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Research Philosophies and Methods of Enquiry

Location
Southwark

Duration
3 months (part-time)

Start date
Intake: January

Number of places
Part-time: 30

How to apply
Direct to LSBU

Course contact
Professor Susan McLaren
mclaresm@lsbu.ac.uk – 020 7815 7978

Non-standard entry requirements

You will normally require a degree in a relevant subject and have experience in a relevant field. Please contact the course director to discuss this further.

Unit description

The purpose of the unit is to consolidate and extend knowledge of research perspectives, approaches and methods inquiry. This unit, together with the Research Methodology and Strategy unit, explores the nature of the research enterprise for nursing and health and social care and its relationship to the natural and social sciences. This includes effective ways of searching for information as well as understanding philosophical stances to research and design of studies cogent to these philosophies.

Research Philosophies and Methods of Enquiry is a core unit for the Strategic Leadership and Expert Practice programme and its pathways and the Post Qualifying Awards in Social Work, but may also be studied as a stand-alone unit by those wishing to accumulate credits at postgraduate level.

The unit covers a range of paradigms and theoretical perspectives underpinning research approaches. A number of research approaches are considered, to help further students’ understanding of the underlying philosophies, values and assumptions.

Within the context of evidence-based practice it is essential that you are able to locate a variety of material pertinent to practice, such as, policy information, guidelines and audit as well as research. Approaches to finding such information will be explored in the unit.

This unit should extend your understanding of research approaches and ethical issues associated with the research process and thus enable you to prepare a high quality research proposal suitable for a Masters dissertation and give you the confidence to apply research in your practice.

Career opportunities

Given the increasing requirement for practice in the health and social care professions to be evidence-based and this evidence being largely generated by research, it can be assumed that the candidate’s employment opportunities will be enhanced on completion of a research course such as this.

Typical background of applicant

Typical applicants for this course will be working within the field of health or social care.