applications are now open. Deadline for applications is Friday 31 July 2020.

Find out more and apply now

Overseas Research Scholarships

International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government. Visit our website for information about  scholarships for international students .

For information about all Home/EU and International funding opportunities please visit the  Postgraduate Funding Database .

How To Apply

How to apply for our taught postgraduate programmes

Application deadlines

The deadline for international students (including EU) to apply is 7 May 2024. The deadline for UK students is 30 August 2024.

Making your application

• How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate taught programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the taught programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

Enthusiasm and commitment are vital, while formal entry requirements include:

• usually a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) in medicine, a life/ biological science or another relevant subject
• an interest in health research methods
• an interest in evidence-based healthcare

 On a case by case situation, we also consider:

• other classes of degree and or relevant professional qualifications
• experience of working in health or a related field

Applications are also welcome from UK medical students who wish to intercalate and have completed at least three years of full-time study.

Please note: applications are considered as they are received throughout the year with places awarded to candidates meeting the entry requirements as they are received. Therefore we suggest that overseas students apply early and applications will need to be received by June to enable enough time for processing.

Applications from UK students can be accepted until early August.

International Requirements

Holders of a Licence, Diplome, Diplome d'Etudes Superieures, Diplome d'Ingenieur or a Diplome d'Architecte from a recognised university in Algeria will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of one of these qualifications will normally be expected to have achieved a score of 15/20 for 2:1 equivalency or 13/20 for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

A Bachelors (Honours) degree from an accredited Australian higher education institution may be considered for admission to a Masters degree.   Applicants with 3 year Bachelors with distinction from a recognised university, can be considered for admission to a Masters degree.

Holders of a Diplom, a Diplomstudium/Magister or a three-year Bachelors degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 for 2:1 equivalency or 3.0 for 2:2 equivalency, or a high-scoring Fachhochschuldiplom (FH) from a recognised Austrian Fachhochschule, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

 Holders of a bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Bahrain will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a Bachelors (Honours) degree of three years duration, followed by a Masters degree of one or two years duration from a recognised university in Bangladesh will be considered for postgraduate taught study. Students with a Bachelors degree of at least four years duration may also be considered for postgraduate study. Degrees must be from a recognised institution in Bangladesh.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or 65% or above for 2:1 equivalency, or a GPA of 2.6-3.1/4.0 or 60% or above for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

• A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
• A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma za Zavarsheno Visshe Obrazovanie (‘Diploma of Completed Higher Education’), a pre-2001 Masters degree or a post-2001 Bachelors degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 5 out of 6, mnogo dobur/’very good’ for 2:1 equivalence; or 4 out of 6, dobur/’good’ for 2:2 equivalence; will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022（总榜） ，  软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程（MBA除外）入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求

Please note:

• Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求（5%以内），但具有出色学术背景，优异的专业成绩，以及（或）相关的工作经验，部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
• Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma Visoko Obrazovanje (Advanced Diploma of Education) or Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, for 2:1 equivalence or 3.0 out of 5.0, dobar ‘good’, for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Holders of a good four-year government-accredited Bachelors degree from a recognised Higher Education college with a minimum overall GPA of 3 out of 4 for 2:1 equivalency, or a GPA of 2.75 out of 4 for 2:2 equivalency; or a good four-year Bachelors degree (Ptychio) from a recognised University, with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 5.5 for 2:2 equivalency; will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a good Bakalár, or a good pre-2002 Magistr, from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), for 2:1 equivalence, or 2.5, C, dobre ‘good’ (post-2004) or 3, dobre ‘pass’ (pre-2004) for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good Bachelors degree/Candidatus Philosophiae, Professionbachelor or Eksamensbevis from a recognised Danish university, with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence, or 4-7 out of 12 (or 7 out of 13) for 2:2 equivalence depending on the awarding institution will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Egypt will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4 for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8 for 2:2 equivalency. Applicants holding a Bachelors degree with alternative grading systems, will normally be expected to have achieved a 75% (Very Good) for 2:1 equivalency or 65% (Good) for 2:2 equivalency. For applicants with a grading system different to those mentioned here, please contact [email protected] for advice on what the requirements will be for you.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university or Applied Higher Education Institution with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B for 2:1 equivalency or 3/5 or C for 2:2 equivalency, or a good Rakenduskõrgharidusõppe Diplom (Professional Higher Education Diploma), will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Ammattikorkeakoulututkinto (AMK) (new system), an Yrkeshögskoleexamen (YHS) (new system), a Kandidaatti / Kandidat (new system), an Oikeustieteen Notaari or a Rättsnotarie, a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 3-4/5 for 2:1 equivalence or 1-2/3 or 2.5-3/5 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good three-year Licence, License Professionnelle, Diplôme d'Ingénieur/Architecte Diplômé d'État, Diplôme from an Ecole Superieure de Commerce / Gestion / Politique, or Diplome d'Etat Maitrise of three years duration or a Maîtrise from a recognised French university or Grande École will be considered for postgraduate taught study.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, bien, for 2:1 equivalency, or 11 out of 20, assez bien, for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Holders of a good three-year Bachelor degree, a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university, or a good Fachhochschuldiplom from a Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences), with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 for 2:1 equivalency, or 3.0 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students from Germany who have completed three years of the Erstes Staatsexamen qualification with a grade point average (GPA) of 10 from the first six semesters of study within the Juristische Universitätsprüfung programme would be considered for entry onto LLM programmes.  Students from Germany who have completed the five year Erstes Staatsexamen qualification with a grade point average (GPA) of 6.5 would be considered for entry onto LLM programmes. 

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) from a recognised Greek university (AEI) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 5.5 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalency, or a good four-year Ptychio from a recognised Technical Higher Education institution (TEI) with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 6.5 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés (Bachelors degree) or Egyetemi Oklevel (university diploma) from a recognised Hungarian university, or a Foiskola Oklevel (college diploma) from a recognised college of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 3.5 for 2:1 equivalency, or 3 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a Bachelors degree of three or four years in duration from a recognised university in India will be considered for postgraduate taught study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved 55% - 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency, or 50% - 55% for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Either: A four-year Bachelors degree (first class or very good upper second class)

Or: A three-year Bachelors degree (first class) from recognised institutions in India.

For MSc programmes, the Business School will consider holders of three-year degree programmes (first class or very good upper second class) from recognised institutions in India.

For entry to LLM programmes, Birmingham is happy to accept applications from 3 or 5 year LLB holders from India from prestigious institutions.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Iran with a minimum of 14/20 or 70% will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate taught programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Iraq will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency, or 2.8/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Israel will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 80% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a good Diploma di Laurea, Licenza di Accademia di Belle Arti, Diploma di Mediatore Linguistico or Diploma Accademico di Primo Livello from a recognised Italian university with a minimum overall grade of 100 out of 110 for 2:1 equivalence, or 92 out of 110 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Jordan will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Kuwait will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a good pre-2000 Magistrs or post-2000 Bakalaurs from a recognised university, or a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 6.5 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Lebanon will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a score of 16/20 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency, or 14/20 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good Bakalauras (post 2001), Profesinis Bakalauras (post 2001) or pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalency, or 7 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good Bachelors degree or Diplôme d'Ingénieur Industriel from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20 for 2:1 equivalence, or 14 out of 20 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Higher Education Institution with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons) for UK 2:1 equivalency, or 2:2 (Hons) for UK 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise from a recognised university in Morocco will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a score of 15/20 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency, or 13/20 for 2:2 equivalency.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors (Honours) degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Nepal will be considered for postgraduate taught study. Students with a Bachelors degree of at least three years duration plus a Masters degree may also be considered for postgraduate study. Degrees must be from a recognised institution in Nepal.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.2/4.0 or 65%-79% average or higher for 2:1 equivalency, or a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 60%-65% for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Dutch university, or Bachelors degree from a recognised Hogeschool (University of Professional Education), or a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university, with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalence, or 6 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Holders of a good three-six-year Bachelorgrad, Candidatus Magisterii, Sivilingeniø (siv. Ing. - Engineering), "Siviløkonom" (siv. Øk. - Economics) degree from a recognised Norwegian education institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, or a GPA of C/Good or 2.6-3.2 for a 2.2 equivalency; will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Oman will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years in duration from a recognised university in Pakistan will be considered for postgraduate taught study. Students with a Bachelors degree of at least three years duration followed by a Masters degree of one or two years duration, or holders of a two year Bachelors degree and a two year Masters degree in the same subject, may also be considered for postgraduate study.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 2.8-3.0/4.0 or 65% or above for 2:1 equivalency, or a GPA of 2.6/4.0 or 60% or above for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

A two-year degree followed by a three-year LLB will count as a full Bachelors degree.

All qualifications must be from recognised institutions. For further details on recognised institutions, please refer to Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good post-2001 Licencjat / Inzynier (Bachelors degree), or a pre-2001 Magister, from a recognised Polish university, with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus ‘better than good’ for 2:1 equivalence, or 4 out of 5, dobry 'good' for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, bom com distinção ‘good with distinction’, for 2:1 equivalence, or 14 out of 20, bom ‘good’, for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Qatar will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a good Diplomă de Licenţă, Diplomă de Inginer, Diplomă de Urbanist Diplomat, Diplomă de Arhitect, Diplomă de Farmacist or Diplomã de Doctor-Medic Arhitect (Bachelors degree) from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalence, or 7 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a good Диплом Бакалавра (Bakalavr) degree with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 from recognised universities in Russia may be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/MPhil degrees. 

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in the Saudi Arabia will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’ for 2:1 equivalence, or 2, C, Dobrý ‘good’ for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalence, or 7.0 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. 

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Título de Licenciado / Título Universitario Oficial de Graduado (Grado) /Título de Ingeniero / Título de Arquitecto from a recognised Spanish university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10 for 2:1 equivalence, or 6 out of 10 for 2:2 equivalence, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a Special or Professional Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in Sri Lanka will be considered for postgraduate taught study.

Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or B+ for 2:1 equivalency, or 55-59% or a CGPA 3.0/4.0 or B for 2:2 equivalency depending on the awarding institution.  

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd) for 2:1 equivalency, or G (godkänd) for 2:2 equivalency, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes. Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good " Baccalauréat universitaire/ Diplom / Diplôme; Lizentiat / Licence; Staatsdiplom / Diplôme d'Etat" degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Syria will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70%, or ‘very good’ for 2:1 equivalency or 60%, or ‘good’ for 2:2 equivalency.  

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level. Holders of Bachelors degree from prestigious institutions (see list below) will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4.0 for 2:1 equivalency or 2.7 for 2:2 equivalency. Applicants with grades slightly below these requirements may also be considered for an offer if they have a relevant Bachelors degree, good scores in relevant modules, or relevant work experience.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from all other institutions will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.2/4.0 for 2:1 equivalency, or 2.8 for 2:2 equivalency.

Prestigious institutions: Assumption University Chiang Mai University Chulalongkorn University Kasetsart University Khon Kaen University King Mongkut University of Technology - Thonburi (known as KMUTT or KMUT) Mahidol University Prince of Songla University Srinakharinwirot University Thammasat University

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Caribbean and West Indies university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. 

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

• Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
• De La Salle University - Manila
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a Bachelors degree of four years duration from a recognised university in the UAE will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0/4, 3.75/5 or 75% for 2:1 equivalency or 2.8/4, 3.5/5 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.  

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Holders of a good four-year Bachelors degree/ Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised institution, with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence, or a GPA of 3.5/5.0, 3.0/4, 6/12 or 70% for 2:2 equivalence, depending on the awarding institution, will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

• 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
• 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

International Students

Academic requirements.

We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements

You can satisfy our English language requirements in two ways:

• by holding an English language qualification to the right level
• by taking and successfully completing one of our English courses for international students

English to IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6.0 in each component)

If you need help with your English language skills then support is available.

The English for Academic Purposes Presessional course is for international students who have a conditional offer to study at the University, but who do not currently meet the English language requirements. The course is tailored to your level of English and allows you to meet the English language requirements for your programme without retaking IELTS. The EAP programme runs throughout the year and offers different programme lengths ranging from 42 weeks to 6 weeks. The length of course you need depends on your future course, your existing IELTS score and the English level you need for your university degree.

Find out more about the English for Academic Purposes Presessional course.

As a Birmingham student, you will be joining the academic elite and will have the privilege of learning from world-leading experts, as well as your peers. From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.

Teaching takes place in one-week blocks, and you will participate in a range of teaching styles such as lectures, small group tutorials, presentations, peer group learning, self-study etc.

You will have access to a comprehensive support system that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues.

Assessment Methods

Assessment is via a mixture of examination and assignment. If a module is assessed by assignment you will usually have 4-5 weeks to complete it after the module has finished. If a module is assessed by examination it will take place after a period to allow for revision after the taught part of the module has finished.

Masters students complete their degree by also undertaking a research project and writing a 10,000 word dissertation. This provides you with an opportunity to pursue a specific area of health research in depth, and to demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired during the taught part of the programme. It is therefore undertaken only once the taught part of the programme has been successfully completed. The research undertaken for the dissertation will include use of a health research methodology taught on the programme. Examples include; a systematic review, a health equity audit or needs assessment, a quantitative or qualitative study using a previously collected data, a health service review for system improvement

Prizes are presented to the best students on the programme.

The programme provides a range of benefits for potential future employment and the flexibility of module choice enables learning tailored to meet your specific needs. 

For example, the programme:

• provides an excellent basis for a future study towards a PhD in health
• develops further skills to augment progression in your current or next position
• enhances your role within the commercial health care sector (e.g. pharmaceutical, devices and related industries)
• develops your health research skills within the clinical and allied health professions, public sector including local government, NGOs, voluntary sectors and charities
• provides a robust foundation for a transition or entry to population-based health research from a laboratory research background (this is a frequent transition which many of those teaching on the programme have followed, including both Programme Directors) or as a new graduate wishing to launch your career in health research
• to develop skills in applying translational research methodologies

Video -  Professor Neil Thomas is the co-director for the MSc Health Research Methods programme at the University of Birmingham. Here he talks about his research focussing around the determinants and outcomes of cardiometabolic disease.

Careers Support for Postgraduate Students

Careers network – we can help you get ahead in the job market and develop your career.

We recognise that as a postgraduate student you are likely to have specific requirements when it comes to planning for your next career step. Employers expect postgraduates to have a range of skills that exceed their subject knowledge. Careers Network offers a range of events and support services that are designed for all students, including postgraduates looking to find their niche in the job market. The Careers Network also have subject specific careers consultants and advisers for each College so you can be assured the information you receive will be relevant to your subject area. For more information visit the Careers Network website .

