2022-23 PGCert Health Research _ Statistics Programme Design Document

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1	1. Admissions/ Management Information
2	Title of the programme – including any lower awards Please provide the titles used for all awards relating to this programme. Note: all programmes are required to have at least a Postgraduate Certificate exit award. See guidance on programme titles in:
3	Masters
4	Postgraduate Diploma																													Please indicate if the Postgraduate Diploma is available as an entry point, ie. is a programme on which a student can register, is an exit award, ie. is only available to students exiting the masters programme early, or both.																N/A
5	Postgraduate Certificate				Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research and Statistics																									Please indicate if the Postgraduate Certificate is available as an entry points, ie. is a programme on which a student can register, is an exit award, ie. is only available to students exiting the masters programme early, or both.																Entry
6	Level of qualification				Level 7
7	This document applies to students who commenced the programme(s) in:															2022
8	Awarding institution																							Teaching institution
9	University of York																							University of York
10	Department(s): Where more than one department is involved, indicate the lead department																							Board of Studies
11	Lead Department		Health Sciences																					Health Sciences
12	Other contributing Departments:
13	Route code (existing programmes only)															PCHSCSHRS1
14	Admissions criteria
15	First degree award- 2.i. Language requirements IELTS at 6.5 with a 6.5 in writing and no less than 6 in other components.
16	Length and status of the programme(s) and mode(s) of study
17	Programme					Length (years/ months)				Status (full-time/ part-time) Please select				Start dates/months (if applicable – for programmes that have multiple intakes or start dates that differ from the usual academic year)										Mode
18
19																								Face-to-face, campus-based									Distance learning									Other
20	PGCert Health Research and Statistics					1 year				Full-time				September										Please select Y/N							Yes		Please select Y/N							Yes		Mixture of campus based and online
21	PGCert Health Research and Statistics					2 years				Part-time				September										Please select Y/N							Yes		Please select Y/N							Yes		Mixture of campus based and online
23	Language(s) of study
24	English
25	Language(s) of assessment
26	English
27	2. Programme accreditation by Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Bodies (PSRB)
28	2.a. Is the programme recognised or accredited by a PSRB
29	Please Select Y/N:		No		if No move to section 3 if Yes complete the following questions
36	3. Additional Professional or Vocational Standards
37	Are there any additional requirements of accrediting bodies or PSRB or pre-requisite professional experience needed to study this programme?
38	Please Select Y/N:		No		if Yes, provide details
40	4. Programme leadership and programme team
41	4.a. Please name the programme leader for the year to which the programme design applies and any key members of staff responsible for designing, maintaining and overseeing the programme.
42	Noreen Mdege (Programme Leader); Han-I Wang (Deputy Programme Leader)
43
48	5.a.ii Statement of purpose for applicants registering for the Postgraduate Certificate programme Please express succinctly the overall aims of the programme as an applicant facing statement for a prospectus or website. This should clarify to a prospective certificate student why they should choose this programme, what it will provide to them and what benefits they will gain from completing it.
49	This programme will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to design high-quality health research studies using appropriate methods and study designs. It comprises a portfolio of modules covering a range of key areas, including statistics, health research methods, epidemiology, systematic reviews, health economics, and randomised controlled trials. The programme will enable you to develop advanced skills in applied statistical methods, or broader skills across a range of study designs. The programme offers flexibility: some modules are offered as online learning, while others are campus-based. After completing the programme, you will be able to (re-)enter the employment sector equipped with knowledge and skills to advance your career in applied health research.
70	5.b.iii. Programme Learning Outcomes - Postgraduate Certificate Please provide four to six statements outlining what a graduate of the Postgraduate Certificate programme will be able to do. Taken together, these outcomes should capture the distinctive features of the programme. They should also be outcomes for which progressive achievement through the course of the programme can be articulated, and which will therefore be reflected in the design of the whole programme.
71	PLO	On successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
72	1	critically appraise and interpret findings from different health research study designs
73	2	evaluate and frame clear health research questions and consider which study designs, including systematic reviews, might be suitable to address them
74	3	make informed decisions about the design of a health research study using the most appropriate quantitative methodology (e.g. clinical trial, case control study or cohort study)
75	4	plan and execute quantitative data analyses, using the most appropriate statistical tests and employing common statistical packages (e.g. SPSS and STATA).
