Application deadline

Registration deadline for PhD students and students at the Medical Student Research Program at Uit - The Arctic University of Norway: September 1st

Application deadline for external applicants: June 1st

Type of course

PhD course. This course is available as a singular course.

The course is a part of the formal part of the research school in Mental health.

Admission requirements

To take PhD courses you need at a minimum a master's degree or equivalent, or admission to a Medical Student Research Program.

External applicants apply for admission through SøknadsWeb. Registrations for applications regarding the autumn semester starts February 1st, and registrations for application regarding the spring semester starts October 1st.

For more information regarding PhD courses at the Faculty of Health Sciences go to: http://uit.no/helsefak/forskning/phd/emner

Recommended prerequisites:
HEL-8011- qualitative methodology or equivalent course in qualitative methodology

Course content

The course will undertake problems associated with the use of qualitative research methods within mental health care. The course will include different methodological approaches and will address various ethical dilemmas and challenges associated with research in mental health.

The course is organized as a workshop with both lectures and discussion/presentation of ongoing work. The course will be conducted during two separate weeks (one in the autumn and one in the spring). The themes of the lectures will be:

• Qualitative methods to describe experiences with mental health and treatment
• A theoretical approach to analyze qualitative data
• The research process with an emphasis on data collection, analysis and methodology
• User-involved research

The discussion part is supposed to be an oppurtunity for students to present ongoing work and get feedback from fellow students, supervisors and course leaders through the following discussions.

Objectives of the course

• Describe and analyze how psychological problems are experienced, expressed and understood within different cultural situations, as well as consider expectations that individuals and groups have to health care and institutions in different contexts.
• Evaluate the significance of adaptation mechanisms between the patient and the therapist and also the researcher and participant.
• Consider the development within user involved research in terms of recognized scientific methods and ethical norms.
• Evaluate the value of different methods and designs that are employed within research on mental health.
• Being able to plan and develop a project proposal for a clinical study.
• Within a self-chosen field, being able to identify and evaluate moral and practical problems associated with research on vulnerable groups.

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

Assessment

Assignments:
Mandatory attendance to 80% of classes (requires attendance to all four gatherings)

Examination and evaluation:
The exam is a self-elected task where the student presents for discussion a thematic area that is connected to their own doctoral project. Approved participation also includes being peer review for a fellow student.

Typical texts for presentations can be a project proposal, draft paper for article, conference contribution or other suitable text that is preapproved by course leader.

The exam is graded as passed/ not passed

Examination language: English/Norwegian

In the event of failing there is an opportunity to improve the project description and submit a new one within the following two semesters as part of attendance and participation.