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PGCert in Qualitative Health Research Methods

Want to know what it's like to study this course at uni? We've got all the key info, from entry requirements to the modules on offer. If that all sounds good, why not check out reviews from real students or even book onto an upcoming open days ?

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Postgraduate Certificate

University of Oxford

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Course info

Entry requirements, tuition fees.

About the course

The PGCert in Qualitative Health Research Methods will inspire excellence by equipping students with the skills they need to become future leaders in qualitative health research, particularly in designing, conducting and critically appraising qualitative research.

This course will suit novices to qualitative research, as well as those who have some experience but want to hone their skills. It is designed to suit busy professionals and full-time students alike.

The flexible structure of the course has been devised to fit with the structure of specialist training and to accommodate student choice. Through face-to-face and online sessions, students will develop excellence in the design, conduct and critical appraisal of qualitative research.

This course aims to provide holistic training in qualitative methods, developing students’ ability to design, conduct and critically appraise qualitative research and their ability to engage with theory and wider debates.

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

• independently develop, design and conduct primary qualitative research, confidently adopting a flexible approach as per the philosophical underpinnings of this mode of naturalistic inquiry;
• critically reflect on their role (and the role of the research team) in the research process, appreciating the consequences this has on the research they conduct, whilst endeavouring to mitigate its impact;
• critically engage with all aspects of qualitative research, including various methodological approaches and quality appraisal; and
• critically engage with theory and wider debate in qualitative research (including on elements associated with rigour, such as critical appraisal).

This is a joint programme between the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences and the Department for Continuing Education. The programme works in collaboration with the renowned Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine in Oxford.

Assessments are conducted at the end of each module and comprise a written paper, submitted via an online portal. The length of each written assignment should not exceed 4,000 words.

Graduate destinations

This course will equip students with skills and knowledge to help them develop their careers by conducting qualitative research. As such, it will prepare students for academic or applied research.

Module Options

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the equivalent of the following UK qualifications or their equivalent: a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours. A social science degree is recommended but any subject will be considered. Successful completion of a professional training course or professional work experience in the health service or a health-related field may also be considered. For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA normally sought is 3.6 out of 4.0.

Students living in

£8,455 per year

Students from Domestic

Fee per module: £2,570.

Students from EU

Students from International

University Offices Wellington Square Oxford Oxfordshire OX1 2JD

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Short course route to online PgCert Research Methods for Health

Find out about the short course entry route to online PgCert Research Methods for Health . 10% discount for NHS staff.

Start with a short course

Our online short courses provide an alternative entry route to this online Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) if:

• you want to get your postgraduate studies started without committing to a full PgCert
• you’ve missed the deadline to apply for the full PgCert, or
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Courses starting on 23 September 2024

Evidence-Based Health (15 credits)

Learn to extract, assess and use evidence gained in health research.

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Learn how to conduct and understand health-related research and develop your own health-related research proposal.

Qualitative Health Research (15 credits)

Broaden your base of health research skills, and explore new ways of understanding the reality of people’s experiences with healthcare.

Courses starting on 27 January 2025

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Lay the foundations for your studies and learn to design, analyse and interpret findings from health research.

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Qualitative Methods in Health Care Research

Vishnu renjith.

School of Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland - Bahrain (RCSI Bahrain), Al Sayh Muharraq Governorate, Bahrain

Renjulal Yesodharan

1 Department of Mental Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India

Judith A. Noronha

2 Department of OBG Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India

Elissa Ladd

3 School of Nursing, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, USA

Anice George

4 Department of Child Health Nursing, Manipal College of Nursing Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India

Healthcare research is a systematic inquiry intended to generate robust evidence about important issues in the fields of medicine and healthcare. Qualitative research has ample possibilities within the arena of healthcare research. This article aims to inform healthcare professionals regarding qualitative research, its significance, and applicability in the field of healthcare. A wide variety of phenomena that cannot be explained using the quantitative approach can be explored and conveyed using a qualitative method. The major types of qualitative research designs are narrative research, phenomenological research, grounded theory research, ethnographic research, historical research, and case study research. The greatest strength of the qualitative research approach lies in the richness and depth of the healthcare exploration and description it makes. In health research, these methods are considered as the most humanistic and person-centered way of discovering and uncovering thoughts and actions of human beings.

Introduction

Healthcare research is a systematic inquiry intended to generate trustworthy evidence about issues in the field of medicine and healthcare. The three principal approaches to health research are the quantitative, the qualitative, and the mixed methods approach. The quantitative research method uses data, which are measures of values and counts and are often described using statistical methods which in turn aids the researcher to draw inferences. Qualitative research incorporates the recording, interpreting, and analyzing of non-numeric data with an attempt to uncover the deeper meanings of human experiences and behaviors. Mixed methods research, the third methodological approach, involves collection and analysis of both qualitative and quantitative information with an objective to solve different but related questions, or at times the same questions.[ 1 , 2 ]

In healthcare, qualitative research is widely used to understand patterns of health behaviors, describe lived experiences, develop behavioral theories, explore healthcare needs, and design interventions.[ 1 , 2 , 3 ] Because of its ample applications in healthcare, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of health research studies undertaken using qualitative methodology.[ 4 , 5 ] This article discusses qualitative research methods, their significance, and applicability in the arena of healthcare.

Qualitative Research

Diverse academic and non-academic disciplines utilize qualitative research as a method of inquiry to understand human behavior and experiences.[ 6 , 7 ] According to Munhall, “Qualitative research involves broadly stated questions about human experiences and realities, studied through sustained contact with the individual in their natural environments and producing rich, descriptive data that will help us to understand those individual's experiences.”[ 8 ]

Significance of Qualitative Research

The qualitative method of inquiry examines the 'how' and 'why' of decision making, rather than the 'when,' 'what,' and 'where.'[ 7 ] Unlike quantitative methods, the objective of qualitative inquiry is to explore, narrate, and explain the phenomena and make sense of the complex reality. Health interventions, explanatory health models, and medical-social theories could be developed as an outcome of qualitative research.[ 9 ] Understanding the richness and complexity of human behavior is the crux of qualitative research.

Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research

The quantitative and qualitative forms of inquiry vary based on their underlying objectives. They are in no way opposed to each other; instead, these two methods are like two sides of a coin. The critical differences between quantitative and qualitative research are summarized in Table 1 .[ 1 , 10 , 11 ]

Differences between quantitative and qualitative research

Qualitative Research Questions and Purpose Statements

Qualitative questions are exploratory and are open-ended. A well-formulated study question forms the basis for developing a protocol, guides the selection of design, and data collection methods. Qualitative research questions generally involve two parts, a central question and related subquestions. The central question is directed towards the primary phenomenon under study, whereas the subquestions explore the subareas of focus. It is advised not to have more than five to seven subquestions. A commonly used framework for designing a qualitative research question is the 'PCO framework' wherein, P stands for the population under study, C stands for the context of exploration, and O stands for the outcome/s of interest.[ 12 ] The PCO framework guides researchers in crafting a focused study question.

Example: In the question, “What are the experiences of mothers on parenting children with Thalassemia?”, the population is “mothers of children with Thalassemia,” the context is “parenting children with Thalassemia,” and the outcome of interest is “experiences.”

The purpose statement specifies the broad focus of the study, identifies the approach, and provides direction for the overall goal of the study. The major components of a purpose statement include the central phenomenon under investigation, the study design and the population of interest. Qualitative research does not require a-priori hypothesis.[ 13 , 14 , 15 ]

Example: Borimnejad et al . undertook a qualitative research on the lived experiences of women suffering from vitiligo. The purpose of this study was, “to explore lived experiences of women suffering from vitiligo using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach.” [ 16 ]

Review of the Literature

In quantitative research, the researchers do an extensive review of scientific literature prior to the commencement of the study. However, in qualitative research, only a minimal literature search is conducted at the beginning of the study. This is to ensure that the researcher is not influenced by the existing understanding of the phenomenon under the study. The minimal literature review will help the researchers to avoid the conceptual pollution of the phenomenon being studied. Nonetheless, an extensive review of the literature is conducted after data collection and analysis.[ 15 ]

Reflexivity

Reflexivity refers to critical self-appraisal about one's own biases, values, preferences, and preconceptions about the phenomenon under investigation. Maintaining a reflexive diary/journal is a widely recognized way to foster reflexivity. According to Creswell, “Reflexivity increases the credibility of the study by enhancing more neutral interpretations.”[ 7 ]

Types of Qualitative Research Designs

The qualitative research approach encompasses a wide array of research designs. The words such as types, traditions, designs, strategies of inquiry, varieties, and methods are used interchangeably. The major types of qualitative research designs are narrative research, phenomenological research, grounded theory research, ethnographic research, historical research, and case study research.[ 1 , 7 , 10 ]

Narrative research

Narrative research focuses on exploring the life of an individual and is ideally suited to tell the stories of individual experiences.[ 17 ] The purpose of narrative research is to utilize 'story telling' as a method in communicating an individual's experience to a larger audience.[ 18 ] The roots of narrative inquiry extend to humanities including anthropology, literature, psychology, education, history, and sociology. Narrative research encompasses the study of individual experiences and learning the significance of those experiences. The data collection procedures include mainly interviews, field notes, letters, photographs, diaries, and documents collected from one or more individuals. Data analysis involves the analysis of the stories or experiences through “re-storying of stories” and developing themes usually in chronological order of events. Rolls and Payne argued that narrative research is a valuable approach in health care research, to gain deeper insight into patient's experiences.[ 19 ]

Example: Karlsson et al . undertook a narrative inquiry to “explore how people with Alzheimer's disease present their life story.” Data were collected from nine participants. They were asked to describe about their life experiences from childhood to adulthood, then to current life and their views about the future life. [ 20 ]

Phenomenological research

Phenomenology is a philosophical tradition developed by German philosopher Edmond Husserl. His student Martin Heidegger did further developments in this methodology. It defines the 'essence' of individual's experiences regarding a certain phenomenon.[ 1 ] The methodology has its origin from philosophy, psychology, and education. The purpose of qualitative research is to understand the people's everyday life experiences and reduce it into the central meaning or the 'essence of the experience'.[ 21 , 22 ] The unit of analysis of phenomenology is the individuals who have had similar experiences of the phenomenon. Interviews with individuals are mainly considered for the data collection, though, documents and observations are also useful. Data analysis includes identification of significant meaning elements, textural description (what was experienced), structural description (how was it experienced), and description of 'essence' of experience.[ 1 , 7 , 21 ] The phenomenological approach is further divided into descriptive and interpretive phenomenology. Descriptive phenomenology focuses on the understanding of the essence of experiences and is best suited in situations that need to describe the lived phenomenon. Hermeneutic phenomenology or Interpretive phenomenology moves beyond the description to uncover the meanings that are not explicitly evident. The researcher tries to interpret the phenomenon, based on their judgment rather than just describing it.[ 7 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]

Example: A phenomenological study conducted by Cornelio et al . aimed at describing the lived experiences of mothers in parenting children with leukemia. Data from ten mothers were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using Husserl's method of phenomenology. Themes such as “pivotal moment in life”, “the experience of being with a seriously ill child”, “having to keep distance with the relatives”, “overcoming the financial and social commitments”, “responding to challenges”, “experience of faith as being key to survival”, “health concerns of the present and future”, and “optimism” were derived. The researchers reported the essence of the study as “chronic illness such as leukemia in children results in a negative impact on the child and on the mother.” [ 25 ]

Grounded Theory Research

Grounded theory has its base in sociology and propagated by two sociologists, Barney Glaser, and Anselm Strauss.[ 26 ] The primary purpose of grounded theory is to discover or generate theory in the context of the social process being studied. The major difference between grounded theory and other approaches lies in its emphasis on theory generation and development. The name grounded theory comes from its ability to induce a theory grounded in the reality of study participants.[ 7 , 27 ] Data collection in grounded theory research involves recording interviews from many individuals until data saturation. Constant comparative analysis, theoretical sampling, theoretical coding, and theoretical saturation are unique features of grounded theory research.[ 26 , 27 , 28 ] Data analysis includes analyzing data through 'open coding,' 'axial coding,' and 'selective coding.'[ 1 , 7 ] Open coding is the first level of abstraction, and it refers to the creation of a broad initial range of categories, axial coding is the procedure of understanding connections between the open codes, whereas selective coding relates to the process of connecting the axial codes to formulate a theory.[ 1 , 7 ] Results of the grounded theory analysis are supplemented with a visual representation of major constructs usually in the form of flow charts or framework diagrams. Quotations from the participants are used in a supportive capacity to substantiate the findings. Strauss and Corbin highlights that “the value of the grounded theory lies not only in its ability to generate a theory but also to ground that theory in the data.”[ 27 ]

Example: Williams et al . conducted a grounded theory research to explore the nature of relationship between the sense of self and the eating disorders. Data were collected form 11 women with a lifetime history of Anorexia Nervosa and were analyzed using the grounded theory methodology. Analysis led to the development of a theoretical framework on the nature of the relationship between the self and Anorexia Nervosa. [ 29 ]

Ethnographic research

Ethnography has its base in anthropology, where the anthropologists used it for understanding the culture-specific knowledge and behaviors. In health sciences research, ethnography focuses on narrating and interpreting the health behaviors of a culture-sharing group. 'Culture-sharing group' in an ethnography represents any 'group of people who share common meanings, customs or experiences.' In health research, it could be a group of physicians working in rural care, a group of medical students, or it could be a group of patients who receive home-based rehabilitation. To understand the cultural patterns, researchers primarily observe the individuals or group of individuals for a prolonged period of time.[ 1 , 7 , 30 ] The scope of ethnography can be broad or narrow depending on the aim. The study of more general cultural groups is termed as macro-ethnography, whereas micro-ethnography focuses on more narrowly defined cultures. Ethnography is usually conducted in a single setting. Ethnographers collect data using a variety of methods such as observation, interviews, audio-video records, and document reviews. A written report includes a detailed description of the culture sharing group with emic and etic perspectives. When the researcher reports the views of the participants it is called emic perspectives and when the researcher reports his or her views about the culture, the term is called etic.[ 7 ]

Example: The aim of the ethnographic study by LeBaron et al . was to explore the barriers to opioid availability and cancer pain management in India. The researchers collected data from fifty-nine participants using in-depth semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document review. The researchers identified significant barriers by open coding and thematic analysis of the formal interview. [ 31 ]