76	5	prepare the statistical part of a health research report in accordance with journal standards
77	6
78	5.c. Explanation of the choice of Programme Learning Outcomes Please explain your rationale for choosing these PLOs in a statement that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). Please include brief reference to:
79	i) ... in what way will these PLOs result in an ambitious, challenging programme which stretches the students?
80	The PLOs for this programme have been developed as the best way of capturing the skills and competencies that graduates of the programme will be able to demonstrate. PLO1 indicates that the knowledge gained can be actively applied in individual research and enable the student to interpret and critique findings from the health sciences literature with a focus on quantitative methods. PLOs 2-4 represent the main skillset that students on this programme are expected to have - ability to frame appropriate health research questions, to consider which study design(s) might be suitable to address them using quantitative methodology (e.g. clinical trial, case control study or cohort study) and to plan and execute quantitative data analyses. This programme specifically develops a health research and applied statistics skillset that is applicable within health sciences. PLO5 emphasises the importance of students being able to communicate their questions, analysis, findings and solutions to learnt audience. The skills and knowledge reflected in the PLOs are ambitious and challenging as they will introduce students to different research designs including randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and observational studies that they are unlikely to be familiar with at point of entry. They will also challenge the student in terms of their analytical skills specifically through building their statistical skills and ability to use the appropriate methodology for a given context.
81	ii) ... in what way will these PLOs produce a programme which is distinctive and advantageous to the student?
82	Our programme is distinctive in offering the opportunity of either focusing on developing skills in applied statistics with a focus on health related data or developing further skills in the design of quantitative studies in a health setting while covering the core areas of a well-rounded health research methods curriculum. We cover important health research methods and statistics techniques that are pertinent to health studies. The PLOs are advantageous to the student as they enable the development of not only subject knowledge but also the development of a range of skills, including use of statistical packages and statistical report writing. Our PLOs encapsulate this distinctive set of skills and knowledge that would enable them to conduct health research.
83	iii) ... how the design of the programme enables students from diverse entry routes to transition successfully into the programme? For example, how does the organisation of the programme ensure solid foundations in disciplinary knowledge and understanding of conventions, language skills, mathematics and statistics skills, writing skills, lab skills, academic integrity
84	The compulsory modules are designed to enable students to learn at their own pace whether for the distance learning module or the face-to-face module. Students are supported throughout the programme, to enhance their learning regardless of their background, with different media such as the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) tools including blogs, email contact, and face-to-face meetings. The programme is organised in such a way to give the students a solid foundation in health research methods with either a focus in statistics or more general health research methodology. It provides the students with opportunities to develop their knowledge in the field and builds their statistical skills, health research methodology, and associated writing skills.
85	iv) ... how the programme is designed to enable students to progress successfully - in a limited time frame - through to the end of the award? For example, the development of higher level research skills; enabling students to complete an independent study module; developing competence and confidence in practical skills/ professional skills. See QAA masters characteristics doument http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/Masters-Degree-Characteristics-15.pdf
86	The compulsory modules give students the solid foundation they need in health research and statistics to be able to progress successfully. These modules also offer formative as well as continuous summative assessment opportunities to enable the students to learn and improve as they progress through the module. These assessments come in the form of formative/ summative quizzes and short answer assessments. In addition to their grades, students obtain detailed group feedback on the assessments which they can use to improve their work for the specific module as well as other relevant modules.
87	v) ... how this programme (as outlined in these PLOs) will develop students’ digital literacy skills and how technology-enhanced learning will be used to support active student learning through peer/tutor interaction, collaboration and formative (self) assessment opportunities (reference could be made to such as blogging, flipped classrooms, response 'clickers' in lectures, simulations, etc).
88	Almost all the modules on the programme will make use of various aspects of technology-enhanced learning via the VLE. Furthermore, all students will be able to use the statistical package SPSS and some will have the opportunity to learn STATA as well. All students are given opportunities to carry a statistical analysis on real data sets and write a report using a word processor about it. They will practice as well how to convert files to portable document format. Some students will have the opportunity to build a systematic search using electronic databases.
