Approaches to Cross-Disciplinary Qualitative Health Research

Course overview

This is an advanced qualitative methods short course. This course has been designed to provide a detailed theoretical and practical understanding of how to effectively use different qualitative methods and methodologies in the context of cross-disciplinary health research (whether that is in clinical or academic settings). Academics will draw on their research to navigate delegates through the complexities of high quality and sometimes high-risk/high-gain qualitative research. To find out more about the course lecturers’ research, click on their profiles below.

The course will cover methodological issues from research design through to publication and will provide delegates with the advanced knowledge and skills they require to successfully undertake rigorous qualitative research in whichever setting they choose. It will combine theoretical and practical elements to ensure students are equipped with both understanding and ability when designing qualitative studies and undertaking qualitative analyses.

The course will run for one whole week across five consecutive days (Monday to Friday) from 9:00am to 17.00pm (BST) each day.

Course content

Day 1: Introduction to Cross-Disciplinary Qualitative Health Research (examples of included lectures are: cross-disciplinary working; undertaking sensitive research and data collection; working with non-traditional data; complex interventions; and working with healthcare records).

Day 2: Thinking Critically about Cross-Disciplinary Qualitative Health Research (examples of included lectures are: current controversies in qualitative practice and ethics; philosophical orientations; engaging groups who find healthcare hard to access; diversity in qualitative health research; and; inclusion and anonymity; and qualitative systematic reviews).

Day 3: Deductive, Evaluative, and Policy-Driven Qualitative Methodologies for Cross-Disciplinary Health Research (examples of methodologies covered are: template analysis; thematic framework analysis; discourse analysis; and content analysis;)

Day 4: Inductive and Interpretive Qualitative Methodologies for Cross-Disciplinary Health Research (examples of methodologies covered are: narrative inquiry; thematic analysis; hospital ethnography; interpretative phenomenological analysis; and grounded theory)

Day 5: Innovations in Qualitative Health Research and Making an Impact (examples of included lectures are: innovations in qualitative research; integrating qualitative and quantitative research; taking risks with qualitative research; qualitative research for psychometrics; and creative dissemination)

N.B. Exact lecture content is subject to change, however the focus of each day is correct.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to: 

• Confidently select the most appropriate data collection methods (e.g. interviewing, focus groups, textual data) and data-cleaning techniques (e.g. transcription, translation, and anonymisation) and competently execute them in future qualitative and mixed-methods studies.
• Appreciate the current controversies (e.g. ethics, reflexivity, positionality) surrounding the use of qualitative methods in cross-disciplinary health research and engage with these concepts on a personal level as well as in the context with local and international research.
• Understand the theoretical and applied nature of different qualitative methodologies, including Grounded Theory, Thematic Analysis, Discourse Analysis, Template Analysis, Narrative Inquiry, Content Analysis, and Qualitative Systematic Reviews.
• Critically appraise qualitative research using different methodologies and have a comprehensive understanding of rigour in cross-disciplinary health research studies.
• Approach and appreciate qualitative datasets in a rigorous, ethical, and knowledgeable way when undertaking future qualitative research.

Anyone undertaking qualitative health research as part of a Masters, PhD, post-doctoral fellowship, or as part of their job (academic or otherwise).

The work you should be involved in should have a focus on clinical, emotional, mental, physical, or psychological health, but can be from any discipline. Ideally, you should already have a good understanding of the fundamentals of qualitative health research, so you can engage with more advanced materials on qualitative methods and methodology.

The course runs over five consecutive days running from 9:00am to 17:00pm (BST) each day.

The fee to attend the full 5-day course is £1000.

Attendance to all five days is mandatory, and all sessions will be delivered remotely.

Discounted Places 

There are a limited number of discounted places available for King's Staff & Alumni, NHS Staff, students from any institution, and participants from low- and middle-income countries at the following rates:

• 50% for all Students, NHS Staff or King’s College London Staff and Alumni: £500
• 75% for Delegates from Low- and Middle-Income Countries: £250

Payment Methods

Payments must be made by credit or debit card. Invoices are not available as method of payment.

If your place is being sponsored by your employer and cannot be paid for by credit or debit card, please contact our Operations Officer (Education) (SLCPS-Education@kcl.ac.uk) before making your booking before making your booking.