Historical research

Historical research is the “systematic collection, critical evaluation, and interpretation of historical evidence”.[ 1 ] The purpose of historical research is to gain insights from the past and involves interpreting past events in the light of the present. The data for historical research are usually collected from primary and secondary sources. The primary source mainly includes diaries, first hand information, and writings. The secondary sources are textbooks, newspapers, second or third-hand accounts of historical events and medical/legal documents. The data gathered from these various sources are synthesized and reported as biographical narratives or developmental perspectives in chronological order. The ideas are interpreted in terms of the historical context and significance. The written report describes 'what happened', 'how it happened', 'why it happened', and its significance and implications to current clinical practice.[ 1 , 10 ]

Example: Lubold (2019) analyzed the breastfeeding trends in three countries (Sweden, Ireland, and the United States) using a historical qualitative method. Through analysis of historical data, the researcher found that strong family policies, adherence to international recommendations and adoption of baby-friendly hospital initiative could greatly enhance the breastfeeding rates. [ 32 ]

Case study research

Case study research focuses on the description and in-depth analysis of the case(s) or issues illustrated by the case(s). The design has its origin from psychology, law, and medicine. Case studies are best suited for the understanding of case(s), thus reducing the unit of analysis into studying an event, a program, an activity or an illness. Observations, one to one interviews, artifacts, and documents are used for collecting the data, and the analysis is done through the description of the case. From this, themes and cross-case themes are derived. A written case study report includes a detailed description of one or more cases.[ 7 , 10 ]

Example: Perceptions of poststroke sexuality in a woman of childbearing age was explored using a qualitative case study approach by Beal and Millenbrunch. Semi structured interview was conducted with a 36- year mother of two children with a history of Acute ischemic stroke. The data were analyzed using an inductive approach. The authors concluded that “stroke during childbearing years may affect a woman's perception of herself as a sexual being and her ability to carry out gender roles”. [ 33 ]

Sampling in Qualitative Research

Qualitative researchers widely use non-probability sampling techniques such as purposive sampling, convenience sampling, quota sampling, snowball sampling, homogeneous sampling, maximum variation sampling, extreme (deviant) case sampling, typical case sampling, and intensity sampling. The selection of a sampling technique depends on the nature and needs of the study.[ 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ] The four widely used sampling techniques are convenience sampling, purposive sampling, snowball sampling, and intensity sampling.

Convenience sampling

It is otherwise called accidental sampling, where the researchers collect data from the subjects who are selected based on accessibility, geographical proximity, ease, speed, and or low cost.[ 34 ] Convenience sampling offers a significant benefit of convenience but often accompanies the issues of sample representation.

Purposive sampling

Purposive or purposeful sampling is a widely used sampling technique.[ 35 ] It involves identifying a population based on already established sampling criteria and then selecting subjects who fulfill that criteria to increase the credibility. However, choosing information-rich cases is the key to determine the power and logic of purposive sampling in a qualitative study.[ 1 ]

Snowball sampling

The method is also known as 'chain referral sampling' or 'network sampling.' The sampling starts by having a few initial participants, and the researcher relies on these early participants to identify additional study participants. It is best adopted when the researcher wishes to study the stigmatized group, or in cases, where findings of participants are likely to be difficult by ordinary means. Respondent ridden sampling is an improvised version of snowball sampling used to find out the participant from a hard-to-find or hard-to-study population.[ 37 , 38 ]

Intensity sampling

The process of identifying information-rich cases that manifest the phenomenon of interest is referred to as intensity sampling. It requires prior information, and considerable judgment about the phenomenon of interest and the researcher should do some preliminary investigations to determine the nature of the variation. Intensity sampling will be done once the researcher identifies the variation across the cases (extreme, average and intense) and picks the intense cases from them.[ 40 ]

Deciding the Sample Size

A-priori sample size calculation is not undertaken in the case of qualitative research. Researchers collect the data from as many participants as possible until they reach the point of data saturation. Data saturation or the point of redundancy is the stage where the researcher no longer sees or hears any new information. Data saturation gives the idea that the researcher has captured all possible information about the phenomenon of interest. Since no further information is being uncovered as redundancy is achieved, at this point the data collection can be stopped. The objective here is to get an overall picture of the chronicle of the phenomenon under the study rather than generalization.[ 1 , 7 , 41 ]

Data Collection in Qualitative Research

The various strategies used for data collection in qualitative research includes in-depth interviews (individual or group), focus group discussions (FGDs), participant observation, narrative life history, document analysis, audio materials, videos or video footage, text analysis, and simple observation. Among all these, the three popular methods are the FGDs, one to one in-depth interviews and the participant observation.

FGDs are useful in eliciting data from a group of individuals. They are normally built around a specific topic and are considered as the best approach to gather data on an entire range of responses to a topic.[ 42 Group size in an FGD ranges from 6 to 12. Depending upon the nature of participants, FGDs could be homogeneous or heterogeneous.[ 1 , 14 ] One to one in-depth interviews are best suited to obtain individuals' life histories, lived experiences, perceptions, and views, particularly while exporting topics of sensitive nature. In-depth interviews can be structured, unstructured, or semi-structured. However, semi-structured interviews are widely used in qualitative research. Participant observations are suitable for gathering data regarding naturally occurring behaviors.[ 1 ]

Data Analysis in Qualitative Research

Various strategies are employed by researchers to analyze data in qualitative research. Data analytic strategies differ according to the type of inquiry. A general content analysis approach is described herewith. Data analysis begins by transcription of the interview data. The researcher carefully reads data and gets a sense of the whole. Once the researcher is familiarized with the data, the researcher strives to identify small meaning units called the 'codes.' The codes are then grouped based on their shared concepts to form the primary categories. Based on the relationship between the primary categories, they are then clustered into secondary categories. The next step involves the identification of themes and interpretation to make meaning out of data. In the results section of the manuscript, the researcher describes the key findings/themes that emerged. The themes can be supported by participants' quotes. The analytical framework used should be explained in sufficient detail, and the analytic framework must be well referenced. The study findings are usually represented in a schematic form for better conceptualization.[ 1 , 7 ] Even though the overall analytical process remains the same across different qualitative designs, each design such as phenomenology, ethnography, and grounded theory has design specific analytical procedures, the details of which are out of the scope of this article.

Computer-Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software (CAQDAS)

Until recently, qualitative analysis was done either manually or with the help of a spreadsheet application. Currently, there are various software programs available which aid researchers to manage qualitative data. CAQDAS is basically data management tools and cannot analyze the qualitative data as it lacks the ability to think, reflect, and conceptualize. Nonetheless, CAQDAS helps researchers to manage, shape, and make sense of unstructured information. Open Code, MAXQDA, NVivo, Atlas.ti, and Hyper Research are some of the widely used qualitative data analysis software.[ 14 , 43 ]

Reporting Guidelines

Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) is the widely used reporting guideline for qualitative research. This 32-item checklist assists researchers in reporting all the major aspects related to the study. The three major domains of COREQ are the 'research team and reflexivity', 'study design', and 'analysis and findings'.[ 44 , 45 ]

Critical Appraisal of Qualitative Research

Various scales are available to critical appraisal of qualitative research. The widely used one is the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) Qualitative Checklist developed by CASP network, UK. This 10-item checklist evaluates the quality of the study under areas such as aims, methodology, research design, ethical considerations, data collection, data analysis, and findings.[ 46 ]

Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research

A qualitative study must be undertaken by grounding it in the principles of bioethics such as beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice. Protecting the participants is of utmost importance, and the greatest care has to be taken while collecting data from a vulnerable research population. The researcher must respect individuals, families, and communities and must make sure that the participants are not identifiable by their quotations that the researchers include when publishing the data. Consent for audio/video recordings must be obtained. Approval to be in FGDs must be obtained from the participants. Researchers must ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of the transcripts/audio-video records/photographs/other data collected as a part of the study. The researchers must confirm their role as advocates and proceed in the best interest of all participants.[ 42 , 47 , 48 ]

Rigor in Qualitative Research

The demonstration of rigor or quality in the conduct of the study is essential for every research method. However, the criteria used to evaluate the rigor of quantitative studies are not be appropriate for qualitative methods. Lincoln and Guba (1985) first outlined the criteria for evaluating the qualitative research often referred to as “standards of trustworthiness of qualitative research”.[ 49 ] The four components of the criteria are credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability.

Credibility refers to confidence in the 'truth value' of the data and its interpretation. It is used to establish that the findings are true, credible and believable. Credibility is similar to the internal validity in quantitative research.[ 1 , 50 , 51 ] The second criterion to establish the trustworthiness of the qualitative research is transferability, Transferability refers to the degree to which the qualitative results are applicability to other settings, population or contexts. This is analogous to the external validity in quantitative research.[ 1 , 50 , 51 ] Lincoln and Guba recommend authors provide enough details so that the users will be able to evaluate the applicability of data in other contexts.[ 49 ] The criterion of dependability refers to the assumption of repeatability or replicability of the study findings and is similar to that of reliability in quantitative research. The dependability question is 'Whether the study findings be repeated of the study is replicated with the same (similar) cohort of participants, data coders, and context?'[ 1 , 50 , 51 ] Confirmability, the fourth criteria is analogous to the objectivity of the study and refers the degree to which the study findings could be confirmed or corroborated by others. To ensure confirmability the data should directly reflect the participants' experiences and not the bias, motivations, or imaginations of the inquirer.[ 1 , 50 , 51 ] Qualitative researchers should ensure that the study is conducted with enough rigor and should report the measures undertaken to enhance the trustworthiness of the study.

Conclusions

Qualitative research studies are being widely acknowledged and recognized in health care practice. This overview illustrates various qualitative methods and shows how these methods can be used to generate evidence that informs clinical practice. Qualitative research helps to understand the patterns of health behaviors, describe illness experiences, design health interventions, and develop healthcare theories. The ultimate strength of the qualitative research approach lies in the richness of the data and the descriptions and depth of exploration it makes. Hence, qualitative methods are considered as the most humanistic and person-centered way of discovering and uncovering thoughts and actions of human beings.

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Research Methods (Health) MA/PGDip/PGCert

• Full-time: 12 months
• Part-time: 24 months or 30 months (NIHR funded)
• Start date: September 2024
• UK fees: To be confirmed
• International fees: To be confirmed
• Entry requirements: 2:1

Course overview

This course provides the in-depth skills required to understand and/or carry out research in healthcare. We offer an interdisciplinary learning environment in partnership with the university’s Economic and Social Research Council funded Doctoral Training Partnership . This is a collaborative venture between the universities of Nottingham, Birmingham, Warwick, Leicester, Loughborough, and Aston.

You'll be taught by academics from politics, the social sciences and health, studying alongside research methods students in other schools. As healthcare is a multi-disciplinary practice, exposure to learning opportunities outside healthcare both broadens and deepens your learning experience.

We foster a close-knit, highly motivated, and supportive study environment. It is ideal for those working in healthcare or preparing for PhD doctoral-level studies. The knowledge and experience you'll develop will be ideally placed for you to pursue an academic or clinical academic career in healthcare research.

Why choose this course?

Around one third.

of graduates go on to be awarded doctoral scholarship funding

Dedicated mentoring

for your doctoral training scholarship application

Broaden your learning

with interdisciplinary advanced method workshop opportunities

96% of our submitted research was judged to be World-Leading or Internationally Excellent, and our research environment was rated 100% World-Leading. 

Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021

4th in the UK

for our research quality.

The School of Health Sciences was part of a joint return with the School of Pharmacy and colleagues from the School of Medicine to UOA3 Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy.

Course content

You will take a total of 180 credits across the MA programme.

The emphasis throughout the course is on linking theoretical and methodological understandings with practical experience of research design and implementation.

You will learn a variety of methodological techniques (for example qualitative and quantitative approaches) and research techniques (such as interviewing or advanced statistical analysis), alongside developing your ability to critique evidence, which is required for making informed policy decisions and clinical recommendations.

You'll receive training in core research methods and researcher development, offered through a blend of Researcher Academy and school provision. This typically includes the provision of training in writing a bibliography and other transferable learning skills.

Core modules

You will take a total of 180 credits across the programme.

This module aims to familiarise you with diagnosing and evaluating elements of research design in existing research, familiarising them with trade-offs involved in these choices and enabling you to make conscious design choices for your own research.

The module also aims to provide you with sufficient insight to organise practical and ethical aspects of your research.

Through guided reading and discussion, this module aims to:

• Enable you to analyse the epistemological and ontological issues that arise from different social and educational theories and their impact on social research methodologies, and how they relate to the validity of explanations or descriptions.

This module aims to give you:

• An understanding of statistical analysis methods, using topics and datasets from empirical social science literature
• A familiarity with STATA statistical software and data management

The course uses a range of datasets from across political science, focusing on topics such as social capital, voter turnout, cabinet duration, demonstration activity and class voting.

This module aims to:

• Provide you with critical insight into the possibilities and applications of qualitative research and the role that it occupies within the wider range of research methods
• Map debates on the relationship between qualitative and quantitative methods
• Develop an awareness of key aspects, concepts and forms of qualitative data
• Identify and examine ethical issues, in particular researcher-subject roles and relationships

This module offers research development framework training to enable you to complete and defend a competitive, peer reviewed doctoral fellowship application.  

It is designed to offer you support and mentorship to prepare an application for a doctoral scholarship. This includes mentoring towards an NIHR application for doctoral funding.  

In preparation for this you will have access to a choice of training from within the Graduate School, the ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership and the Centre for Doctoral Training (Division of Rehabilitation and Ageing and School of Health Science). These may include taught networking skills, presentation skills, ethics, public engagement, costing a study, strategies for dissemination, as well interview preparation and panel interview experience. 

The dissertation will be an outline PhD proposal and a small piece of empirical work. The research proposal should indicate what the PhD might be along with what the empirical work might be. The proposal should be no more than one side of A4 and should include; an aim, rationale, background literature, proposed methodology and methods.

Find out more on  how to write a research proposal . You will also need to provide a personal statement.

Optional modules

Our Advanced Training Modules are cross-disciplinary learning opportunities to improve the quality of PhD work, and to create networking opportunities regionally and nationally. They bring cutting-edge knowledge to the heart of doctoral training.

To find out more about the module topics offered, please visit the Advanced Training Modules web page .

You will take a total of 120 credits across the programme

20 credits from available Advanced Training modules .

You will take a total of 60 credits across the programme

Learning and assessment, how you will learn.

• Application training support
• Presentations
• Research proposal support

We use a variety of teaching methods in the course. This includes dedicated doctoral scholarship application support, tailored feedback, library skills training, and opportunities for networking with other researchers.

