Module manager: Ruth Evans
Email: r.p.evans@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: 1 Sep to 31 Aug (12mth) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
As per programme entry requirements.
YCHI5090M MSc Health Informatics Project
This module is not approved as an Elective
This module enables the student to select, refine and undertake a research project in the health domain, relevant to their parent programme. Students can choose from a range of project topics, then devise a research question and appropriate study design with support from a supervisor. The methods chosen should enable students to demonstrate independent application of knowledge, skills and techniques acquired during the taught elements of their programme, by carrying out and reporting on a piece of health-related research. All projects will include a review of the literature; for some, a systematic or scoping review may make up the entire project, for others a literature review may be combined with additional data analysis work.
The purpose of this module is to:
- Give students opportunity to assess the feasibility of potential topics for research in the field of their parent programme
- Equip students with the ability to devise a research question and an appropriate study design
- Give students opportunity to apply suitable research methods for their agreed research question
- Equip students to carry out a systematic and critical review of the relevant literature
- Allow students to demonstrate independent application of relevant knowledge, skills and techniques that they have acquired during the taught elements of their parent programme, in carrying out and reporting on a research project
- Equip students to present a coherent and high-quality report of the research project
Students have two days of teaching towards the start of the project, which consolidate and build on the research elements of their taught modules. The project module learning activities cover refining research questions, and the ways different study designs could be developed to address these. Guidance on writing an outline and a protocol is provided, and they have practical classes on literature searching for a systematic review. Individual supervision will guide the students through the process of undertaking and writing-up the project.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1- Refine and clearly articulate a research question with relevance to the health domain, appropriate to the parent programme.
2- Examine critically the published research in the context of their project.
3- Develop a suitable study design and research methods to address a research question, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of the research process, taking into account any relevant ethical and governance issues.
4- Plan and document research methods clearly, so they may be replicated.
5- Demonstrate an ability to perform the planned methods effectively.
6- Articulate and present clearly the research results for a general academic audience, using written text, with graphical illustrations as appropriate.
7- Take a critical approach to the analysis and interpretation of the results, in the light of existing knowledge.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1- Develop a research question, plan and implement a small research study
2- Effectively communicate ideas to others through written explanation and graphical representation
3- Systematically search for, evaluate and use appropriate, relevant sources of information to support research
Taught classes are designed to provide a starting point for the students’ research, covering: developing a research question; preparing an outline; research protocols; writing abstracts; literature searching for a systematic review.
Following this, students work individually with their supervisors to complete their own project, so the remaining syllabus is the stages of a research project: understanding the background, designing and executing appropriate methods, analysing results, discussion of results in light of existing work, preparing a written report.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 10 | 0.5 | 5 |
| Lecture | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Practical | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Seminar | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Independent online learning hours | 5 | ||
| Private study hours | 578 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 17 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 600 | ||
There are two opportunities for formal formative feedback with the module team:
- An outline of the proposed work, submitted early in the process, which is discussed in a meeting with the module leadership team
- A protocol of the planned work, which is developed with the supervisor(s) and submitted for written feedback from the module team. This feedback includes a review of the planned literature search strategy and any planned data collection / retrieval and analysis.
Alongside this, students are required to meet with their supervisor(s) regularly throughout the time they spend on their project. These meetings are an opportunity to discuss progress, and to plan and agree actions to ensure timely completion of the work. Students may also share portions of draft written work with their supervisor for comment. Supervisors review the work once, either as a full draft or as individual chapters, and should not provide feedback on multiple iterations of the same section of work. Arrangements for this, including appropriate timescales, should be made between students and supervisors on an individual basis.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Formative - An outline of the proposed work (500-600 words) | 0 |
| Coursework | Formative - A full protocol for the proposed research (no word limit, but a template is provided) | 0 |
| Coursework | Summative - A final report, presenting the research project work in full (10,000 words) | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
The summative assignment is a report detailing the background, aims, methods and results of the research project, including discussion of key points, conclusions and recommendations for future work. It follows the same structure as a research paper, but with space to include more detail. This comprises 100% of the module grade. Students are also required to submit an outline and a protocol for formative feedback (see section below). Students who fail the first attempt at the summative coursework will be offered an opportunity to resubmit. The resubmission will take the same format as the first attempt.
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 08/05/2025
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