PMM2RP: Research Project in Clinical and Health-related Sciences

Module code: PMM2RP

Module provider: Pharmacy; School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy

Credits: 40

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Full year

Module convenor: Dr Rosemary Lim, email: r.h.m.lim@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Professor Jane Portlock, email: j.portlock2@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The module is aimed at postgraduate students who wish to undertake detailed and original research or scholarship on a topic in clinical and health-related sciences. Students will develop skills of research and enquiry as they design, undertake and report findings from an original research project or clinical quality or service improvement project relevant to their future professional practice. Projects offered will be aligned to the research interests and/or professional practice of project supervisors or will be quality and service improvement opportunities offered by placement providers or in the student’s workplace.

This module aims to provide students with experience of research and scholarship in a clinical and health-related sciences area through the design and execution of an original research project, quality improvement or service evaluation project.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Show evidence of independent research skills, enquiry and scholarship by designing and executing an original research project, quality improvement or service evaluation project
2. Demonstrate a clear and in-depth understanding of the chosen topic and its wider field of study
3. Discuss the ethical considerations of the project and obtain ethical approval, if needed
4. Collect, synthesise and critically interpret original qualitative or quantitative data using appropriate methods
5. Present the findings of the project and formulate appropriate recommendations

Module content

Students will design and undertake an original research project on a topic relevant to clinical practice or health-related sciences. Supported by an assigned academic supervisor, students will study the background to the chosen research area and develop a research question to investigate further. Where ethics approval is required, students will be guided through the ethical review processes by their assigned supervisor. Using appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative research methods, students will collect, collate, analyse and interpret their projects’ findings. The findings of the student projects will be presented in a written dissertation and as a poster presentation. Students will record and reflect on the development of their research and enquiry skills and how they relate to future professional practice in a reflective learning account.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Students will undertake an original research project in an area in clinical or health-related sciences. With the support and guidance of a project supervisor, students will lead the design and execution of the project. Support will be provided throughout the project through regular one-to-one meetings with the project supervisor.  An opportunity to receive feedback on the written assignments before their submission will be offered.

Study hours

At least 6 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative assessment methods used to support skills development and improve student performance will include peer review of research proposals and critical evaluation of research articles.

Reassessment

Additional costs