How you will be assessed

• Assignments
• Presentation
• Dissertation
• Online exams

Your work will be assessed during or at the end of each module through a variety of means.

To complete a module and gain its credits you will need to make sure you attend your timetabled sessions and get over the 50% pass mark.

In order to achieve the MA Research Methods (Health), you will need a total of 180 credits.

Contact time and study hours

Teaching contact time for full-time students is approximately 6 to 9 hours each week during the autumn semester and approximately 3 to 6 hours each week during the spring semester. These days will not be the same each semester nor will they be condensed into one day.

You will work on your dissertation project throughout the year alongside doctoral scholarship application training.

You will also take part in self-guided independent study and individual meetings with your supervisor outside of timetabled contact hours.

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2024 entry.

• Home / UK students
• EU / International students

Alternative qualifications

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2022 entry:

• Minimum 2:1 honours degree (or international equivalent)
• Minimum of 60% and above in a clinical master's degree

In the absence of these, a Special Circumstances application can be made by the programme lead if there is evidence of the ability to work at a master's level.

We welcome international applicants and our International student webpages provide a range of dedicated support services and advice. All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a wide range of qualifications from all over the world. The entrance requirements below apply to 2022 entry:

As well as IELTS (stated above), we also accept other English language qualifications. This includes:

• Pearson PTE
• O level English

If you need support to meet the required IELTS level, you may be able to attend a pre-sessional English course. Pre-sessional courses teach you academic skills, in addition to English Language. Our Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your pre-sessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus pre-sessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online pre-sessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance 

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our  Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us .

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience. Previous clinical master's will also be considered.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, please contact us.

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK.

Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses.

The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases.

Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

Our step-by-step guide covers everything you need to know about applying.

Where you will learn

University park campus.

University Park Campus  covers 300 acres, with green spaces, wildlife, period buildings and modern facilities. It is one of the UK's most beautiful and sustainable campuses, winning a national Green Flag award every year since 2003.

Most schools and departments are based here. You will have access to libraries, shops, cafes, the Students’ Union, sports village and a health centre.

You can walk or cycle around campus. Free hopper buses connect you to our other campuses. Nottingham city centre is 15 minutes away by public bus or tram.

Medical School – Queen's Medical Centre

Our Medical School is based in Queen’s Medical Centre, one of the UK’s largest hospitals.

There are dedicated clinical skills facilities including a dissection suite and teaching laboratories for medicine and healthcare students.

The hospital is located opposite  University Park Campus  and connected by a footbridge for easy access. Nottingham city centre is 15 minutes away by public bus or tram.

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice .

As a student on this course, you should factor some additional costs into your budget, such as printing, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses. You should be able to access most of the books you’ll need through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies or more specific titles. 

Scholarships for Home/EU students

There are many ways to fund your postgraduate course, from scholarships to government loans and we are strongly committed to supporting clinicians to develop clinical academic careers.

We are able to offer the MA Research Methods, as well as bespoke research training, for which you may seek NIHR funding eg NIHR pre-doctoral fellowship, or clinical doctoral fellowship. Applications for NIHR funding should be discussed with the academic plan lead Dr Claire Diver prior to application.

Self-funding and other forms of scholarship do not require an outline research proposal.

There are some other funding opportunities from sources such as ESRC studentships.

We are happy to advise prospective applicants on their eligibility for these funds and other opportunities. We also offer administrative support and advice to assist students with applications to external funding opportunities for postgraduate professional research education in the school.

We also offer a range of international master's scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.

There are many ways to fund your postgraduate course, from scholarships to government loans.

We also offer a range of international masters scholarships for high-achieving international scholars who can put their Nottingham degree to great use in their careers.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

• Careers advice
• Job prospects

We offer individual careers support for all postgraduate students .

Expert staff can help you research career options and job vacancies, build your CV or résumé, develop your interview skills and meet employers.

Each year 1,100 employers advertise graduate jobs and internships through our online vacancy service. We host regular careers fairs, including specialist fairs for different sectors.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route . Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Graduate destinations

This programme is consistently highly evaluated by graduates and can open a range of doors, including both research career opportunities in the health service and academia, leading to future clinical academic or advanced clinical leadership roles. 

Many of our graduates go on to do funded PhD study. We offer support and mentorship in the development of PhD applications.

Career progression

98.6% of postgraduates from the School of Health Sciences secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £25,986.*

*HESA Graduate Outcomes 2020. The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on graduates working full-time within the UK.

The Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) is a national grading system, introduced by the government in England. It assesses the quality of undergraduate teaching at universities and how well they ensure excellent outcomes for their students in terms of graduate-level employment or further study.

This content was last updated on Wednesday 07 February 2024. Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur given the interval between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.

Study Postgraduate

Health research (msc/pgdip/pgcert) (2023 entry).

Course code

P-B9C2 (MSc); P-B9C2C (PGCert); P-B9C2D (PGDip)

2 October 2023

1 year FT or 3 years PT (MSc); 2 years PT (PGDip); 1 year PT (PGCert)

Qualification

MSc/PGDip/PGCert

Warwick Medical School

University of Warwick

Explore our Health Research taught course

Available as a MSc, PGDip and PGCert, Warwick's Health Research course is for those intending to go onto a career that involves health-related research. Carefully structured, developed and delivered by experts in their fields, Warwick Medical School offers you high quality learning.

Course overview

Research into healthcare today can positively impact and change healthcare policies and systems for the future. Our Master’s in Health Research enables and prepares you to conduct your own research in the most efficient way. Course content includes research methods, statistics and broader research skills.

Skills from this degree

You will learn the skills to conduct your research in the most efficient way possible, including:

• Mixed methods research skills
• Qualitative research skills
• Quantitative research skills
• Analytical skills

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

First degree (2:ii) or equivalent qualification, in an appropriate subject. We also consider candidates with other relevant qualifications and individuals with a minimum of three years’ work experience.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements Link opens in a new window . This course requires the following:

• IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.5 in reading and writing and no component below 6.0.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page Link opens in a new window .

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Core modules

• Postgraduate Induction and Your Professional Development
• Epidemiology and Statistics
• Understanding Research and Critical Appraisal in Healthcare
• Qualitative Research Methods in Health

Optional Core Modules

• Design, Analysis and Interpretation of Epidemiological Research
• Mixed Methods for Health Research
• Introduction to Health Economics (for Non-Economists)

Optional modules

Optional modules can vary from year to year. Example optional modules may include:

• Approaches to the Digital
• Complexity in the Social Sciences
• Digital Objects, Digital Methods
• Gender, Imperialism and International Development
• Themes and Methods in Medical History

Read more about the core and optional modules on the Medical School's website.

Teaching is through seminars and lectures and includes a dissertation - an extensive piece of work that you will choose, research and write with individual supervision from your tutor.

Class sizes

Class sizes will vary, however on average they comprise of 20-25 students.

Modules are assessed by written assignment or a combination of oral presentation and written assignment.

Your dissertation will need to be an original work of 15,000-20,000 words on a topic agreed with your supervisor.

Reading lists

Most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library. If you would like to view reading lists for the current cohort of students you can visit our Warwick Library web page Link opens in a new window .

Your timetable

Your personalised timetable will be complete when you are registered for all modules, listing your allocated lectures, seminars, and other small group classes. Your compulsory modules will be registered for you when you join us.

Your career

Our department has a dedicated careers consultant to help boost your employability and prepare for a career. There are workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples include:

• Career Society at Medical School Event
• AFP Interview Preparation
• Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
• Foundation Programme (UKFPO) Information evening

Established in 2000, Warwick Medical School (WMS) forms part of the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine at the University of Warwick. Alongside a range of educational opportunities, WMS has a reputation for research excellence, investigating solutions to significant global health challenges.

Find out more about us on our website Link opens in a new window

Our Graduate Entry Undergraduate course

• Medicine (MBChB)

Our Postgraduate Taught courses

• Advanced Clinical Practice (Critical Care) (MSc/PGDip/PGCert)
• Advanced Clinical Practice (MSc/PGDip/PGCert)
• Diabetes (PGDip/PGCert)
• Health Research (MSc/PGDip/PGCert)
• Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research (MSc)
• Medical Education (MMedEd/ PG Dip/ PGCert)
• Public Health (MPH/PGDip/PGCert)

Our Postgraduate Research courses

• MD Doctor of Medicine
• MSc by Research (at Warwick Medical School)
• PhD (at Warwick Medical School)
• PhD by Published Work

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Taught course fees   Research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

The University carries out an initial fee status assessment based on information provided in the application and according to the guidance published by UKCISA. Students are classified as either Home or Overseas Fee status and this can determine the tuition fee and eligibility of certain scholarships and financial support.

If you receive an offer, your fee status will be stated with the tuition fee information, however we are awaiting guidance from the UK government regarding fee status for EU, other EEA and Swiss nationals and their family members living in the UK for academic year 2021/22 onwards. We are not able to confirm the fee status for these students until the relevant eligibility criteria have been confirmed. Once we have received further information from the UK government, we will provide you with an update on your fee status and let you know if any additional information is required. If you believe your fee status has been incorrectly classified you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire (follow the instructions in your offer) and provide the required documentation for this to be reassessed.

The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) provides guidance to UK universities on fees status criteria, you can find the latest guidance on the impact of Brexit on fees and student support on the UKCISA website .

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad. Information about department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below, such as:

Please contact your academic department for information about department specific costs, which should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below, such as:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Find out how to apply to us, ask your questions, and find out more.

Taught course applications

Here is our checklist on how to apply for taught postgraduate courses at Warwick.

Research course applications

Here is our checklist on how to apply for research postgraduate degrees at the University of Warwick.

After you’ve applied

Find out how we process your application.

Applicant Portal

Track your application and update your details.

Admissions statement

See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

Join a live chat

Ask questions and engage with Warwick.

Postgraduate Open Day

Postgraduate fairs.

Throughout the year we attend exhibitions and fairs online and in the UK. These events give you the chance to learn about our Master's and PhD study routes, and the wider context of postgraduate study.

Find out more

Every week, you can connect directly with representatives from Warwick, who will be answering your questions on applying to and studying postgraduate studies at Warwick.

Sign up for Live Chats

Departmental events

Some academic departments hold events for specific postgraduate programmes, these are fantastic opportunities to learn more about Warwick and your chosen department and course.

See our online departmental events

Connect with us

Want to hear more about postgraduate study at Warwick? Register your interest and find out more.

Learn more about Postgraduate study at the University of Warwick.

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

8th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2023) Link opens in a new window

67th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2024) Link opens in a new window

5th most targeted university by the UK's top 100 graduate employers Link opens in a new window

(The Graduate Market in 2023, High Fliers Research Ltd. Link opens in a new window )

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2023 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

PGCert in Health Research

• Entry requirements
• Funding and costs

College preference

• How to apply

About the course

The Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Health Research is designed for medical and dental trainees with the potential to become independent researchers, and to be taken part-time alongside work commitments, normally over one or two years.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research will help you to: 

• develop skills of research, design and data analysis in both qualitative and quantitative research;
• critically evaluate health research;
• apply the principles of evidence-based practice in health care settings;
• plan how to implement the findings of research to improve health care; and
• use theories and principles underpinning clinical research to inform your own research practice.

The course is delivered through the Department for Continuing Education, with the expertise in curriculum design and teaching drawn from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and the Clinical Academic Graduate School.

Course structure

The Postgraduate Certificate is normally completed between one to two years. It consists of three assessed taught modules and includes thorough introductions to the principles of evidence-based practice in health, and to study design and research methods.

You will take two compulsory modules and an option module; further information on all course modules is available via the  course page  on the Department for Continuing Education website. 

The two compulsory modules are:

• The Practice of Evidence-Based Health Care
• Introduction to Study Design and Research Methods.

The third module may be chosen from the options currently available:

• Clinical Trial Management
• Mixed Methods in Health Research
• Knowledge into Action
• Evidence-based Diagnosis and Screening
• Introduction to Statistics for Health Care Research
• Systematic Reviews
• Randomized Controlled Trials
• Qualitative Research Methods
• The Structure of Clinical Trials and Experimental Therapeutics
• How to do Research on Therapeutic Interventions: Protocol preparation
• Biological Therapeutics
• Pharmacodynamics, Biomarkers and Personalised Therapy
• Adverse drug reactions, drug interactions and Pharmacovigilance
• Drug development, Pharmacokinetics and Imaging.

The majority of modules are run over either an eight, or fifteen week learning cycle. Most modules are either delivered fully online or in a blended format, however, some modules are only delivered with a blended format that includes a five day attendance in Oxford, and some are only run entirely online. In any given year, not all delivery formats for a module may be available.

Blended format: an initial period of self-directed study is spent on introductory activities using a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This is followed by a week spent in Oxford for supported face-to-face teaching, and then a further period of Post-Oxford activities (a mixture of self-directed and supported distance learning also delivered through the VLE). The final week of each module is for self-directed personal study, shortly followed by the assignment submission.

Fully online format: These are delivered through the VLE with the first week allocated to self-directed introductory activities. There is then either:

• a number of units to work through which are released week by week. Each unit includes a mixture of supported and self-directed learning with discussion forums, tasks and activities. Students then have five weeks of self-directed personal study with use of a revision forum and the requirement to submit an assignment electronically the following week. Courses usually run over a 15 week period.
• an intensive week of five consecutive days of synchronous and asynchronous teaching sessions, and then a further period of activities (A mixture of self-directed and supported distance learning also delivered through the VLE). The final week of each module is for self-directed personal study, shortly followed by the assignment submission. Courses usually run over an eight week period.

Modules are spaced throughout the academic year, allowing a choice of options to be taken over the one to two years students attend the course. Not all modules are guaranteed to run every year. 

By the end of the course you will be able to:

• demonstrate a knowledge of the principles, methods and techniques appropriate for solving evidence-based health and care problems and be able to translate that understanding into good clinical practice; 
• demonstrate a range of research skills enabling you to complete research successfully, either as part of a research team or as an individual; and
• acquire, interpret and analyse information with a critical understanding of the appropriate contexts for their use through the study of the existing primary literature in the field.

You will know and understand:

• health care organisations, their management and the changing context in which they operate;
• the ethical issues in health research and research governance;
• methods to integrate and synthesise different sorts of information, from diverse sources, when making both individual patient and health-policy decisions in a wide range of situations;
• the key issues for evidence-based practice in your own professional area or specialty; and
• how to work comfortably in situations of uncertainty and make sound judgements in the absence of definitive evidence.