89	vi) ... how this programme (as outlined in these PLOs) will support and enhance the students’ employability (for example, opportunities for students to apply their learning in a real world setting)? The programme's employability objectives should be informed by the University's Employability Strategy:
90	The programme offers students skills that would improve their employability. They will be able to conduct statistical analyses using SPSS on real data sets such as the Millennium Cohort Data set. They will also have the skills to present their statistical work in a report format. In addition, those with optional modules focused on statistics will be able to use the statistical package STATA and carry complex regression analyses for ordinary and more complex data such as hierarchical and clustered data. Those who choose a range of methods modules will be able to, for example, carry out a systematic review including a meta-analysis, write a protocol for a randomised controlled trial, carry out economic analysis and gain further insight into epidemiological study design. These skills will enhance their ability to carry out and evaluate research in their workplace. Having optional modules covering statistics and research methods enables students to explore different perspectives based on their areas of interest.
91	vii) Consultation with Careers The programme proposal should be discussed with Careers (tom.banham@york.ac.uk, ext. 2686) Please provide details of Careers' comments and your response.
92	The programme is mainly offered as part of the academic training package offered to foundation year doctors to improve their skills.
93	viii) ... how learning and teaching on the programme are informed and led by research in the department/ Centre/ University?
94	The Department of Health Sciences is internationally renowned for its applied health research, and this is what attracts many students to undertake PG programmes with us. Staff teaching on the core and optional modules offer individual sessions deriving from their research specialisms. They typically use examples of research carried out by members of the Department and across collaborating Departments such as the Hull-York Medical school and the Social Policy Research Unit to demonstrate some techniques and raise important issues about some topics.
95	5.d. Progression For masters programmes where students do not incrementally 'progress' on the completion of a discrete Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma, please summarise students’ progressive development towards the achievement of the PLOs, in terms of the characteristics that you expect students to demonstrate at the end of the set of modules or part thereof. This summary may be particularly helpful to students and the programme team where there is a high proportion of option modules and in circumstances where students registered on a higher award will exit early with a lower one. Note: it is not expected that a position statement is written for each masters PLO, but this can be done if preferred.
100	6. Reference points and programme regulations
101	6.a. Relevant Quality Assurance Agency benchmark statement(s) and other relevant external reference points Please state relevant reference points consulted (e.g. Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, National Occupational Standards, Subject Benchmark Statements or the requirements of PSRBs): See also Taught Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Framework for Programme Design:
102	The University of York's Taught Postgraduate Modular Scheme: Framework for Programme Design' has been consulted along with guidance documentation and examples provided as part of the York Pedagogy.
103	7. Programme Structure
104	7.a. Module Structure and Summative Assessment Map Please complete the summary table below which shows the module structure and the pattern of summative assessment through the programme. IMPORTANT NOTE: If the structure of your programme does not fit the usual academic year (for instance students start at the beginning of September or in January) please contact your Academic Quality Team contact in the Academic Support Office for guidance on how to represent the structure in an alternative format. To clearly present the overall programme structure, include the name and details of each individual CORE module in the rows below. For OPTION modules, ‘Option module’ or 'Option from list x' should be used in place of specifically including all named options. If the programme requires students to select option modules from specific lists by term of delivery or subject theme these lists should be provided in the next section (7.b). From the drop-down select 'S' to indicate the start of the module, 'A' to indicate the timing of each distinct summative assessment point (eg. essay submission/ exam), and 'E' to indicate the end of teaching delivery for the module (if the end of the module coincides with the summative assessment select 'EA'). It is not expected that each summative task will be listed where an overall module might be assessed cumulatively (for example weekly problem sheets). Summative assessment by exams should normally be scheduled in the spring week 1 and summer Common Assessment period (weeks 5-7). Where the summer CAP is used, a single ‘A’ can be used within the shaded cells as it is understood that you will not know in which week of the CAP the examination will take place. (NB: An additional resit assessment week is provided in week 10 of the summer term for postgraduate students. See Guide to Assessment, 5.4.a)
105	Full time structure
106	Credits	Module					Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term										Summer Vacation
107		Code		Title			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
108	20	HEA00090M		Health Research Methods				S	A			A			A						A					E	A														A
109	10	HEA00093M/code tbc		Introduction to Regression Analysis/Introduction to Regression Analysis online														S								E
111				Option List A				S								E	A																								A
112				Option List B														S								E	A														A
113				Option List C																							S								E	EA					A
119	Part time structures Please indicate the modules undertaken in each year of the part-time version of the programme. Please use the text box below should any further explanation be required regarding structure of part-time study routes.
