autumn 2026
HEL-3047 Introduction to Research Methods in Public Health - 10 ECTS

Type of course

This course is mandatory for all students attending the Master’s degree program in Public Health. The course can also be taken as a singular course.

Admission requirements

The course can be taken as a singular course by applicants who meet the academic admission criteria for the Master's program in Public Health.

Application code: 9371


Course content

The course covers fundamental principles of research methods relevant to public health and health research. It includes modules on qualitative methods (2.5 ECTS), epidemiology (2.5 ECTS), biostatistics (2.5 ECTS), and systematic reviews (2.5 ECTS). Students gain the introductory skills in planning, executing and critically assessing research projects that address diverse research questions. The course addresses both general research principles and the specialized knowledge required to apply epidemiological methods in public health research.

Objectives of the course

Upon completing the course, students are expected to achieve the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge

  • Describe the epistemological foundations of qualitative research and discuss perspectives in qualitative research methods.
  • Explain key concepts in epidemiology including measures of disease frequency, measures of association, various study designs and bias.
  • Explain the basic principles of choosing the most appropriate statistical method for descriptive and inferential parametric and non-parametric analysis of univariate and bivariate data.
  • Define central principles of evidence-based practice (EBP).
  • Explain important considerations regarding data syntheses, especially meta-analyses• Describe the steps involved in conducting a systematic review.
  • Explain and compare quantitative and qualitative research approaches, including the types of data. methodologies they employ and areas of application.
  • Explain core ethical principles in public health research, including research integrity, informed consent, confidentiality, and responsible data management.

Skills

  • Formulate clear research questions for qualitative and quantitative studies in public health and choose appropriate research methods to address them.
  • Compare and critically appraise different qualitative methods, including their strengths and limitations.
  • Identify and evaluate various study designs used in health research and compute and interpret descriptive and analytical measures in epidemiology.
  • Use statistical software to perform computations for univariate/bivariate descriptive and inferential statistics.
  • Critically appraise qualitative and quantitative research (perform risk of bias assessment), using appropriate design-specific checklists.
  • Apply the principles of systematic literature searching in at least one database, e.g. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
  • Identify and interpret the main results in scientific papers.

General competence

  • Conduct self-assessments to identify areas for personal and professional growth.
  • Create and deliver presentations that effectively communicate research findings to a variety of audiences.
  • Critically evaluate scientific work published in journals and reports.

Language of instruction and examination

English

Teaching methods

  • Lectures and seminars: physical and online; asynchronous and synchronous
  • Flipped classroom activities
  • Team-based learning
  • Group-work
  • Presentations

Information to incoming exchange students

This course is open to incoming exchange students.

Study Level: Master's

Prerequisites:
To be eligible for this course, you must have:

  • A completed bachelor’s degree (180 ECTS).
  • At least 80 ECTS in relevant subjects, such as: health sciences, nutrition, sport science, veterinary science, social sciences, statistics, mathematics, computer science, biology, developmental studies, economics, healthcare management, and medical technology.

For details on how to apply for exchange, course selection guidelines, or to contact the Incoming Admissions Team, please visit: Admissions for Student Exchange.


Schedule

Examination

Examination: Date: Duration: Grade scale:
School exam 30.10.2026 09:00
4 Hours Passed / Not Passed

Coursework requirements:

To take an examination, the student must have passed the following coursework requirements:

Home assignments Approved – not approved
Oral presentations Approved – not approved
Attendance to seminars Approved – not approved
UiT Exams homepage

More info about the coursework requirements

There are four mandatory work requirements in the course that the student must pass to be eligible for the exam. Two work requirements will be home assignments, one will be an oral presentation and one will be mandatory attendance to one seminar.

Re-sit examination

A re-sit exam will be offered the following semester.
  • About the course
  • Campus: Tromsø |
  • ECTS: 10
  • Course code: HEL-3047
  • Tidligere år og semester for dette emnet