| CODE | MPH5008 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Dissertation | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 30 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Medical Physics | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | Dissertation at Masters level involving the scientific, clinical or professional aspects of medical physics and associated radiation protection As part of this unit the student will be required to submit a detailed proposal and seek ethics approval if appropriate. The dissertation unit also provides the student with the opportunity to experience conducting and writing up a research study and to add to the research base of the profession. A suitably qualified supervisor will provide support. Study-unit Aims: 1. To develop students’ understanding and application of research designs and procedures appropriate to realizing a research project in the scientific, clinical or professional aspects of medical physics and associated radiation protection; 2. To sensitize students to possible ethical issues associated with their research and if appropriate submit an ethics application to the University Research Ethics Committee; 3. To provide students with the opportunity to undertake an in-depth study concerning the scientific, clinical or professional aspects of medical physics and associated radiation protection; 4. To provide students with the opportunity of producing a substantial research report based on own research and to present their findings to their peers; 5. To provide students with the opportunity to add to the research base of their profession; 6. To enable students to reflect on international developments and results with respect to the scientific, clinical and professional aspects of medical physics and associated radiation protection; 7. To enable students to review a particular area of the scientific, clinical or professional aspects of medical physics and associated professional and educational issues; 8. To aid students in identifying a project and research objectives worthy of attention and which are realizable given the available resources. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Review a particular area of interest in the scientific, clinical or professional aspects of medical physics and associated radiation protection; 2. Identify a project and research objectives worthy of attention in the scientific, clinical or professional or aspects of medical physics and associated radiation protection which are realizable given the available resources; 3. Identify ethical issues and submit an ethics application to the University Research Ethics Committee; 4. Integrate and apply the knowledge, understanding and skills acquired during the programme to the realization of the research objectives; 5. Report and present the findings of the research in the manner specified by the Board of Studies of the programme. 2. Skills By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: 1. Summarise the results of other researchers on the subject of the dissertation; 2. Demonstrate an appreciation of, and analyze ethical issues in research within the field and respond to them appropriately; 3. Evaluate their chosen methodological approach; 4. Critically evaluate and analyze current literature pertinent to their chosen research; 5. Present, defend and debate findings to peers; 6. Plan and manage a research project; 7. Present information in a succinct, accurate and logical way; 8. Produce a completed research dissertation; 9. Engage confidently in academic and professional communication with others; 10. Reflect on the quality of their work; 11. Use software relevant to the scientific, clinical, or professional aspects of medical physics and associated radiation protection. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Wilson E. B. An Introduction to Scientific Research,” Dover Publications. - Polgar S. and Thomas SA. Introduction to research in the health sciences (5th edition), Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. - Creswell J. W. (2021) Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. 3rd Ed. Sage. - Mendenhall W. M. & Terry T. L. Statistics for Engineering and the Sciences by CRC Press. - Nickoloff E. L. Applications of Statistics to Medicine and Medical Physics. Medical Physics Publishing. Supplementary Readings: - Bowling A. Research methods in health, Buckingham: Open University Press. - Bland M. (2000) An introduction to medical statistics, Oxford University Press. - Creswell J. W. Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Traditions. London: Sage. - Greenhalgh T. How to read a paper London: BMJ Publishing. - Oppenheim A.N. Questionnaire Design, interviewing and attitude measurement. Continuum Publishing Group, Washington. - Robson, C. Real world research: a resource for social scientists and practitioner researchers , Oxford, Blackwell. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | **September Assessment Session: Students who fail to obtain an overall pass mark will be re-examined in the Dissertation. However, the resit availability for the Oral Examination is at the discretion of the Board of Examiners. | ||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Dissertation | ||||||||
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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