eLearning Course in

Research Methods (eRM)

Tutor Guided | 100% online, Access 24/7 | Live interaction with Subject Matter Experts (SME) | Peer-learning | Moodle Mobile App

Certificate & Credit points

The certificates will be awarded by The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology (TDU) with 5 academic credit points.

Sample lectures

+91-8123865302

+91-8123865302 / 080-26761322

learn@iphindia.org

Do we really need yet another research methods course?

As experienced health researchers at IPH, we believe that the approach to teaching research methods needs to be re-imagined.  Despite the tremendous changes in the landscape of health research, the growing need for implementation research, mixed methods research and the need for research that policymakers can use, most courses have been unable to break away from the traditional approach of qualitative & quantitative research.

In this Certificate course in Research Methods (eRM) course, we start with helping the student develop clear and well formulated research questions. Participants are then taught how to select research designs and methods best suited to answer the research question, beyond the usual epidemiological disciplines. We encourage the use of interdisciplinary strategies including use of methods that have evolved from other disciplines such as the social sciences. We also teach basic mixed-methods designs and introduce students to health policy and systems research. The course aims to enable students to write research proposals that are coherent from the research question through choice of design and methods to analysis plans. We also teach how to make a budget and the essentials of project management that are essential for a good proposal.

Uniquely, we integrate ethics at each step of the research process. We have also endeavoured to weave in concepts related to thinking of health as a system and of equity as we feel these are crucial to formulation of good, relevant research questions and impacts the methods chosen to answer them.

The eRM course is specially designed keeping in mind young and middle-level researchers in the field of health. 

  • Postgraduates in Health (MD, MS, MDS, MSc Nursing, M.Pharm, MPT, MS/MD Ayurveda, Unani, Homeopathy, and MSW), Ph.D. students.
  • Junior faculty in medical, dental, and nursing colleges and health researchers based in NGOs are eligible to apply for this course.

The course content has been designed by a team of experts from health research who have decades of experience in conducting ground-level research and are PhDs in their respective areas of specializations in public health. In this course, we bring together the finest of their learnings as a course to help young researchers meaningfully contribute to health research and policy. The course has undergone a rigorous review process by both national and international reviewers throughout the development of content and pedagogy.

Duration

4 Months

4 Modules Fully Online

Study time 3-4 hours per week

Modules

MODULE-1

MODULE-1

Framing the research question

Learning outcomes

  • Typology of questions
  • Writing clear research questions
  • Conducting a literature search
  • Refining research question keeping systems thinking, ethics, and equity in mind
MODULE-2

MODULE-2

From research question to research design

Learning outcomes

  • Overview of research designs
  • Selecting appropriate designs for different types of questions
MODULE-3

MODULE-3

Data collection methods and Analysis plan

Learning outcomes

  • Data analysis plan (Quantitative, qualitative & mixed method)
MODULE-4

MODULE-4

Writing a research proposal

Learning outcomes

  • Develop a quality research proposal that includes budget and Gantt charts. For submission to donors

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will be able to do the followings

Z

To frame a clear research question taking a complexity and equity lens

Z

To develop a quality research proposal that includes budget and Gantt charts. For submission to donors

Z

To search and manage literature in a scientific manner.

Z

To select research designs suitable to answering different research questions

Z

To develop data analysis plans appropriate to the design and methods

Instructors

Dr.N. Devadasan

Dr.N. Devadasan

Subject Matter Expert

Dr. Dorothy Lall

Dr. Dorothy Lall

Subject Matter Expert

Dr. Prashanth NS

Dr. Prashanth NS

Subject Matter Expert

Dr. Upendra Bhojani

Dr. Upendra Bhojani

Subject Matter Expert

Dr. Sunitha Srinivas

Dr. Sunitha Srinivas

Subject Matter Expert

Dr. Ketki Shah

Dr. Ketki Shah

Course Tutor

Key features

Pedagogy related

Research question driven

Introduced health policy and systems research

International review board

Mixed methods

Outcome-based learning

Developed by experienced researchers

Course related

Tutor Guided

Get help if stuck

Language

English

Live interaction

With Subject Matter Expert

Peer learning

Discuss & learn

Moodle

Mobile App

Gamification

Simple fun learning

Study Time

3-4 hours/week

Learn on the go

Anywhere, Anytime

Testimonials

As someone who decided to plunge into research after ten years of programming in the field (developmental disabilities in the context of global health), the ERM course was a perfect match to build the skill. The content, the online mode, the gentle delivery, the flexibility, the generosity with extra time for someone like me who juggles two jobs, a kid, and a busy home, was incredible. I now have a fair idea of research methods and am inspired to make research easy for younger colleagues in my organization. To remove the fear that looms large in the minds of the staff for whom research remains the domain of the leadership in the organization, is a personal goal for me. If I succeed in supporting them to understand the value that implementation research can add to their work, I will consider it a job done well. I owe IPH and the ERM course a lot for providing me with the motivation to take this forward!! This course is a huge recommend for anyone looking to build research method knowledge and skills.

Shubha Nagesh

eRM 2019

The course design and content of the program is really very much useful. On completion of the program, any person can get a detailed structure of the research methodology. The way faculty members of the institute deliver the content with simple examples are really very much effective in understanding the basic concepts. The course has been designed in such a way that, it will be effectively helpful for the students and also for experienced professionals as a refresher tool. Clear, simple and to the point approach are the 3 main pillars of this course design. I am sure everybody will get benefitted out of this program. This is one of its kind… Thanks, team IPH.

Subhrabhanu Panda

eRM 2019

I had a wonderful experience in the eRM course by IPH. The lectures on different topics were very clear and easy to understand. The SMEs were very approachable and always responded to any questions raised or issues discussed. Overall it was a satisfying experience and a good crash course on research methods which would be very helpful for my career.

Anindita Pattnaik

eRM 2019

It was a good learning experience. Got to know in detail about the quantitative and qualitative research and a systematic way to carry out any research topic. I am sure it will help me in my future projects and will also help me to guide my students in the right direction. Right from selecting the research topic to a literature search to data analysis, every topic was made very interesting and easy to understand that even a beginner can write a good proposal.

Dr.Akila Prashant

eRM 2019

The course was excellent. For a person beginning to understand research, the classes went from basic to more complicated, giving me the confidence to complete it! Many aspects of the research were touched upon. Some of the lectures were superb. Thanks to the entire team for this great experience. I will definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to pursue research.

Dr. P Shylaja Devi

eRM 2019

In trending technological advancements also comes a challenge to reach patients by health services numerically is a pinnacle issue. This course in regards to methodology and application learning helps to learn basic and search strategies implementation.
By applying the concepts learned in this course to current public health problems and issues, students will understand the practice of Methodology as it relates to real life and makes for a better appreciation of public health programs and policies.

Dr. Ankitha Asarikandiyil

eRM 2019

The course was extremely useful and the faculty is extremely good at taking classes and the course and contents are very useful in understanding research. Special thanks to all the faculty, course coordinator and learning management experts at IPH in designing this course. Thank you for selecting me for this course.

Sankar Anand.M

eRM 2019

Needed Group Discount?

Contact us at learn@iphindia.org to ask about current group discounts.

for the eRM.2024-A batch

Contact us

+91-8123865302

+91-8123865302 / +91-8026761322