Part-time attendance details

As a part-time student, you must complete at minimum of one compulsory module ‘in person’ in Oxford. Each ‘in person’ module requires you to attend a week (five days) in Oxford for supported face to face teaching. Your other modules can be made up of a mix of ‘in person’ or fully online modules. For additional note: All students are required to attend a minimum of one module in each academic year on course. This can either be ‘in person’ or fully online.

Supervision

The provision of supervision, where required, is subject to the following points:

• The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Department for Continuing Education and this role will usually be performed by the Course Director.
• Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Department for Continuing Education and/or the Nuffield Department of Primary Health Care Sciences.

Assessments are conducted at the end of each module and comprise a written paper, submitted via an online portal.

Graduate destinations

Most who commence this course are already in employment within the health sector. The course offers opportunities for career enhancement through developing a better understanding of research tools and analytical skills, and of how to use these to inform research practice. Many also go on to study for the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Research or MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in an appropriate discipline; or
• an equivalent professional qualification in a profession allied to medicine with post-qualification experience; or
• have successfully completed the final year of the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery or Bachelor of Dental Surgery, or equivalent.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA we seek is 3.6 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

Applicants will also be expected to:

• have a good working knowledge of email, internet, word processing and Windows applications, for communications with course members, course team and administration;
• show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and an employer's commitment to make time available to study, complete course work and attend course and University events and modules; and
• demonstrate a professional interest in health research, evidenced by prior experience, qualification or work.

Publications are not expected.

Further guidance

Academic Clinical Fellows employed within the Oxford Deanery are expected to meet the selection criteria, but will normally undergo the standard admissions procedures, although the provision of transcripts and the need for an interview may be waived upon arrangement with the department given their employment status.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process for candidates whose application provides evidence fulfilling all the entry requirements.

Interviews may be held with candidates whose application requires clarification or further information in relation to one or more aspect of the entry requirements, such as those identified below as other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience.

References outlining academic potential and suitability to study for the intended course are secured before discussion with the applicant takes place. An interview will be arranged for all of those who appear to fulfil the basic requirements for entry to the course. This will be conducted by either telephone, face-to-face or video link and there will be a minimum of two interviewers. Applications may be rejected without further direct contact with the applicant.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

The department is committed to supporting you to pursue your academic goals. 

The Rewley House Continuing Education Library , one of the Bodleian Libraries, is situated in Rewley House. The department aims to support the wide variety of subjects covered by departmental courses at many academic levels. The department also has a collection of around 73,000 books together with periodicals. PCs in the library give access to the internet and the full range of electronic resources subscribed to by the University of Oxford. Wi-Fi is also available. The Jessop Reading Room adjoining the library is available for study. You will have access to the Central Bodleian and other Bodleian Libraries.

The department's Graduate School provides a stimulating and enriching learning and research environment for the department's graduate students, fostering intellectual and social interaction between graduates of different disciplines and professions from the UK and around the globe. The Graduate School will help you make the most of the wealth of resources and opportunities available, paying particular regard to the support and guidance needed if you are following a part-time graduate programme. The department’s graduate community comprises over 600 members following taught programmes and more than 70 undertaking doctoral research.

The department provides various IT facilities , including the Student Computing Facility which provides individual PCs for your use. Many of the department's courses are delivered through blended learning or have a website to support face-to-face study. In most cases, online support is delivered through a virtual learning environment. 

Depending on the programme you are taking with the department, you may require accommodation at some point in your student career. Rewley House is ideally located in central Oxford; the city's historic sites, colleges, museums, shops and restaurants are only a few minutes’ walk away. The department has 35 en-suite study bedrooms, all with high quality amenities, including internet access.

The Rewley House dining room has seating for up to 132 people. A full meal service is available daily. The department operates a Common Room with bar for students. 

Departments offering this course

This course is offered jointly by the following departments:

Department for Continuing Education

The need for new learning opportunities throughout life is now recognised throughout society. An intensive, initial period of higher education is not always enough in times of rapid social, economic and technological change. The Department for Continuing Education is known worldwide as a leading provider of extended learning for professional and personal development.

The department provides high-quality, flexible, part-time graduate education, tailored for adults. Students can undertake graduate-level certificates, diplomas and taught master’s degrees in a wide range of subjects. Increasing numbers of courses are delivered in mixed mode, combining intensive periods of residence in Oxford with tutored online study.

The department recruits adult students of all ages on a regional, national and international level. Many courses are offered jointly with other academic departments around the University. Courses are offered in the following areas:

• Mathematical, physical and life sciences
• Medical and health sciences
• Social sciences .

All postgraduate students on the department's courses are members of its Graduate School. The Graduate School aims to provide a stimulating and enriching environment for learning and research. It also fosters intellectual and social interaction between students coming from different disciplines and professions. Interdisciplinary research seminars, training opportunities and other events are offered by the Graduate School in support of this goal.

All masters' and DPhil applicants are considered for Clarendon Scholarships . The department is committed to seeking scholarship support for other students wherever possible.

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences

The University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences has been one of the world's most important primary care centres for over 20 years.

Leading world-class research and training to rethink the way healthcare is delivered in general practice and other primary care settings, both across the UK and globally. Integrating evidence and innovation, its main research focus is on the prevention, early diagnosis and management of common illness, health services research and digital health.

Research is led by internationally renowned scientists; many of whom are practising GPs, but NDPCHS also has academics from a range of non-medical disciplines including the social sciences and humanities. The department covers the broad range of issues that you might expect to consult your GP about including cardiovascular and metabolic disease, infectious diseases and childhood illness, diet, smoking and cancer. It also focuses on understanding and improving the experiences of patients, utilising big data, developing digital health interventions and working internationally. 

The Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences has methodological expertise in clinical decision making and diagnostics, clinical epidemiology, medical statistics, modelling, qualitative research and the wider application of social science theory and methods to address practical and theoretical challenges in health and care settings. The department also has a dedicated in-house Primary Care Clinical Trials Unit.

The department is home to 14 of the National Institute for Health Research's 200 most prestigious and prominent researchers. These NIHR Senior Investigators contribute significantly to the health sciences as senior leaders, demonstrate research excellence and lead in training of the NIHR's people.

We teach elements of the undergraduate programme in medicine including arranging placements for medical students in GP practices. We also provide a highly supportive environment for postgraduates whether they are registered for a DPhil, enrolled on one of our short courses or the Evidence Based Health Care programme (administered by the Department for Continuing Education ). We welcome domestic and international students to join our experienced and enthusiastic teachers, mentors and supervisors in aspirational study and research.

For details about searching for funding as a graduate student  visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information on external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources. We would suggest that you review this information carefully, as not all funding opportunities are available for students applying to postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate courses.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the department's website.

Modular course fees

The fees for this course are charged on a modular basis. You will pay an annual course fee and an additional fee for each module studied. A minimum of one annual course fee is payable for this course. If this course includes a dissertation, three module fees will be charged for the dissertation.

Fees for the 2024-25 academic year

Further details about fee status eligibility can be found on the fee status webpage.

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

This course has residential sessions in Oxford so you will need to meet any travel and accommodation costs you may incur in attending these sessions.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Matriculation confers membership of the University on students. Students who enrol on this course will not be matriculated and will not become a member of an Oxford college. Although not formally members of the University, non-matriculated students are expected to observe the same rules and regulations as matriculated students. Further information about matriculation is available on the Oxford Students website.

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable per course application. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents .

For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application .

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Referees: Three overall, academic and/or professional

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Your references will support academic potential and suitability to study for your intended course. It is acceptable to submit professional references but personal references cannot be accepted.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

Personal statement: A maximum of 500 words

There are no restrictions on font size or line spacing, although the document should be clearly legible and written in English and outline your objectives in attending the course and your reasons for seeking to register.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for demonstrable interest in health research, evidenced by prior experience, qualification or work; motivation and capacity to complete the course; and a clear and well-argued understanding of the benefits of the course to your current employment and future prospects.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice . You'll find the answers to most common queries in our FAQs.

Application Guide   Apply

ADMISSION STATUS

Open - applications are still being accepted

Up to a week's notice of closure will be provided on this page - no other notification will be given

12:00 midday UK time on:

Friday 19 January 2024 Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships

Friday 1 March 2024 Applications may remain open after this deadline if places are still available - see below

A later deadline shown under 'Admission status' If places are still available,  applications may be accepted after 1 March . The 'Admissions status' (above) will provide notice of any later deadline.

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is jointly offered by the  Department for Continuing Education  and the  Nuffield Department of Primary Health Care Sciences

• Course page on the Cont. Education website
• Funding information from Cont. Education
• Staff and research in Continuing Education
• Staff and research in Primary Health Care
• Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine
• Continuing Education Graduate School
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 270453

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Other courses to consider

You may also wish to consider applying to other courses that are similar or related to this course:

View related courses

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

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Health Research MRes (PGCert PGDip)

The Health Research MRes is based in the vibrant research environment of the School of Sport and Health Sciences and provides extensive health research training for professionals working in a health environment.

The course is suitable for those working in a health-related field, clinical or non-clinical, who meet the entry requirements.

You will be prepared for a leadership role in research and may be able to progress to doctoral-level studies.

Fully-funded places are on offer for this course – see the fees section for further details. 

If you have questions or need more information, the course team will be happy to help. Email them at [email protected] .

Find out about postgraduate events

Location  Falmer

Full-time 1 year Part-time 2–6 years

Apply now for your place

Please review the entry requirements carefully and if you have any questions do get in touch with us .

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

Degree and experience

• This course is open to allied health professionals, midwives, nurses and other professionals working in health-based areas.
• You should hold current registration with an appropriate regulatory body.
• Normally you will have a first or upper second class degree in your area of professional practice.

English language requirements IELTS 7.0 overall, with 6.5 in writing and a minimum of 5.5 in the other elements.

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Course content

Course structure

As a research degree, the research component is greater than the taught part of the course. The course is made up of four taught modules in the early part of the course, and a supervised health-based research project.

The taught component involves a combination of lectures, seminars and workshops, and the research component is supported by a series of workshops and individual tutorials.

Areas of study

You will receive wide-ranging in-depth tuition in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research design and analysis, and research ethics and governance in health. 

In order to undertake and lead health-related research, one of the core modules focuses on areas such as public and patient involvement in research, the production of evidence to support decision-making by policy makers, the legislative requirements of undertaking clinical trials and the ethical and economic issues influencing health research.

You will have the opportunity, via a supervised research project, to undertake a piece of health-based research within your own area of practice. This allows the research undertaken to directly contribute to your current practice and feeds directly into service provision.

Core modules

• Quantitative Research Methods
• Qualitative Research
• Research Ethics and Integrity in Health and Social Care
• Mixed Methods Research
• MRes Health Research Dissertation

Health sciences postgraduate education This course is part of our postgraduate education programme . The programme allows you to sign up for one module at a time and build your qualification as you go. It also gives you access to interdisciplinary modules across a broad selection of health and social science subjects.

Research facilities

The School of Sport and Health Sciences is a vibrant research environment for staff and students and embraces research activities of allied health professionals.

We aim to produce research that is sustainable and improves the quality of life for the individual and society, while supporting and sustaining the health professions that we represent.

The human movement laboratory

The human movement laboratory is used widely for research and teaching within the school, as well as commercial consultancy activities. You will benefit from our state of the art resources, which include:

Force plates or force platforms are instruments designed to detect forces and movements applied to their top surface. Traditionally they are used to assess forces during walking or running. They are a very versatile piece of equipment and can be used to measure a number of other effects such as balance. By using custom made jigs their usefulness can be further extended for example they can be used to measure forces applied during manual therapy.

The CODA (Cartesian Opto-electronic Dynamic Anthropometer) is a three dimensional movement-measuring system developed over the course of the last 20 years by Charnwood Dynamics Limited. The CODA has been used for a wide range of three dimensional analysis applications and is now an accepted method of determining the spatial and temporal parameters of movement. The system allows rapid and accurate measurement of human movement using lightweight markers attached to the skin.

Fastrak is an electromagnetic tracking system suitable for measuring human movement. The system comprises up to four sensors whose position and orientation in space can be monitored in real time. Example clinical and research applications included monitoring the range of movement of joints, evaluating sitting or standing posture and monitoring the transition between the two, for example the sit to stand movement.

Xsens is another instrument suitable for measuring 3D human movements, and is based on inertial sensor technology, for example miniature accelerometers and gyroscopes. It is relatively small, light and very portable and therefore can be used outside the laboratory setting such as in homes and offices.

Electromyography (EMG) is used to measure the activity of muscles. Electrodes are placed on the skin over the muscle to be measured and the electrical activity of that muscle is recorded. This data can be used to look at the time at which the muscle turns on and off, the amount of electrical activity it is producing and whether the muscle is becoming fatigued.

The isokinetic dynamometer can be used for muscle and joint function assessments for either performance or rehabilitation purposes. Being initially developed for rehabilitation purposes, isokinetic dynamometry is one of the safest forms of exercise and testing. The isokinetic dynamometer measures muscular torque during isolated joint movements.

Ultrasound is used for the scanning of soft tissue structures within the body. Originally developed for foetal scanning, it is now used for scanning a wide array of structures including internal organs, muscle and joint structures and nerves. It utilises high frequency sound waves which pass into the underlying tissues and reflect back to produce an image of the underlying tissue.

F-Scan Insole system for studying foot pressure.

Electrogoniometers are designed for the measurement of joint angular movements. The sensors are attached across the joint with double-sided medical adhesive tape. The joint angles can be stored or displayed using various pieces of equipment. The sensors and instruments are lightweight, allowing data of human activity to be displayed or recorded while leaving the subject to move freely in the normal environment.

GAITRITE for studying walking patterns.

The Vibrameter is used to assess the nerve conduction of specific sensory nerve fibres. It is often used in a clinical setting to test for conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome or repetitive strain injury (RSI). A probe is placed on the area to be tested and a vibration stimulus is produced, the subject is asked to let the operator know when they first feel the sensation of vibration. The vibration stimulus is then turned down and the subject is asked to report when the sensation disappears.

Electronic algometer - Pressure algometry is well documented in scientific literature as an efficient, objective physical component for evaluating point tenderness, pain syndromes and patients' pain perceptions. JTECH algometry systems enable you to objectively quantify pressure pain thresholds and tolerances for establishing a diagnosis, evaluating efficacy of pain-relieving modalities and medications, tracking progress, and evaluating pain perception.

The laboratory also has equipment required for conducting cardio-pulmonary investigations including Cosmed metabolic system and spirometry.

