Independent Research

Module title	Independent Research
Module code	HPDM148Z
Academic year	2025/6
Credits	60
Module staff	Professor Stephanie Bull (Convenor) Dr Tristan Snowsill (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11	11	8

Number students taking module (anticipated)	100

Module description

This module is the piece of independent research associated with the Masters programmes in Clinical Education, Clinical Pharmacy, Healthcare Leadership & Management, Health Research Methods, Extreme Medicine and Leading Clinical Research Delivery. It is designed to enable you to produce a project report under supervision, and to demonstrate project design, development, evaluation, synthesis and dissemination skills.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of the independent research module is to enable you to demonstrate your ability to design, conduct, evaluate and write up a project on a topic that is of relevance to the title and aim of your award and in doing so, to demonstrate self-direction, originality and an ability to act autonomously in the planning and implementation of project skills at an advanced professional level.

Supervisors will be drawn from academic staff and external co-supervisors (where appropriate) depending on your research interest.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Systematically and critically review relevant theory and methodology in the design and development of an independent project
2. Provide evidence of skills in the formulation of research questions, identification of aims and objectives and clarification and justification of choice of methodological approach

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

3. Critically analyse, evaluate and synthesise a projects findings and interpret their relevance within the context of established or emerging theories, policies and/or professional practice
4. Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems in the conduct of a project that is methodologically and ethically sound

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Present a logically argued and clearly written project report that will aim to enhance knowledge and understanding of an area of practice at an advanced level
6. Critically evaluate and reflect upon their own strengths, limitations and performance with reference to the design, development, organisation and write up of the project
7. Prepare academic outputs in the form of a journal article and either an oral presentation or a poster (both commonly used in scientific conferences)

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content will vary from year to year, and project to project, an example of an overall structure is as follows:

Students will work under the supervision of one or more supervisors to undertake an independent research process including the following components:

Select a topic area that is relevant and important to the field of study
Develop a research question that is appropriate to the scale of a Masters independent research project
Justify the need for the research with support from the background literature
Develop an appropriate methodological approach with which to answer the research question
Consider the ethical principles relating to the chosen project and apply for ethical approval to proceed
Collect and analyse the data associated with the research project in a rigorous way, justifying your approach
Write up the research project in a manner appropriate to the intended audience, ensuring that the findings/discussions answer the research question.
Presentation of research project: oral presentation for all Masters students, except the distance learning MSc Extreme Medicine and MSc Leading Clinical Research Delivery students, who will create a poster presentation.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
40	560	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled learning & teaching activities	40	Supervision meetings (scheduled by arrangement between individual students and supervisors). Contact with dissertation supervisors may take place via email, telephone and/or video-conferencing.
Guided independent study	100	Resource gathering and in-depth reading
Guided independent study	260	Project design and delivery
Guided independent study	200	Preparation and writing of written report and presentation

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Feedback and discussion with supervisor	40 hours	2-4,6	Verbal and online

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
80	0	20

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Project report following journal guidelines	80	Maximum 5,000 words (dependent on target journal guidance)	1-7	Written
Oral Presentation (CE, HLM, CP, HRM) or Poster Preparation (EM, LCRD) Presentations (e.g. PowerPoint-based presentation to group in face-to-face setting) may be replaced by PowerPoint-based presentation to the group using Teams/Zoom;.	20	Oral presentation: (CE, HLM, CP, HRM) 10 minutes + 5 minutes questions. Conference style poster (EM, LCRD): suitable for printing at A1 or A0 size (landscape or portrait) but submitted as PDF	1-7	Written
	0
	0
	0
	0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Project report following journal guidelines (80%), maximum 5,000 words (dependent on target journal guidance)	Project report following journal guidelines	1-7	Typically within 12 weeks of the result
Oral presentation (CE, HLM, CP, HRM); 10 minutes + 5 minutes questions; (20%); Poster Presentation (EM, LCRD); (20%);	Oral presentation (CE, HLM, CP, HRM); or Poster presentation (EM, LCRD)	1-7	Typically within 12 weeks of the result

Re-assessment notes

If it is not practical for a reassessed presentation to be given in person then a video-conferenced/Skype presentation or a video submission may be accepted at the assessor’s discretion. Distance learning students (MSc Extreme Medicine, MSc Leading Clinical Research Delivery) would need to improve their poster to a passing standard.

Please also refer to the TQA section on Referral/Deferral: http://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/aph/consequenceoffailure/

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Dixon N (2001) Writing for publication a guide for new authors. International Journal for Quality in Healthcare. 13;5:417-21

Day RA and Gastel B (2006) How to write and publish a scientific paper. Cambridge University Press

Lock D. (2007).The Essentials of Project Management (3rd edition). Aldershot, Gower Publishing

Rudestam, K. and Newton, R. (2007). Surviving your Dissertation: A Comprehensive Guide to Content and Process (3rd edition). London, Sage Publications.

Swetnam, D. (2005). How to Plan, Prepare and Present Successful Work (3rd edition). Trowbridge, Cromwell Press Ltd.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Systematic Reviews

PRISMA reporting guidelines – see http://www.prisma-statement.org /

Equator

Reporting guidelines - see http://www.equator-network.org /

Writing skills –The Purdue Online Writing Lab

https://owl.english.purdue.edu /

ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=13255

Please see ELE above for further up to date electronic resources.

Key words search

Research project, dissertation, thesis.

Credit value	60
Module ECTS	30
Module pre-requisites	For MSc HRM students only: at least two out of HPDM092, HPDM093, HPDM054 in Term 1
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	7
Available as distance learning?	Yes
Origin date	26/07/2024