HS773-8-FY-CO:
Clinical Research 2
2025/26
Health and Social Care (School of)
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Postgraduate: Level 8
Current
Monday 06 October 2025
Friday 03 July 2026
30
04 February 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
CER C89F24 Applied Psychology,
DIP C89F24 Applied Psychology,
MSD C89F24 Applied Psychology,
DOCTC84036 Clinical Psychology (D Clin Psych)
This module aims to further develop specialist research competencies, building on the foundations of the previous research module (HS763) completed in the first year of the DClinPsych programme. Trainees’ learning and development will be supported by research tutors and other academic staff available for trainees to discuss their developing research ideas with. Module assessment involves submission of a Small-Scale Research Project (SSRP) which may be a service evaluation project or an analysis of secondary data.
The 2nd year clinical research module aims to develop trainees’ competencies in relation to:
- Methodologies such as qualitative interviews and focus groups
- Collecting naturally occurring data
- Considering issues relating to epistemology and phenomenology
- Analysing qualitative data (bottom up / top-down)
- Using ANOVA for experimental designs
- Using regression for cross-sectional / longitudinal designs
- Writing up the thesis
On successful completion of this module, trainees will be expected to be able to:
- Critically appraise a broad range of qualitative and quantitative analysis methods and approaches.
- Overcome some of the practical and organisational barriers to research.
- Communicate research findings to diverse audiences.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of research design, including issues relating to sampling, reliability, rigour and validity (ecological and pragmatic).
- Demonstrate a pragmatic understanding of issues relating to epistemology.
- Demonstrate familiarity with and competence in negotiating research ethics and conduct research in an ethical, autonomous and competent manner.
- Conduct, contribute to and report clinical psychological service-related and small-scale research.
In the second year of training, trainees submit a Service Related Project (SRP) and continue to work on their theses in order to submit in April in the third year of training. This Module focuses on supporting trainees through the research process using a combination of teaching and workshops in which trainees
have the opportunity to discuss issues of relevance to their research.
The second year clinical research module aims to build on the foundation of the teaching and learning in the first year in order to:
Extend trainees' knowledge, understanding and skills of advanced qualitative and quantitative techniques for analysing data
Provide trainees with approaches to deal with potential barriers encountered in the research process (from obtaining ethical approval to communicating research to challenging audiences)
HS773 builds on skills acquired in HS763 and is aimed at further developing trainees' independent research skills. Each session focuses on the content areas (see below) as well as providing a research workshop in the second half of each teaching session, where general issues relating to trainees' research
are discussed and applications of teaching materials covered are considered.
The emphasis in the Year 2 Clinical Research module is to ensure that trainees develop a broad understanding of topics relevant to conducting research within clinical psychology using quantitative and qualitative methods. Within HS773, sessions are a mixture of:
- Lectures with compulsory reading required before the session
- Thesis workshops
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Knight, P. (2002)
Small-scale research: pragmatic inquiry in social science and the caring professions. London: SAGE. Available at:
https://methods-sagepub-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/book/small-scale-research.
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Harper, D. and Thompson, A.R. (2012)
Qualitative research methods in mental health and psychotherapy: a guide for students and practitioners. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons. Available at:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/universityofessex-ebooks/detail.action?docID=818736.
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Madill, A., Jordan, A. and Shirley, C. (2000) 'Objectivity and reliability in qualitative analysis: Realist, contextualist and radical constructionist epistemologies',
British Journal of Psychology, 91(1), pp. 1–20. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1348/000712600161646.
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Lodge, D. (2002) Consciousness & the novel: connected essays. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
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Russell, Graeme., Moss, Duncan. and Miller, Joe. (2010) 'Appalling and appealing: A qualitative study of the character of men's self-harm',
Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice, 83(1), pp. 91–109. Available at:
https://search-ebscohost-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mdl&AN=19744357&site=ehost-live&authtype=sso&custid=s9814295.
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Bryant, A. and Charmaz, K. (2007)
The SAGE handbook of grounded theory. London: SAGE. Available at:
https://methods-sagepub-com.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/book/the-sage-handbook-of-grounded-theory.
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Braun, V. and Clarke, V. (2021) Thematic Analysis. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Service Related Project / Secondary Data Analysis |
|
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr John Day, email: john.day@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Susan McPherson
E: dcpadmin@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 24 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
24 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
* Please note: due to differing publication schedules, items marked with an asterisk (*) base their information upon the previous academic year.
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