Key facts

Overview

The Postgraduate Diploma is normally completed between 1 - 3 years.

It consists of two compulsory modules and four option modules selected from an extensive list of subjects. This provides the students with an opportunity to learn how the principles of health research can be translated into practical actions in selected areas.

Students who transfer to this programme of study from the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research, with three successfully completed modules, are required to undertake three additional option modules to fulfil the requirements of the Postgraduate Diploma.

Description

These are modular part-time programmes, particularly suitable for academically gifted medical and dental trainees with the potential to be the independent researchers of the future.

Programme details

The programmes are delivered through the Department for Continuing Education, with the expertise in curriculum design and teaching drawn from the Department of Primary Health Care Sciences, the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, the Clinical Academic Graduate School and the Department of Statistics.

The two compulsory modules are:

• The Practice of Evidence-Based Health Care
• Introduction to Study Design and Research Methods

Three further modules may be chosen from List B
One further module either from List B or List C

• Ethics for Biosciences
• Knowledge into Action
• Clinical Epidemiology
• Evidence-based Diagnosis and Screening
• Introduction to Statistics for Health Care Research
• Systematic Reviews
• Randomized Controlled Trials
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Essential Medical Statistics
• The Structure of Clinical Trials and Experimental Therapeutics
• How to do Research on Therapeutic Interventions: Protocol preparation
• Biological Therapeutics
• Pharmacodynamics, Biomarkers and Personalised Therapy
• Adverse drug development, Pharmacokinetics and Imaging

• Quality Improvement Science and Systems Analysis
• Human Factors, Teamwork and Communication
• Becoming a Medical Educator
• Teaching Evidence-Based Practice

Course aims

In addition to the skills acquired during the Postgraduate Certificate in Health Research graduates of the Diploma will be able to:

• demonstrate an ability to apply health research techniques appropriately for the solution of research questions;
• be able to apply health research solutions in a novel manner when analysing health research problems.

Assessment methods

To complete the Postgraduate Diploma students must:

• attend six modules, as detailed above
• successfully complete six written assignments, usually of no more than 4000 words, one on each of the chosen modules

Teaching methods

With the exception of the online modules, the EBHC modules are based on an eight week study cycle. During Week Two you are required to attend the face to face teaching week in Oxford. This is followed by an additional six weeks where you are expected to participate in online activities and submit your assignment.

Accommodation

Accommodation is available at the Rewley House Residential Centre, within the Department for Continuing Education, in central Oxford. The comfortable, en-suite, study-bedrooms are rated 3-star, and come with free high-speed internet access and TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.

Payment

Fee rates for the academic year 2013-14

These rates (in pounds sterling) are for the academic year 2013/14 and will increase annually.

Annual award fee:

• £1,260 for Home/EU students or
• £5,200 for Overseas students (see note 1)

Module fee: £1,575 (per taught module)

The annual award fee is due for every academic year (or part-year) attended; module fees are due in advance as invoiced. Fees must be paid in accordance with the Terms and Conditions for the programme.

Illustration for full programme (completing in two years, with six taught modules)

2 annual award fees:

• £2,520 for Home/EU students or
• £10,400 for Overseas students (see note 1)

plus 6 module fees: £9,450
Total:

• £11,970 for Home/EU students or
• £19,850 for Overseas students (see note 1)

Notes

1. See the Oxford University website for Home/EU and Overseas classification of students for fees purposes.
2. The Illustration is based on the fee rates for the academic year shown; however, fee rates for attendance in future years will increase, so students attending for more than one year should expect the total to be higher than is shown in the Illustration. The exact amount will depend on the fee rates set annually, and upon the years you are in attendance; these are normally published well before the start of each academic year, but for your own budgetary purposes you may wish to estimate a 5% annual increase on fee rates.

Scholarships

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

Modules in this programme

The following modules can be studied as part of this programme:

• Health Sciences (32)
• Becoming a Medical Educator
• Clinical Epidemiology
• Essential Medical Statistics
• Ethics for Biosciences
• Evidence-Based Diagnosis and Screening
• How to do Research on Therapeutic Interventions: Protocol Preparation
• Human Factors, Teamwork and Communication
• Introduction to Statistics for Health Care Research
• Introduction to Study Design & Research Methods
• Knowledge into Action
• Practice of Evidence-Based Health Care
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Quality Improvement Science and Systems Analysis
• Randomized Controlled Trials
• Systematic Reviews
• Teaching Evidence-Based Practice
• The History and Philosophy of Evidence-Based Health Care

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