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This module reflects the programme focus on how knowledge can be acquired and applied to practice with the intent to drive improvements in health and social care contexts.

Qualitative research provides rich descriptions and understandings about people’s experiences in health and social care contexts that are essential in order to inform positive changes in practice. Qualitative methods focus on understanding how individuals perceive or respond to a situation. These methods also focus on understanding social interaction in real-life situations. Qualitative methods are often used for studying potentially sensitive topics which may be challenging to investigate using quantitative methods. The module will explore these methods and assess how more recent study designs that combine both qualitative and quantitative methods can strengthen studies

The combination of methods can pose challenges to our assumptions about knowledge itself and so will be addressed to raise awareness of the limitations of some approaches. Key skills demanded in real world scenarios include the ability to discern between high-and low-quality qualitative studies (how trustworthy they are), the ability to match designs to specific questions, and to anticipate likely feasibility and ethical challenges that may arise. The module will address all of these through a combination of critically appraising published studies and considering different frameworks to do so.

1) Compare different philosophical stances that underpin different mixed, multimethod and qualitative approaches
2) Critically appraise and debate different approaches to critique of qualitative and mixed/multi-method studies
3) Critically appraise the ways in which qualitative and mixed/multi- methods can contribute to the process of achieving practice change in health and or/social care settings
4) Evaluate the likely practical and ethical challenges involved in implementing diverse mixed, multimethod and qualitative approaches