Staff profiles 

Dr Nina Stewart, Course Leader and Principal Lecturer

Nina has a background in child health and, in particular, long term conditions. She has worked in the NHS managing intensive care and paediatric dialysis units as well as working in service user development, access to health care services initiatives and shared decision-making policies.

Nina was awarded a scholarship for her PhD at the University of Manchester, which was completed in 2011 and focused on adherence in children on dialysis.

As course leader, she supports all disciplines of allied health professionals undertaking masters research. She is currently involved in research exploring decision-making competence in children.

The course gives you the opportunity to develop your health research career by developing your research leadership skills.

Many of our students go on to join the NIHR Clinical Academic Training Pathway.

The course also acts as a platform for progression to doctoral-level research for some graduates.

Fees and costs

Course fees

UK (full-time) 8,400 GBP

International (full-time) 14,900 GBP

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We offer a range of scholarships for postgraduate students. Bursaries and loans may also be available to you.

Find out more about postgraduate fees and funding .

Fully-funded places

If you are an allied health professional working in the area of health in Kent, Surrey or Sussex you may be eligible for a fully-funded place on the MRes in Health Research. Funding is available to UK students only and equal to the UK student full-time fees detailed above. To discuss your eligibility for a fully-funded place please email the course leader Nina Stewart: [email protected] .

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2024–25 .

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• About the university’s fees by checking our student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that are included and any extras that you may be expected to pay while studying a course  in the School of Sport and Health Sciences in the 2022–23 academic year are listed here.

• UK students – travel costs which are over and above your daily journey to university and dual accommodation costs may be reimbursed by the NHS learning support fund .
• Overseas students are not covered by the NHS scheme, this means that any additional travel or accommodation costs for this course will be your responsibility. Travel to placement may be up to 90 mins each way/ travel on public transport at peak time cost, and you may incur additional accommodation and living costs if staying away from your usual home base for the length of your placement.
• An initial set of specialist clothing and uniforms, where required, are included in the course fees.
• DBS checks and occupational health checks, where required, are included in the fees.
• Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £100 if buying your own copies.
• In sport courses, UK-based field trips are available in some option modules in the final year. You do not have to take these option modules to complete the degree programme. Where a field trip is present costs are covered but you are expected to make a contribution towards food. Typically this is £50.
• For sports courses which require a placement, you’ll be expected to pay for your living costs and travel. Physical Education (QTS teacher training) students can claim travel costs to their school placement.
• The school runs a number of day trips which students do not pay for. There may be some food and drink costs and you should budget around £30 per year.

You can chat with our enquiries team if you have a question or need more information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. Students based here study a range of subjects – from 2024 these will include education studies, teaching, sport and exercise, nursing and midwifery, allied health professions and medicine. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes and the students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources, and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. New facilities are being developed ready for September 2024 when all of our sport and health students will be based here. Learn more about the changes at Falmer.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students . So if you applied for halls by the deadline you are guaranteed a room in our halls of residence.

Brighton: Falmer

Halls of residence We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

• Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls offer a range of rooms on our Falmer campus, minutes from your classes, and on the edge of the South Downs.
• Varley Park  is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Falmer campus and four miles from the city centre, and is easy to get to by bus.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting .

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more .

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton .

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships .

Stay in touch

School of Sport and Health Sciences 01273 644087 [email protected]

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Course type

Qualification, university name, pgcert degrees in science research methods.

6 degrees at 5 universities in the UK.

Customise your search

Select the start date, qualification, and how you want to study

Related subjects:

• PGCert Science Research Methods
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• Course title (A-Z)
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• Price: high - low
• Price: low - high

Clinical Research and Evidence-Based Medicine PGCert

Teesside university, middlesbrough.

• 1 year Part time degree: £6,750 per year (UK)
• Developing Research Projects- Core
• Evidence-based Practice- Core
• Practical Statistics- Core
• View all modules

Healthcare Research Skills and Methods PgCert

St george's, university of london.

• 9 months Full time degree: £4,450 per year (UK)
• Practical Data Analysis: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches- Core
• Statistics- Core
• Research Methods- Core
• Critical Appraisal- Core

Research Methods for Health PGCert

University of aberdeen.

• 9 months Online degree: £5,160 per year (UK)
• Applied Statistics (15 Credits) - Core

Postgraduate Certificate in Qualitative Health Research Methods

University of oxford department for continuing education.

• 1 year Part time degree: £7,695 per year (UK)
• Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (20 Credits)
• Qualitative Research Methods (20 Credits)
• Mixed Methods in Health Research

Level 7 Certificate in Research Methods

London school of planning and management.

• 2 months Online degree: £750 per year (UK)
• 4 months Online degree: £550 per year (UK)
• Research Methods (20 Credits) - Core

Level 7 Certificate In Research for Senior Managers

• 6 months Online degree: £1,299 per year (UK)
• 9 months Online degree: £999 per year (UK)
• Research for Senior Managers- Core

Course type:

• Full time PGCert
• Online PGCert
• Part time PGCert

Qualification:

Related subjects:.

Qualitative Health Research Methods PgCert University of Oxford

Key course facts, course description.

The PGCert in Qualitative Health Research Methods will inspire excellence by equipping students with the skills they need to become future leaders in qualitative health research, particularly in designing, conducting and critically appraising qualitative research.

This course will suit novices to qualitative research, as well as those who have some experience but want to hone their skills. It is designed to suit busy professionals and full-time students alike.

The flexible structure of the course has been devised to fit with the structure of specialist training and to accommodate student choice. Through face-to-face and online sessions, students will develop excellence in the design, conduct and critical appraisal of qualitative research.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Qualitative Health Research Methods is a part-time course. The course comprises three modules:

• Qualitative Research Methods
• Advanced Qualitative Research Methods; and
• Mixed Methods in Health Research.

The majority of modules are run over either an eight, or fifteen week learning cycle. Most modules are either delivered fully online or in a blended format, however, some modules are only delivered with a blended format that includes a 5 day attendance in Oxford, and some are only run entirely online. In any given year, not all delivery formats for a module may be available.

Blended format: an initial period of self-directed study is spent on introductory activities using a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This is followed by a week spent in Oxford for supported face-to-face teaching, and then a further period of Post-Oxford activities (a mixture of self-directed and supported distance learning also delivered through the VLE). The final week of each module is for self-directed personal study, shortly followed by the assignment submission.

Fully online format: These are delivered through the VLE with the first week allocated to self-directed introductory activities. There is then either:

• a number of units to work through which are released week by week. Each unit includes a mixture of supported and self-directed learning with discussion forums, tasks and activities. Students then have five weeks of self-directed personal study with use of a revision forum and the requirement to submit an assignment electronically the following week. Courses usually run over a 15 week period.
• an intensive week of 5 consecutive days of synchronous and asynchronous teaching sessions, and then a further period of activities (A mixture of self-directed and supported distance learning also delivered through the VLE). The final week of each module is for self-directed personal study, shortly followed by the assignment submission. Courses usually run over an 8 week period.

Entry Requirements / Admissions

Requirements for international students / english requirements.

IELTS academic test score (similar tests may be accepted as well)

• Graduate Degrees
• Undergraduate Degrees
• (no subscore less than 6.0)

Average student cost of living in the UK

London costs approx 34% more than average, mainly due to rent being 67% higher than average of other cities. For students staying in student halls, costs of water, gas, electricity, wifi are generally included in the rental. Students in smaller cities where accommodation is in walking/biking distance transport costs tend to be significantly smaller.

University Rankings

Positions of university of oxford in top uk and global rankings., about university of oxford.

The University of Oxford is a prestigious research university located in Oxford, England, and is the oldest English language university in the world. It is made up of 39 partly autonomous constituent colleges, six private halls, and a variety of academic departments which are split into four divisions: Humanities, Mathematical, Physical & Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, and Social Sciences.

List of 389 Bachelor and Master Courses from University of Oxford - Course Catalogue

Student composition of University of Oxford

Where is this programme taught.

Similar courses

Postgraduate taught

PGCert Health Research and Statistics

Gain a solid grounding in the quantitative methods used in health, medical and social sciences research

Year of entry: 2024 (September)

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Department of Health Sciences

September 2024 ( semester dates )

Apply for this course

Join us online or in person to find out more about postgraduate study at York.

Develop the skills you need to undertake analytical research in the fields of healthcare, medicine or social sciences.

The course gives you the chance to get hands-on with real datasets, as well as getting to grips with the theory behind the practice.

This course is very flexible, with some of the modules available as distance learning options, making it a great choice for those who wish to work alongside furthering their studies.

By the time you finish, you'll be ready to carry out statistical analyses using appropriate software on real data sets. You will also have the skills to present statistical work in a report format.

Research excellence

6th in the UK for research power with over 92% of our research rated as world-leading (4*) for impact (Times Higher Education ranking of the latest REF results, 2021)

Expert tuition

​Our experts help improve human health and prevent illness through the analysis and delivery of leading research.

7th in the UK

for Nursing according to the Complete University Guide 2024

Course content

The course is organised to give you a solid foundation in health research methods, with either a focus in applied statistics or a more general overview of health research methodology.

It will provide you with opportunities to develop your knowledge in the field and build your applied statistical skills, knowledge of health research methodology, and scientific writing skills.

If you take the option modules focused on statistics, you'll learn how to use the statistical packages, SPSS and STATA, and carry out complex analyses on ordinary as well as hierarchical and clustered data.

If you choose a range of methods modules you will gain the skills to be able to, for example, carry out systematic reviews including a meta-analysis, write a protocol for a randomised controlled trial, carry an economic analysis, or gain further insight into epidemiological study designs. These are skills that will enhance your ability to carry out and evaluate research in your workplace.

Core modules

• Regression Analysis   (on campus or distance learning)
• Epidemiology

Option modules

You will also study four  option modules.  In previous years, options have covered topics such as:

• Qualitative Health Research (on campus)
• Evidence Synthesis (on campus)
• Randomised Controlled Trials (on campus)
• Measurement in Health and Disease (distance learning)
• Advanced Regression Analysis  (on campus or distance learning)
• Health Economics (on campus)

The options available to you will be confirmed after you begin your course. For further information please get in touch .

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff.

The York approach

Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.

Students who complete this course will be able to:

• Critically appraise and interpret findings from different health research study designs
• Evaluate and frame clear health research questions and consider which study designs, including systematic reviews, might be suitable to address them
• Make informed decisions about the design of a health research study using the most appropriate research methodology
• Plan and execute quantitative data analyses, using the most appropriate statistical tests and employing common statistical packages
• Prepare the statistical part of a health research report in accordance with journal standards.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees for 2024/25.

Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.

For courses which are longer than one year , the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.

• UK (home) fees may increase in subsequent years (up to a maximum of 2%).
• International fees may increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

Fees information

UK (home) or international fees?  The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student.  Check your fee status .

Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.

• Postgraduate taught fees and expenses

Additional costs

There are unlikely to be significant extra costs for this course; all reading materials are provided in the library or within the VLE. It's not compulsory to buy your own textbooks, but if you want to we estimate that this will cost about £100.

As a student at the University, you'll be able to purchase the STATA software at a discounted price.

Funding information

Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2024/25 throughout the year.

If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a  10% Masters fee discount .

Funding opportunities

• UK government Masters loans
• Funding for UK students
• Funding for international students

Departmental funding

• Florence Nightingale Foundation  - scholarships for midwives

Living costs

You can use our  living costs guide  to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.

Teaching format

You'll learn through a variety of different methods throughout the course, including lectures, workshops, practical computer lab sessions and small group tutorials.

You can also take a number of distance-learning modules.

The compulsory modules are designed to enable you to learn at your own pace. Regardless of your background, you will be supported throughout the course with different media, such as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) tools, blogs, email contact and face-to-face meetings.

You will have access to computer labs mainly based within the Department of Health Sciences.

Teaching location

This course is based in the Department of Health Sciences, located on Campus West. The vast majority of teaching takes place in Alcuin College, with some locations on Campus West also being used.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's  easy to get around campus  - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.

Assessment and feedback

We use a variety of different assessment methods throughout this course. These include both closed- and open-book exams, reports and protocol writing. You'll find yourself undertaking the tasks that a real quantitative health researcher would, and the assessments aim to replicate those skills.

• Noreen Mdege
• [email protected]
• +44 (0)1904 321321

Related courses

• Master of Public Health
• MSc Health Research

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Find out more about York. Chat to staff and students and take the tour, on campus or online.

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• 18002102030

• PGCert in Qualitative Health Research Methods at University of Oxford

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Qualitative Research Methods: Advanced Theory and Practice Part 2

New dates TBC

There are currently no dates for this course.  Register your interest here  and we will be in touch when we have further dates for this course

About the course format:

This course is divided into two programmes (this advanced course, and our introduction course). These can be attended both together or each course/day separately. This course is delivered through a series of talks with practical exercises, examples and group discussions.

Participants can choose the first or second day programme or both depending on their learning needs. Previous knowledge of qualitative research is not a requirement for attending the full course, or day 1. However, if you have recent experience or qualifications around qualitative research, you may be able to attend Part 2 only.  Please see Booking and Payment section below for further details.

Quality Research Methods: Advanced Theory and Practice (Part 2)

This second part/day focusses on a deeper understanding of four qualitative research methods that explore experiential, practical and situated knowledge grounded in personal and shared experiences and pragmatic philosophies:

• Narrative approaches
• Ethnomethodology/Conversation Analysis
• Realist Research
• Experiential Evaluation

Who will benefit from this course?

The course mostly will be using examples from health and social care. However, the general principles are transferable to any area of investigation, and will benefit anyone with an interest in qualitative methods; especially those who believe in context-dependent and value based methods to understand human experiences.

The following are examples of groups that could benefit from the course:

• Academics & Researchers
• Health and social care practitioners and managers
• Public health practitioners
• Service improvement specialists
• Implementation scientists
• Post graduate research students
• Health care designers and commissioners
• Evaluators of complex interventions
• Product designers/developers

Learning outcomes

By the end of this advanced/second day programme participants will be able to:

• Reflect on some of the ideas that guide experiential research approaches and their suitability for specific research questions
• Describe the foundations of Ethnomethodological approaches for observational research, and the key principles and techniques of Conversation Analysis (CA)
• Understand the models of Narrative research and its key principles and characteristics
• Appreciate the fundamental values of Realist research and the unique insights that this approach can provide
• Understand Experiential evaluation suitable for co-design and participatory approaches, where meaningful engagement with stakeholders seeks to understand the lifeworld of the people involved through empathic engagement

Course Faculty

• Dr  Steven Ariss  is the course leader for this SCHARR short course.
• Dr Nasrin Nasr

Further details of PART 1 - An Introduction to the Diversity of Quality Research Methods

The fees for this course are:

• Part one only £225
• Part two only £225
• Whole course £450

Current UOS Staff/Students

Current members of University of Sheffield staff and students with an active @ sheffield.ac.uk  email address are eligible to book onto this course at the following reduced rates:

• Part one £190
• Part two £190
• Whole course £380

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This course will be delivered using the University's 'Blackboard' platform.

