The aim of the thesis is to enable students to develop an understanding of both the research process and research skills required to undertake a supervised research project. They will be required to identify relevant information on a topic and critically review the research project. A part of this work will be done as from the first year during the module “Preparation of the thesis‿. Students will also be required to do the same for projects of others. A range of approaches should be used to assess the impact this information will have on either the planning of services, on health policy or improving health. The dissertation should demonstrate a least two of the four competencies which students must demonstrate in professional examinations. These are critically appraising and interpreting published literature, using epidemiological and qualitative approaches to describe health status, obtaining and using relevant information in health service planning and, finally, assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of health services.

The aims of the placement are to:

• widen the approach to health and social issues in European countries;
• provide students with the opportunity to observe practices and organisations in order to understand them, compare them and put them in perspective with respect to their future occupation;
• involve students, from drawing up and negotiating a project (including taking account of the expectations of the host establishment), to carrying out the project and assessing it;
• enable students to match, based on the observation of the activities with which they have been involved during the placement, their previous knowledge with the practices, (in action), in a particular field;
• encourage the discovery and understanding of another culture, while encouraging students to provide input of their knowledge of the public health system.

Workload and ECTS

Class workload	Total workload	ECTS
0	700	28