Key facts

Overview

This online statistics course is designed for busy health and social care professionals who need to understand the basics of health statistics without becoming statisticians. Students can study at the time of day and week that is best for them. Online discussion forums enable students to communicate with each other and with the tutor to analyse and understand real-life scenarios.

The course promotes an online learning community to support and motivate students during the 10-weeks.

"This research looks really useful for my patients. But can I trust the results of the study?"

"I do read the research papers in my field but I tend to skip the statistics."

"I need to get more experience for my exams - but I can't take time off work to attend a statistics course."

If this sounds familiar, then this course is for you.

Description

Who is it for?

The course is aimed at those working in health and social care who have either studied mathematics to AS level or obtained equivalent work based exposure to mathematics.

To take full benefit of the course you should be able to commit 10 hours per week for 10 weeks. Please be aware that participation in the online discussions is a requirement for successful completion of the course.

This module will cover:

This course is divided into 10 units. Each unit covers a different aspect of statistics and statistical modelling.

Individual units are built around practical exercises and realistic case studies that will enable students to apply statistical knowledge in a health context.

Weekly study for each unit is self-paced using online resources. Movement through the units is structured week by week to enable students to complete sections at the same time as the rest of their course group.

Individual activities can involve reading of related text book chapters and articles, working through problems or analysing example datasets. The group activities will mainly involve online discussions of important issues in statistics so that students can put the application of statistics into an everyday context. Discussions occur weekly, but are "asynchronous" due to possible local time differences between the student's locations.

Programme details

Unit Content:

• The use and importance of statistics
• Handling and describing data, learning to use SPSS
• Analysis of numerical results
• Confidence intervals
• Comparison of two means
• Hypothesis testing
• Analysis of variance
• Linear regression and correlation
• Analysing binary outcomes
• Comparing two proportions

Course aims

Benefits

On completion of the course students should:

• be able to understand and manipulate basic mathematical and statistical techniques as preparation for more specialized courses in health care
• understand the statistical issues in the planning and analysis of research
• understand the basic statistical aspects of published research

Assessment methods

• Each unit includes a data analysis exercise to consolidate understanding
• The assessment consists of statistical problems in health research designed to give insight into real statistical problems in healthcare and to test ability to apply and understand correct statistical analysis.

Recommended reading

Scholarships

Details of funding opportunities, including grants, bursaries, loans, scholarships and benefit information are available on our financial assistance page.

Fee options

Programme Fee

Students enrolled on MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care: £1500.00

Students enrolled on Postgraduate Cert in Health Research: £1500.00

Students enrolled on Postgraduate Dip in Health Research: £1500.00

Short course in health sciences: £1890.00

Apply for this course

Programmes including this module

This module can be studied as part of these programmes:

• MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care
• Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research
• Postgraduate Diploma in Health Research
• Short courses in health sciences