Module: Qualitative Research Skills

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Qualitative Research Skills
Module Code	NUR1040 (ITS: NS297)
Faculty	Nursing, PsyT & Comm Health	School	Science & Health
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

This module will broadly examine qualitative methods commonly used in health research. The module will provide students with fundamental skills to enable them to collect and conduct preliminary analyses on qualitative data. It will focus particularly on interview and focus group skills , thematic analysis and ethical considerations in qualitative research as well as data protection issues in research more generally. Students will learn how to identify a researchable question, develop research objectives, and how to report results.

Learning Outcomes

1. Identify qualitative research questions and objectives related to health and societal concerns
2. Understand how to plan and conduct semi-structured research interviews
3. When to use focus group and the steps involved in planning and facilitation of focus groups in research
4. Demonstrate an understanding of basic qualitative data analysis techniques
5. Further explore ethical and data protection concerns for health and social researchers

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	20	No Description
Workshop	6	Workshops for interview and focus group skills and practice
Assignment Completion	50	Qualitative research and write up
Independent Study	49	No Description
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20814	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Marcia Kirwan	Module Teacher	Denise Proudfoot

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Assignment	Qualitative health research project: Design a qualitative research study, develop an interview guide, carry out interviews, data analysis and report writing.	100%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Research methodologies and designs
Revising, and expanding upon, prior student learning to do with qualitative research

Qualitative research questions in health research
Exploring the significance of research questions and practicing the formulation of such questions.

Doing interviews
Examining the uses of interviews in health research and practicing the conduct of interviews. Interpersonal communciation skills for qualitative research

Conducting focus group discussion
Attending to the value of focus group discussions in health research and practicing focus group facilitation.

Doing qualitative analysis
Considering how to analyse interview data and other forms of qualitative data.

Ethics in health research
Exploring the ethical issues in qualitative research and data protection concerns for health and social science researchers

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Bowling, Ann: 2014, Research Methods In Health: Investigating Health And Health Services, McGraw-Hill Education (UK), 536, 9780335262748
BELL, J., & WATERS, S.: 2018, Doing your research project: a guide for first time researchers, McGraw-Hill Education, London,
Hammersley, M & Traianou, M: 2012, Ethics in Qualitative Research: Controversies and Contexts, Sage, California,
Kathy Charmaz,Linda M. McMullen: 2011, Five Ways of Doing Qualitative Analysis, Guilford Press, 434, 9781609181420
David E Gray: 2018, Doing Research in the Real World, SAGE Publications Limited, 824, 147394726X
Tom Clark,Liam Foster,Alan Bryman,Luke Sloan: 2021, Social Research Methods 6E, Oxford University Press, 704, 9780198796053

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None