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Title: Qualitative Research Methods for Global Public Health (Face to Face)
Keywords: Anthropology
Public Health
Qualitative methods
Country: Norway
Institution: Norway - Centre for International Health, Universitetet i Bergen
Course coordinator: Karen Marie Moland
Date start: 2025-01-06
Date end: 2025-01-24
About duration and dates: Three weeks 1w Introduction, 2w Group and individual work Application deadline Nov.1st. every year Pre-course reading available 2 weeks before course
Classification: advanced optional
Mode of delivery: Face to face
Course location: Centre for International Health, University of Bergen
P.O. Box 7804, N-5020 Bergen, Norway
ECTS credit points: 5 ECTS credits
SIT: SIT: 125 hours (contact 35 hours, supervised self and group study 90 hours)
● Pre-course reading (10 hours)
● Contact hours (lectures and seminars) (35 hours)
● Developing a group project proposal (15 hours)
● Conducting the research (10 hours)
● Developing a group mini research report (40 hours)
● Developing a written individual reflection report (15 hours)
Language: English
Description:
By the end of the course, the student will be able to:
● Define a research question in global public health that needs a qualitative approach
● Develop tools for data collection for a qualitative public health research project
● Apply the main qualitative research methods (in-depth interview, focus group discussion, participant observation)
● Apply the principles for coding and analysis of the qualitative data obtained
● Assess the strengths and limitations of qualitative research
Assessment Procedures:
Portfolio assessment with two group submissions (1 and 2) and one individual submission (3). The group assignments get feedback on all outputs, individual assignment gets feedback on request.

Group assignments (60% of the total grade)

1. A mini research project proposal of minimum 400, maximum 1000 words submitted on the UiB learning platform (MittUiB).
Counts 20% of the total grade.
2. A mini research report – two steps
o Oral presentation in class (commented, not graded).
o Written report of minimum 1500, maximum 2500 words submitted on the UiB learning platform (MittUiB).
Counts 40% of the total grade.

3. Individual assignment (40% of the total grade)
The individual student delivers a home assignment on methodological challenges related to the group mini research - minimum 1000, maximum 2000 words. Submitted on the UiB learning platform (MittUiB)

ECTS Grading Scale: A-F (F = Fail)

If the group fails in one or both of the group based parts, they will be allowed to repeat the assignments in the same semester.

If the individual student fails the individual exam, he/she can repeat the assignment in the same semester. If the student fails a second time, he/she will be advised to participate in the course one more time and repeat the assignment after the course.
Content:
The main topics covered in the lectures/seminars:
● Theoretical foundation of qualitative research methodology, including characteristics of qualitative research, their strengths and limitations
● Research designs/Strategies of inquiry
● Data collection methods: In-depth interview, Focus Group Discussion and Participant observation
● How to design a qualitative research project
● How to develop interview / topic guides
● How to analyse qualitative data without software
● How to report findings
● Confidentiality issues and informed consent
● Rigor and trustworthiness in qualitative research
Methods:
● Pre-course preparatory reading – 10 hours
● Lectures, discussions in classroom - 20 hours
● Practice sessions in classroom – 15 hours
● Group mini research exercise: - total 65 hours
o Students will study in small groups to formulate research questions and develop a mini research proposal (15 hours)
o Students will carry out the planned research using one or more qualitative data collection methods, analyze the results and prepare an oral and written report (50 hours).
● Students will reflect on their research experience in an individual home assignment -15 hours
Prerequisites:
Students admitted to a master’s degree programme in global health or related topics may join this course.
Good working knowledge of English (TOEFL score of at least 550 points paper-based or 213 points computer-based, or an equivalent approved test).
Attendance:
Total maximum number of students: 25
Max. number of tropEd students:15
Min. total number of students:15
Selection:
Master students from institutions within tropEd (max.15) on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Fees:

● No tuition fee
● Registration as student in Bergen NOK 500
● TropEd admin fee 70 Euro
Scholarships:
None available.
Major changes since initial accreditation: 1. The course was not offered on campus 2020-2023 due to the pandemic. An online version was the only course option during that time. Due to high demand both the on campus version (INTH323E, this course) and the online version (INTH323O accredited 2020, Brescia) will be offered on an annual basis.
2. Changed requirement in the portfolio assessment: Students, in addition to giving an oral presentation, are required to hand in a written report on the research exercise including a statement of the contribution of each student. This is to increase the commitment to the assignment by all students.
3. Increased weight given to the individual assignment in the portfolio assessment, now counting 40% of the final grade. This is to increase commitment of individual students.


The individual assignment is given more weight (40%) in the final grade.
Student evaluation: A qualitative evaluation was done after the last on campus course in 2019, and the students were overall happy with the course and the hands-on learning of the mini research group exercise, but raised a concern about the unequal contribution of students.
Lessons learned: The students appreciate and gain a lot from applying the knowledge in planning, conducting, analysing and reporting research in the mini research group exercise, but each student’s contribution needs to be given more weight.
tropEd accreditation:
Accredited in Copenhagen, Month 2003; reaccredited in Bergen, May 2006, in EC TelCo, April 2013, in EC TelCo, March 2015 and in EC TelCo, Jan 2017; Re-acredited Feb 2024 EC Telco, valid until Feb. 2029.
Email Address: Karen.moland@cih.uib.no
Date Of Record Creation: 2017-10-22 15:57:54 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release: 2019-10-25 07:27:32 (W3C-DTF)
Date Record Checked: 2017-10-22 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified: 2024-03-13 10:34:45 (W3C-DTF)

Fifteen years of the tropEd Masters in International Health programme: what has it delivered? Results of an alumni survey of masters students in international health

L. Gerstel1, P. A. C. Zwanikken1, A. Hoffman2, C. Diederichs3, M. Borchert3 and B. Peterhans2

1 Royal Tropical Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2 Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
3 Institute of Tropical Medicine and International Health, Charite – Universit€atsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany