Health Research MSc

University of Essex

Do you want pursue a career in sociological or health research? Thinking of embarking on a PhD and you want to develop your existing research skills? Or do you want to diversify your career in practice to include research? If so, this could be the course for you.

Our MSc Health Research can be studied either on a full-time basis over 1 year, or via modular, credit accumulation which would take between 2 and 5 years. The part-time route is helpful if you are planning on working full-time alongside your studies.

This course offers an introduction to the key methodological and theoretical aspects of health-related research from a social scientific perspective. You combine perspectives from the areas of sociological research methods, and the specific application of these research methods, to the burgeoning health context of an ageing population and increased need for health care.

This programme should be of interest if you wish to pursue a career in health-related research, or employment in health related governmental and non-governmental organisations, or to pursue further postgraduate study to doctoral level.

On our course, you'll:

• advance your knowledge of how to design and execute health-related research from a social science perspective through a blend of theory and practise;

• explore some of the philosophical foundations of health-related social research, and how this lens influences the researcher’s approach to theory development and strategy;

• consolidate your research skills so you are adept at searching for and analysing current materials to formulate a well-rounded literature review

• examine commonplace research designs, including both qualitative and quantitative methods, using examples from published health-related literature

• have the option of gaining practical experience through a short work placement at the Institute of Social and Economic Research or another recognized survey organization where you will have the chance to engage in various activities in the running of a large-scale survey research project.

Due to the advanced nature of the training on research methods, applicants will be required to evidence having received training in research methods at undergraduate level and completion of a dissertation at 2.1 level or equivalent. In some cases evidence of research experience in the workplace which includes data analysis will be considered.