Research Methodology for Disaster and Medical Humanitarian Response

Registration for the new cohort opens from 1 December 2018 to 31 May 2019. Upon registration, students are allowed to study the course until 30 June 2019 at their own pace. 

Course overview

In this course, participants will receive technical training in research methods and analytical tools to examine and design evidence-based study to address health needs in the context of humanitarian emergencies. The online course covers various research methods used in disaster and humanitarian settings, such as quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods.

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to:

1. Gain knowledge about health risk, impact and outcomes associated with various types of disasters
2. Understand the rationale and able to identify gaps of research in disaster and humanitarian settings
3. Acquire the skills for designing, implementing research and collecting data to examine health impacts of disasters and conflicts with ethical issues and context
4. Comprehend research techniques and able to critically appraise research literature
5. Understand the process in disseminating research finding in order to increase our understanding and improve evidence-based practice

Course features

Understanding and knowledge

• The principles of health, public health, and disasters 
• Rationale for disaster research
• Process of disaster research
• Types of quantitative and qualitative research methods 
• Strengths and weaknesses of each research method

Skills

• To identify appropriate methods to study disaster research
• To interpret studies with quantitative and qualitative statistical data
• To describe the strengths and weakness of each method
• To conduct a research from designing to publishing

Target audience

This online course will be available to anyone around the world. The target audience is individuals studying and working in health, policy, education and humanitarian sectors or postgraduate students of closely-related disciplines. The course requires basic knowledge in research methods.

Tuition

As part of CCOUC’s knowledge transfer endeavour, this course is offered free of charge. There is limited quota for enrolment on a first-come-first-served basis.

Course structure

The course involves a total of 7 lessons, 4 short quizzes and one final assessment. Each lesson requires about one to three hours of study. All assessments are in the form of multiple-choice questions to be completed online with unlimited attempts. To progress through the course, students must obtain 80% or above in each short-quiz. Students enrolled in the course may access all learning materials and go through all learning activities online within a maximum period of seven months. Topics covered in the course are as follows:

1. Introduction to Health and Disaster Research
2. Planning a Research Project
3. Quantitative Research Methods in Disaster and Humanitarian Settings Part 1
4. Quantitative Research Methods in Disaster and Humanitarian Settings Part 2
5. Qualitative Research Methods in Disaster and Humanitarian Settings
6. Mixed Research Methods in Disaster and Humanitarian Settings: Health Assessments
7. Disseminating Research Findings  

Course completion and certification

Students who obtain 60% or above in the final assessment will be issued a printable certificate in recognition of completing the course. 

Registration

To start studying the course now, please visit the course website.