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• Reliable and stable internet connection.
• A PC or laptop
• Webcam and microphone (preferably a USB headset)
• Mouse 
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• Ability to access Google applications (e.g. Google Docs, Google Sites, Google Sheets).

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The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it is up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research, funding changes, professional accreditation requirements, student or employer feedback, outcomes of reviews, and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption.

Information last updated: 25 March 2024

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This paper is in the following e-collection/theme issue:

Published on 27.3.2024 in Vol 26 (2024)

Outpatient Video Visits During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey Study of Patients’ Experiences and Characteristics

Authors of this article:

Original Paper

• Stefanie C van den Bosch 1 * , MD, DDS   ; 
• Demi Van Dalen 2 * , MD   ; 
• Marjan Meinders 3 , PhD   ; 
• Harry van Goor 2 , MD, PhD   ; 
• Stefaan Bergé 1 , MD, PhD, DDS   ; 
• Martijn Stommel 2 * , MD, PhD   ; 
• Sandra van Dulmen 4, 5, 6 * , PhD  

1 Department Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands

2 Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands

3 IQ Healthcare, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands

4 Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands

5 Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Boras, Boras, Sweden

6 Nivel, Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Utrecht, Netherlands

*these authors contributed equally

Corresponding Author:

Demi Van Dalen, MD

Department of Surgery

Radboud University Medical Center

Geert Grooteplein Zuid 10

Nijmegen, 6525 GA

Netherlands

Phone: 31 243611111

Email: [email protected]

Background: During the first lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic, an exponential increase in video consultations replacing in-person outpatient visits was observed in hospitals. Insight into patients’ experiences with this type of consultation is helpful for a broad, sustainable, and patient-centered implementation of video consultation.

Objective: This study aims to examine patients’ experiences with video consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify discriminative patient and consultation characteristics to determine when video consultation is most feasible.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted. Patients aged ≥18 years and scheduled for a video consultation at the outpatient clinic of a Dutch university medical center from August 2020 to December 2020 for all medical specialties were eligible. Patients’ experiences were explored through a study-specific survey using descriptive quantitative statistics. Open-ended questions were qualitatively analyzed and thematically categorized into appreciated aspects and aspects for improvement. Discriminative patient and consultation characteristics were identified using 3 distinctive survey items. Characteristics of patients who scored and those who did not score all 3 items positively were analyzed using binary logistic regression.

Results: A total of 1054 patients were included in the analysis. Most patients (964/1054, 91.46%) were satisfied with their video consultation, with a mean overall grade of 8.6 (SD 1.3) of 10. In the qualitative analyses, 70.02% (738/1054) of the patients cited aspects they appreciated and 44.97% (474/1054) mentioned aspects for improvement during their consultation. Patients with better self-rated health reported a positive evaluation significantly more often ( P= .001), which also held true for other medical specialties (vs surgical and nonsurgical specialties; P <.001).

Conclusions: Video consultation was perceived as highly satisfactory by patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the best experience reported by healthy participants and those undergoing their first consultation. Appreciated aspects are mainly at the individual professional level, organizational level, and innovation level itself. The aspects that were mentioned for improvement can be changed for the better.

Introduction

In the Netherlands, the COVID-19 pandemic led to the first lockdown from March 2020 to June 2020 and the second lockdown from mid-December 2020 to April 2021. Throughout these periods, in-person visits were minimized to reduce the risk of potential virus transmission. As a substitute for in-person visits, the use of video visits significantly increased across many medical specialties.

Video visits were already in practice on a limited scale in a wide range of contexts: for speech evaluation in patients with cleft palate [ 1 ], genetic counseling [ 2 ], follow-up after facial plastic surgery [ 3 ], and postoperative wound assessment [ 4 ]. Video visits were found to be satisfactory for patients [ 5 ] and enabled empathetic patient-professional relationships remotely [ 1 , 6 , 7 ]. However, large-scale implementation in daily practice was found to be challenging owing to the multilevel complexity of implementation, where people, organizations, and technology continuously interconnect and develop [ 8 - 11 ]. For example, attitudes and beliefs of individual professionals have been shown to act as both facilitators and barriers in the implementation of eHealth applications [ 8 ]. Furthermore, video visits appeared to be particularly successful in follow-up appointments, when a preexisting relationship of trust is established between the patient and clinician [ 10 ]. For instance, video visits were more easily adopted in follow-up care after cancer surgery compared with a multidisciplinary context of antenatal diabetes care [ 10 ].

Owing to the pandemic-driven, accelerated application of video visits, many clinicians gained experience with this mode of health care delivery. This way of providing care offers several advantages, including saving travel time and costs for both patients and their companions and the efficient use of health care resources, such as outpatient clinic space and support [ 12 - 14 ]. As we move into the post–COVID-19 era, video visits are expected to persist as a routine practice, but large-scale use has seemed to stagnate, presumably owing to a lack of guidance, vision, and attention to patients’ needs, as observed in the United States [ 15 , 16 ]. The use and implementation of video visits are expected to be most successful when tailored to the needs of patients, clinicians, and health care organizations [ 17 , 18 ]. Therefore, it is crucial to understand patients’ perspectives and experiences with video visits and identify specific patient groups that show a greater or lesser degree of appreciation for and suitability to video visits [ 19 ]. Large studies with diverse patient populations covering all medical specialties need to be conducted to learn more about patients’ perspectives [ 16 , 18 ]. However, we are concerned that only a limited number of studies have been published that evaluated video visits for patients within large, diverse populations. Consequently, this study contributes significantly to the existing body of knowledge in this area [ 20 - 22 ].

The primary aim of this study was to examine patients’ evaluations of video visits in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary aim was to identify patient groups for whom video visits are relatively more suitable, given their positive experiences. With these results, the first step toward patient-tailored choices for type of visit can be made.

Study Design and Population

A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2020 to December 2020 at the Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc). Zaurus was used as the video visit app, which is compatible with all smartphones and tablets. Patients were invited via email to register and download the app.

Patients scheduled for a video visit were automatically selected based on the registered mode of visit. Links to the questionnaire were sent by an independent research firm (Expoints) on behalf of the Radboudumc. Selected patients received the survey within 8 days after their visit via email to evaluate the visit and collect their sociodemographic details. The survey had to be completed within 2 weeks, and a reminder was sent 1 week after the initial invitation. An incomplete survey could be saved to be completed later (within 2 weeks). No reminder for completion was sent.

All patients aged ≥18 years who received a video visit at an outpatient clinic at Radboudumc were eligible for inclusion. When a patient had multiple video visits in the selected period, the most recent video visit was selected.

Patients were excluded if they had cognitive problems; had difficulties with reading and understanding Dutch owing to a hindering language barrier; were deceased at the time of selection; completed a survey regarding video visits in the 180 days before the start of our study; completed a survey regarding their admission experience or experience with an in-person visit 30 days before the start of our study; or were admitted to the hospital, as priority was given to the patient experience survey regarding admission. In addition, when the video visit was a follow-up visit after giving birth or when the video visit was replaced with another visit modality, the patient was excluded.

Ethical Considerations

All patients participated voluntarily and anonymously in the survey and gave informed consent to use their data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. Ethics approval was requested and waived by the local Medical Research Ethics Committee of Radboudumc (CMO [committee on research involving human subjects] Oost-Nederland; registration number 2021-8415).

A combined survey was used, which consisted of the Patient Experience Monitor (PEM) for adult outpatient experience [ 23 ], developed by the Dutch Federation of University Medical Centers, and the patient satisfaction survey for video visits created by Hanna et al [ 7 ]. This combined survey was constructed after extensive deliberation by an expert panel. In this process, a literature review of surveys specifically about video visits was performed. The experts found the survey by Hanna et al [ 7 ] to be the most suitable for the aim of our study.

The PEM survey was constructed by adapting a validated Picker Institute survey following a comprehensive theory-driven approach of item selection by an expert panel, cognitive interviews with patients, analysis of psychometric properties, and member checking. This survey of 14 items represents eight key domains of person-centered care: (1) fast access to reliable health care advice; (2) effective treatment delivered by trusted professionals; (3) continuity of care and smooth transitions; (4) involvement and support for family and caregivers; (5) clear information, communication, and support for self-care; (6) involvement in making decisions and respect for preferences; (7) emotional support, empathy, and respect; and (8) attention to physical and environmental needs [ 24 ]. The Picker Institute surveys are measures for evaluating patients’ experiences in outpatient and inpatient clinical care and have been validated and extensively used in university medical centers in the Netherlands since 2019 [ 25 ]. The PEM survey was adapted to the videoconferencing setting by rephrasing the questions. Overall, 2 items were open-ended questions ( Multimedia Appendix 1 ). Quantitative analyses of the PEM survey were based on individual survey items, whereas open-ended questions were analyzed using qualitative methods.

The 13-item survey by Hanna et al [ 7 ] is designed according to the principles of survey development for telemedicine to evaluate patients’ experiences with video visits in pain clinics [ 26 ]. This survey was translated into Dutch, and 1 item was removed, as it was already covered by the PEM survey ( Multimedia Appendix 1 , items 16-27). In total, 4 items were rephrased based on the advice of the patient communication experts. Analysis of the survey by Hanna et al [ 7 ] is based on an overall sum score, where a higher overall sum score represents greater satisfaction. For correct analysis and to calculate an overall sum score, the 3 negatively phrased questions (items 17, 21, and 23) were reversed (eg, “No, definitely not” was converted to “Yes, definitely”), according to protocol.

Finally, a question was added to assess the visit by assigning a score on a scale ranging from 1 to 10 (with 10 being most positive). The survey was conducted according to CHERRIES (Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet-Based e-Surveys; Multimedia Appendix 2 ) [ 27 ].

Statistical Analysis

Quantitative analysis.

Descriptive statistics were used for the closed-ended items ( Multimedia Appendix 1 , items 1-11 and 16-27). To identify patient and visit characteristics associated with positive evaluation of video visits, 4 authors found consensus upon the 3 key items from the survey by Hanna et al [ 7 ] that stood out the most (item 18: “the care I received by a video visit was just as good as with an in-person appointment”; item 22: “I was comfortable talking by video to the healthcare professional”; item 27: “I would recommend the video visit option to other patients”). Throughout the paper, these 3 items have been referred to as “crucial” components of the survey by Hanna et al [ 7 ], as they best displayed a positive experience.

Patient and visit characteristics were determined for the group answering the 3 crucial items positively. In this analysis, the following characteristics were included: sex, age category, level of education, self-rated health, type of visit (first vs follow-up), and medical specialty (surgical, nonsurgical, or other). High self-rated health was defined as a score that indicates “very well” or “excellent.”

Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS Statistics (version 25; IBM Corp). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to calculate differences in patient and visit characteristics between the patient subgroup that scored positively on all crucial items and the patient subgroup that did not score positively, as the dependent variable was not normally distributed.

Qualitative Analysis

Qualitative analysis was performed on the open-ended questions (items 13 and 14) to identify appreciated aspects and aspects for improvement for video visits. Overall, 2 authors (SCvdB and DD) independently categorized all the answers into six categories of factors that influence the implementation of innovations: (1) the innovation itself, (2) the individual professional, (3) the patient, (4) social context, (5) organizational context, and (6) economic and political context [ 28 ]. In case of conflicts in the categorization, consensus was reached through discussion between the authors. Responses including multiple levels within a single response were counted as individual items. Examples of answers for both aspects in each category have been cited in the Results section.

Quantitative Results

From August 2020 to December 2020, a total of 1244 surveys were completed, with a response rate of 28.32% (1244/4392). After excluding 15.27% (190/1244) of the patients who reported that the visit was either a telephone consultation or replaced by telephone after technical difficulties, 84.73% (1054/1244) of the surveys were used in the analysis.

Table 1 shows the patients’ demographics. An equal distribution across age categories was observed. Clinical genetics, neurology, and medical oncology accounted for 65.84% (694/1054) of the total number of evaluated video visits, whereas the distribution across the other medical specialties varied widely. The numbers of first and follow-up visits were equal, with most follow-up visits (480/1054, 45.54%) performed by a known clinician. After a video visit, 36.91% (389/1054) of the patients had to make an appointment for an additional in-person visit or medical examination. A follow-up visit via video was planned in 40.32% (425/1054) of the evaluated video visits. Clinicians from medical oncology and neurology more frequently scheduled an in-person follow-up visit for their patients—18.6% (40/215) and 23.3% (50/215), respectively. Moreover, in 39.7% (69/174) and 14.4% (25/174) of cases, the visits provided by clinical genetics and neurology respectively, were followed by a consecutive visit for additional (diagnostic) testing.

The overall grading for the video visit had a mean of 8.6 (SD 1.3; median 9) of 10. For 5 PEM items, >80% of the patients answered positively, that is, patients waited no longer than 5 minutes, clinicians had read their medical records well, patients received understandable answers, patients trusted the clinician, and patients had enough time to discuss their problems with the clinician. Refer to Table 2 for details about the responses of patients.

For the remaining 6 items, more than 21% stated that the item was either not applicable or answered positively. For instance, 80.25% (829/1033) indicated not receiving any new medication for the question about whether the professional explained the adverse effects of new medication. Analysis of the items in the survey by Hanna et al [ 7 ] showed that 91.46% (964/1054) of the patients was satisfied with their video visit, 66.98% (706/1054) found it to be just as good as an in-person visit, and 68.69% (724/1054) would recommend video visits to other patients, as shown in Table 3 .

Of 1054 patients, 574 (54.46%) answered all 3 crucial items on the survey by Hanna et al [ 7 ] positively, 234 (22.2%) answered 2 of 3 positively, 138 (13.09%) answered only 1 item positively, 72 (6.83%) patients answered “not applicable” or responded negatively, and 36 (3.42%) responses were missing. Patient and visit characteristics of patients who positively answered all 3 crucial Hanna [ 7 ] items versus the group who did not are shown in Multimedia Appendix 3 .