120	Year 1 (if you offer the programme part-time over either 2 or 3 years, use the toggles to the left to show the hidden rows)
121	Credits	Module					Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term										Summer Vacation
122		Code		Title			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
123	20	HEA00090M		Health Research Methods			S		A			A			A						A					E	A														A
124	10	HEA00093M/HEA00113M		Introduction to Regression Analysis/Introduction to Regression Analysis online														S								E															A
125				Assessment is week 12 SpT
127				Option List B														S								E	A														A
128				Option List C																							S								E	EA					A
134	Year 2
135	Credits	Module					Autumn Term										Spring Term										Summer Term										Summer Vacation
136		Code		Title			1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
137				Option List A				S								E	A																								A
138				Option List B														S								E	A														A
139				Option List C																							S								E	EA					A
148	Year 3
162	7.b. Optional module lists If the programme requires students to select option modules from specific lists these lists should be provided below. If you need more space, use the toggles on the left to reveal ten further hidden rows.
163	Option List A										Option List B													Option List C													Option List D
164	Students can only take a total of 30 credits of optional modules. Students can either choose the informal Applied Statistics route or the Study designs route. For the Applied Statistics route and in addition to the core modules students should choose "Further Regression Analysis" in the Summer term of Year 1 and "An Introduction to Applied Multilevel Analysis " in the Autumn term of Year 2. The other 10 optional credits they could choose any of the remaining modules. Currently, this is only feasible when taken on a part-time basis. For the study designs they could choose 30 credits from the listed optional modules. Students can take "An Introduction to Applied Multilevel Analysis " only if they have already completed "Further Regression Analysis". Please note that currently this option is not available to full-time students due to its delivery time and pre-requisites Autumn term options: 10 credits each;										Students can only take a total of 30 credits of optional modules. Students can either choose the informal Applied Statistics route or the Study designs route. For the Applied Statistics route and in addition to the core modules students should choose "Further Regression Analysis" in the Summer term of Year 1 and "An Introduction to Applied Multilevel Analysis " in the Autumn term of Year 2. The other 10 optional credits they could choose any of the remaining modules. Currently, this is only feasible when taken on a part-time basis. For the study designs they could choose 30 credits from the listed optional modules. Spring term options: 10 credits each.													Students can only take a total of 30 credits of optional modules. Students can either choose the informal Applied Statistics route or the Study designs route. For the Applied Statistics route and in addition to the core modules students should choose "Further Regression Analysis" in the Summer term of Year 1 and "An Introduction to Applied Multilevel Analysis " in the Autumn term of Year 2. The other 10 optional credits they could choose any of the remaining modules. Currently, this is only feasible when taken on a part-time basis. For the study designs they could choose 30 credits from the listed optional modules. Summer term options: 10 credits each.
165	Epidemiology (Route: Study design, Statistics)										Systematic Reviews (Route: Study design, Statistics)													Further Regression Analysis (Route: Study design, Statistics [compulsory])
166	Randomised Controlled Trials (Route: Study design, Statistics)										Health Economics (Route: Study design, Statistics)													Further Regression Analysis (online) (Route: Study design, Statistics [compulsory])
167	An Introduction to Applied Multilevel Analysis (Route: Statistics)																							Measurement in Health and Disease (Route: Study design, Statistics)
168	Qualitative Health Research (Route: Study design)																							Practical Randomised Controlled Trials (Route: study design statistics)
184	7.c. Explanation of the programme and assessment design The statements should be in a form that can be used for students (such as in a student handbook). It should make clear to students why they are doing the key activities of the programme, in terms of reaching the PLOs.