Results of the binary logistic regression are shown in Table 4 . Negative association was found between the positive evaluation of a visit and the surgical and “other” medical specialties (B=−0.64; P <.001). Positive evaluation was also associated with the patient category who described their health as “very well” (B=1.12; P =.01). Sex, age, and educational status had no influence on whether a patient rated the visit positively. In addition, the reason for the visit was not found to have any influence on the positive evaluation of a video visit.

a ENT: ear, nose, and throat.

b Includes trauma surgery, visceral surgery, surgical oncology, and vascular surgery.

c OMF: oral and maxillofacial surgery.

a The total in some sections is not 100% owing to missing responses.

a Nagelkerke R 2 =0.08.

b N/A: not applicable.

Qualitative Results

Table 5 displays the frequencies of appreciated aspects and aspects for improvement. Most patients (738/1054, 70.02%) cited appreciated aspects of the use of video visits in the open-ended questions. The most frequently cited appreciated aspects were expressed at the individual professional level, followed by the organizational context level and the innovation level. Few aspects were mentioned at the patient level, economic and political context level, and social context level. Approximately half of the patients (474/1054, 44.97%) cited aspects for improvement. Most were cited at the innovation, organizational context, and patient levels. In contrast, no improvable aspects were reported at the economic and political context level.

a Overall, 70.01% (738/1054) of the patients cited appreciated aspects.

b Responses including multiple levels within a single response were counted as individual items.

c Overall, 44.97% (474/1054) of the patients cited aspects for improvement.

The perceived ease of use and audio-visual quality were frequently mentioned as appreciated aspects. The intuitive character of the app was seen as valuable, as not all patients were familiar with using web-based apps. Patients appreciated the audio-visual quality, allowing the video visit to be a good alternative for an in-person visit. However, not all the patients experienced the same ease of use, as the most reported aspect for improvement was poor audio and video quality, sometimes clearly caused by an unstable internet connection. Although Zaurus is compatible with all electronic devices, users have reported issues with video size specifically on smartphones ( Textbox 1 ).

Appreciated aspect

“The application is straightforward and easy to understand. Conversation went well, the doctor even asked me if I could hear her well.” [Female; aged 18-34 y; clinical genetics]

Aspect for improvement

“The video connection was really bad. Almost immediately the app crashed, and the audio stuttered, so I could not understand what the doctor was saying. After two attempts, we continued the visit by telephone.” [Female; aged 65-79 y; excluded for further analysis; clinical genetics]

Individual Professional

Patients often mentioned what they valued in the clinician’s professional behavior, such as their attitude, and communicative style. In contrast, a lack of adequate or visible body language and lack of knowledge about someone’s medical history were mentioned as aspects for improvement ( Textbox 2 ).

“There is still a kind of personal touch in the contact, which is nice for the perception as well. The doctor radiated tranquility and was understanding, and she had read my personal record well. That gives me confidence.” [Female; aged 55-64 y; clinical genetics]

“The doctor did not look at us during the video visit. Both my daughter, who was also present, and I had noticed. That felt a little awkward. He was mainly looking down (I guess at a file or something like that, which was in front of him).” [Female; aged 80-99 y; clinical genetics]

The possibility to have face-to-face interactions remotely was often mentioned as valuable, as patients were able to watch the clinicians’ nonverbal reactions. It made video visits a safe alternative for patients with a weak immune system, for example, during the pandemic. Personal lack of experience with video visits was a hindering factor, as not all patients were familiar with the use of videoconferencing apps. Some of them preferred an in-person visit, as they felt uncomfortable owing to inexperience ( Textbox 3 ).

“It is nice to see the doctor, but for a first meeting, it is something I need to get used to. However, this feels safer regarding the coronavirus and a vulnerable immune status.” [Female; aged 35-54 y; neurology]

“I’d rather have the first visit in person. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I prefer physical contact, even during this COVID pandemic. Feelings and emotions might be more difficult to pick up on screen.” [Male; aged 55-64 y; neurology]

Social Context

The possibility of the involvement of others, such as next of kin or other family members, was one of the mentioned appreciated aspects. Creating a culture in which a patient can share their preference or opt for a certain visit modality could stimulate the use of video visits. Patients expressed that they would like to have a say in choosing which visit modality they like, especially when the nature of the visit is sensitive ( Textbox 4 ).

“On time, pleasant conversation, space for questions, clear explanation. It was nice that my partner could join with his phone.” [Female; aged 18-34 y; reproductive medicine]

“It was a shame they communicated the results by a video visit. I was shocked and found they acted a bit indignant about my reaction. I was not capable anymore to follow the conversation.” [Female; aged 18-34 y; clinical genetics]

Organizational Context

Internet-based assistance, clear instructions, and time management by the clinician during the visit were often mentioned as appreciated aspects at this level. Many patients were called in advance of the visit to check for technical problems. However, patients were not always informed correctly if the visit would start later than scheduled, and in some cases, patients received the link for the video visit just before the visit started, which was an aspect for improvement ( Textbox 5 ).

“The support was really good, as I am not so technical and there was enough explanation. Great.” [Female; aged 55-64 y; clinical genetics]

“I would like to receive a notification when the doctor is held up, especially when it’s a first visit. Also, I would like to receive a heads up when I get another doctor than the one the appointment was originally scheduled with.” [Male; aged 55-64 y; medical oncology]

Economic and Political Context

Time and financial savings were identified as valuable aspects at the economic and political context level. Patients often cited less travel time and costs as beneficial. There were no improvable aspects reported at the economic and political context level ( Textbox 6 ).

“It is pleasant that there is no need for traveling to the hospital (regarding travel time and travel distance) and still have ‘personal’ contact with the doctor through a video connection.” [Male; aged 35-54 y; neurology]

Principal Findings

In this study, we comprehensively analyzed evaluations of visits via video to a tertiary clinic made by a large, diverse patient population, including appreciated aspects and aspects for improvement. Most patients (964/1054, 91.46%) evaluated the video visits positively, with significantly more positive evaluations when the visits were provided by a clinician from “other” medical specialties, as compared to surgical and nonsurgical specialties, or when the patient rated their health status as “very well.” The appreciated aspects were mostly at the individual professional level, whereas aspects for improvement were reported at the innovation level itself.

Comparison With Previous Studies

Our finding that high self-rated health of patients is an influencing patient characteristic for suitability of video visits echoes the finding that patients with less complex, more straightforward clinical needs are more suitable candidates for video visits than those with complex, high-risk diseases [ 10 , 29 ]. Similar findings were identified in an oncological study wherein telemedicine was received favorably for low-acuity cancer care [ 16 ]. In contrast to findings that video visits appear to be more appropriate when the clinician knows the patient beforehand and when it is a follow-up visit [ 10 ], we found that the reason for the visit did not have any influence on whether patients rated the video visit positively. Remarkably, the medical specialty providing the visit was found to be a significant associated factor. Nonsurgical visits were found to be most suitable for telemedicine. One can imagine that these visits are less dependent on physical examination, such as internal medicine or dermatology, for instance, as these specialties can easily review laboratory abnormalities or skin disorders on screen [ 30 ]. In addition to specific aspects of the visit that may depend on the medical specialty, other dimensions or elements during the visit could affect the patient experience, such as the communication strategy used by the clinician [ 31 ]. Nonetheless, more studies are needed to get a clear overview about whether medical specialty is a truly discriminative characteristic or whether it is more dependent on the attitude of certain clinicians and patient groups.

Qualitative analysis of the open-ended questions revealed both facilitating and hindering factors for broad implementation and upscaling of video visits. Following Grol and Wensing [ 28 ], these factors were categorized into innovation, professional, patient, social context, organizational context, and economic and political context levels. Appreciation was mostly centered on the professionals’ skill in adapting communication to the video setup; however, there was scope for improvement among some individuals, as they might benefit from investing additional effort in making visual contact. The way in which the video visits were organized was also highly valued, especially for the provision of technical support to patients as and when needed.

The attitude of the clinician during the video visit was one of the most frequently mentioned aspects for improvement. The bedside manner, which may be better described as the “webside” manner, of a clinician refers to how the clinician behaves, approaches the patient, and communicates during the visit. Clinicians sometimes seem to lack awareness of how their nonverbal behavior looks on screen, as was also shown by a study that analyzed a large data set of >5000 patients [ 32 ]. Patients prefer increased expression of nonverbal empathy from clinicians when they show signs of distress. Inadequate nonverbal communication and body language are often reported as barriers for telemedicine adoption [ 3 , 33 , 34 ]. Despite expert recommendations dating back several years to raise awareness for nonverbal and paraverbal communication, our study also indicates that there is still considerable scope for improvement and training at the clinician level [ 31 , 35 ].

In accordance with several survey studies conducted during the pandemic, our response rate was low. This might be explained by the questionnaire fatigue that was frequently observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, as patients received multiple questionnaires and messages from the outpatient clinic, apart from research [ 36 ].

Regarding future perspectives, clinicians should seek guidelines to assess the suitability of a video visit, and the following recommendations might be useful. The Dutch Center of Expertise on Health Disparities recommends checking the patients’ digital skills beforehand, providing digital support, and evaluating whether the information is correctly understood through techniques such as “teach back” at the end of the visit [ 37 ]. Video consulting guidelines advise considering several factors while deciding whether video visits may be suitable, such as whether there is an established relationship with the patient, whether it entails nonurgent care, whether there is a need for physical examination, and whether there are factors in favor of the patient staying at home [ 38 ].

Limitations

The findings of this study must be considered in the light of some limitations. First, our study might have been exposed to selection and sampling biases for several reasons. It was an “open” survey, where patients could decide voluntarily whether they would participate in the survey, which might have led to a sample of patients that is not representative of the entire population of the hospital. In addition, owing to the exclusion criteria, not all video visits were evaluated.

Second, the validity of the combined survey was not tested. As the analysis of our data was reported at the item level, calculating the internal consistency using Cronbach α was not applicable. PEM is known to be a validated survey; however, the psychometric properties of the survey by Hanna et al [ 7 ] are not known and should be determined. As the PEM items were rephrased to the videoconferencing setting, reliability of this new PEM survey will have to be reassessed.

The educational status of patients attending a university medical center is, in general, often higher than the mean educational status of the general population. In our study population, 44.4% (468/1054) of the patients were highly educated, compared with 30% in the Dutch population in 2018 [ 39 ]. As teaching hospitals and referring hospitals might serve different populations, the generalizability of our results might be limited, and further studies including different types of hospitals are recommended.

A total of 139 patients reported a failed video visit and noted that the visit was replaced by telephone. However, the exact number of times this occurred is not known, as not all patients might have reported this failure, which also may have resulted in selection bias.

In this evaluation, we deliberately focused on the patient evaluation of video visits. As it is known that patients and clinicians have different views about quality of information and visits [ 40 - 42 ], the clinicians’ point of view should also be explored for a comprehensive evaluation of the use of video visits. Health care providers, such as clinicians, might experience different barriers and facilitators compared with patients, thus influencing the successful implementation of video visits. Key barriers to successful implementation such as the lack of training and motivation to offer video visits need to be addressed [ 3 , 8 , 43 , 44 ].

Conclusions

Video visits were perceived as highly satisfactory by patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the best experiences reported by healthy participants and participants who scheduled a visit with a clinician outside the realms of surgical and nonsurgical medical specialties, such as clinical genetics or radiotherapy. Appreciated aspects were mainly at the individual professional level, organizational level, and at the level of the innovation itself. The mentioned aspects for improvement can be changed for the better.

The findings cannot be directly generalized as they were collected in a university medical center with a specific patient population, but they provide additional results for understanding the suitability of video visits in a broad patient population. To be able to truly tailor the use of video visits to patients’ needs, a patient-centered perspective involving both patients and health care professionals is needed.

Data Availability

The data used in this study will be made available by the authors upon reasonable request.

Authors' Contributions

SCvdB, MM, MS, and SvD contributed to the study’s conception and design. SCvdB and DD performed the statistical analyses. SCvdB managed the project administration and data curation. SCvdB, DD, MS, and SvD drafted the manuscript. HvG, SB, MS, and SvD supervised the research project. SCvdB and DD contributed equally to this work and share first authorship. MS and SvD contributed equally to this work and share senior authorship. All authors interpreted the data, critically revised the paper, and approved the final version of the paper.

Conflicts of Interest

None declared.

Survey on video visits during the COVID-19 outbreak (August 2020 to December 2020).

CHERRIES (Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet-Based e-Surveys) checklist.

Patient and visit characteristics of those who positively answered all 3 crucial items in the checklist by Hanna et al [ 7 ] versus the group that did not answer positively.

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Abbreviations

Edited by T Leung; submitted 16.05.23; peer-reviewed by AW Zahoor, J Hayden; comments to author 25.10.23; revised version received 08.12.23; accepted 31.01.24; published 27.03.24.

©Stefanie C van den Bosch, Demi Van Dalen, Marjan Meinders, Harry van Goor, Stefaan Bergé, Martijn Stommel, Sandra van Dulmen. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 27.03.2024.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

This article is part of the research topic.

Co-designing and Evaluating Oral Health Promotion Interventions for Vulnerable Groups

Adolescents' Views on Oral Health Care and Promotion in Norway: Everyday Practices, Recommendations, and Future Visions Provisionally Accepted

• 1 Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
• 2 SINTEF, Norway

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

In this study, we aimed to understand adolescents' perspectives on oral health care and promotion. 9Our research was conducted in the context of Norway's oral health care system, where societal 10 factors like income and education influence health disparities. Despite free public dental care for all 11 residents younger than 19 years, challenges persist in promoting oral health among adolescents, a 12 group whose oral health behavior and literacy remain largely unexplored. A thematic analysis of an 13 anonymized dataset from around 80 adolescents aged 12-20 years, led to the recognition of five 14 central themes: (1) Feeling fresh vs. feeling indifferent: A broad spectrum of attitudes; (2) Bridging 15 gaps, building habits: Collaborative efforts in oral care; (3) "Create good experiences at the dentist so 16 people come back again"; (4) Requested qualities in oral health promoting solutions; (5) Reminder 17 tools for everyday use. Taken together, these themes highlight adolescents' oral health practices and 18 resources, recommendations for dental clinics, and visions for future oral health promotion. The 19 results emphasize the importance of tailored oral health promotion for adolescents. Some reflections 20 on the theme of social inequalities are provided.

Keywords: adolescents, oral health promotion, social inequalities, qualitative methods Font: (Default) Times New Roman, 12 pt Font: (Default) Times New Roman, 12 pt Formatted ... [2] Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman, 12 pt Formatted: Font: (Default) Times New Roman, 12 pt Font colour: Black

Received: 07 Sep 2023; Accepted: 27 Mar 2024.

Copyright: © 2024 Høiseth and Jasbi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence: Dr. Marikken Høiseth, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

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