Advanced Qualitative Research in Health and Pharmacy Practice

Overview

This advanced training course aims to equip students with essential skills for qualitative research in health and pharmacy practice. Upon completion, students will be able to:

  • Identify an appropriate theoretical and conceptual framework for a research study;

  • Select research questions suitable for exploration using qualitative methodologies or consensus techniques, with a focus on interventions in pharmacy practice, including those aimed at responsible medication use;

  • Use primary and secondary data sources, performing their extraction, analysis, and recognizing their respective limitations;

  • Understand results reported by individuals, as well as develop and use interview guides (individual and group), including the analysis of information obtained through these methodologies.

This course thus prepares participants to address the challenges of advanced qualitative research in health and pharmacy practice, contributing to scientific progress in these fields.

 

Guest Speakers:

The course will feature guest speakers from several nationally and internationally renowned institutions who will share their knowledge and expertise on specific topics:

  • Lisbon School of Nursing (ESEL), Portugal;
  • Egas Moniz School of Health and Science, Portugal;
  • Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal;
  • University of Copenhagen, Denmark;
  • Trinity College Dublin, Ireland;
  • Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

 

Coordination:

 

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Legislation:

Regulamento n.º 638/2016 – Regulamento dos Cursos Não Conferentes de Grau da Faculdade de Farmácia da ULisboa

Programme

This course will take place from January 30, 2026, to February 21, 2026, in a distance learning (e-learning) format, with live sessions held:

  • Fridays, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

  • Saturdays, from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

The course has a total workload of 168 hours, corresponding to 6 ECTS credits.

The training hours are distributed as follows:

  • Theoretical training: 16 hours

  • Practical training: 16 hours

  • Tutorial guidance: 6 hours

  • Independent study hours:: 130 hours

Course Location: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, with online participation.

 

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STUDY PLAN

This course addresses qualitative methodological approaches applied to health research, including their application in the evaluation of pharmacy services—either existing or under development. The focus will be on qualitative study designs, including methods such as observation, interviews, and document analysis. Techniques for qualitative data analysis will also be covered, with synthesis and application through practical activities.

Consensus methods will also be explored, namely Delphi panels, the nominal group technique, and expert panels. In this context, corresponding data analysis techniques—which are not purely qualitative in nature—will also be addressed. One component of the course will focus on the methodologies and techniques required to ensure the credibility of qualitative data.

All supporting materials, including presentations and recommended readings, will be made available two weeks in advance, allowing participants to prepare adequately for the topics to be discussed. During the live sessions, time will be maximised for discussion on the practical application of concepts in ongoing projects and for exercises aimed at consolidating the knowledge acquired.

The course is structured into 8 modules and will be taught in English, with the participation of several guest lecturers from renowned higher education and scientific research institutions. The detailed programme, also in English, is presented below.

Teaching Methodologies

 

TEACHING METHODOLOGY:

The primary teaching approach will involve lectures delivered by internationally renowned experts. These sessions will last a maximum of 40 minutes, followed by 20 minutes dedicated to participatory discussion and/or the practical application of the concepts introduced. Depending on the topic, the practical component may include concept debates, refinement of research questions, coding exercises (e.g., interview excerpts), document extraction and analysis, critical analysis of qualitative research articles, and briefing–debriefing activities.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES AND SKILLS TO BE ACQUIRED BY THE STUDENT:

The course will focus on developing competencies in health services research, including critical analysis of the literature, formulation of research questions and anticipation of limitations, discussion of methodological options, and skills related to data collection and analysis.

 

ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY:

Students will be assessed individually, although some tasks may be developed in group settings. The first assessment will take place during the first week and will contribute to the final grade. Students will be asked to briefly present their proposed research project and discuss potential qualitative approaches applicable to the project or specific sections of it.

At the end of the course, students must submit a written assignment (maximum of 5 pages) and deliver an oral presentation. Through reflective practice, students will be expected to reassess their initial research question in light of the methodologies covered during the course. This reflection may also involve justifying the inapplicability of qualitative techniques to their project. This component will represent 40% of the final grade and requires significant independent study hours.

Students will also be given a selection of methodological articles to choose from, which will be critically analysed in groups. This group task will account for 20% of the final grade.

Additionally, there will be an online written assessment in the form of a Multiple Choice Questionnaire (MCQ), worth 40% of the final grade. Final grades may be adjusted by up to ±10% based on active participation throughout the course.

Application

 

Application Period:

  • 1st phase: from 1st September 2025 to 10th October 2025;
  • 2nd phase: from 1st November 2025 to 10th December 2025.

Course start and end dates: 30th January 2026 to 21st February 2026

 

Target Audience:
This course is intended for PhD students and researchers in the fields of health sciences, medicine, nursing, and pharmaceutical sciences.

 

Scientific Area or Specialization:

Social Pharmacy

 

Admission Requirements:

Integrated Master’s degree in a Health-related area or equivalent.

 

Selection and Ranking Criteria:

Final grade of the degree and area of specialization of the PhD programme (for PhD students); current research area (for researchers).

  • Minimum number of trainees for operation: 08
  • Maximum number of trainees for operation: 30

 

Required Documents for Application: Academic Certificate, Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Registration Declaration for external PhD students not enrolled at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon (FFUL).

 

Application Fees and Tuition:

  • Application fee: 10€ (Note: the application fee will not be refunded if the candidate is excluded or not selected).
  • Course Tuition: €500 for general students  and €200 for external PhD students not enrolled at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon (FFUL).
  • School Insurance Fee: 2,10€

Note: FFUL PhD students who wish to take the course as part of their mandatory 1st-year curriculum are exempt from the registration fee.

 

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Application Process:

Applications for the course are made exclusively through the FenixEdu Platform of the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon (FFUL).

Access to the FenixEdu Platform:

  • If you have never been a student at FFUL you must pre-register on the FenixEdu Platform.
  • If you are a former student of FFULisboa and have already had an account campus@ulisboa or @edu.ulisboa.pt you should access the FenixEdu Platform and authenticate yourself with your account data. If you have lost access to your account, you can recover your password in the ULisboa users area.
  • If you are a former student of FFULisboa and have never had an account campus@ulisboa or @edu.ulisboa.pt you must send an email to cncg@ff.ulisboa.pt indicating your full name and ID document number.

Access the FenixEdu Platform.

  • On the tab “Candidate”, choose the type of application: “Advanced Training Courses”, select the desired course.
  • Fill out the online form and attach all the required documents in digital format. In the application process you can indicate whether you want the invoice to be issued in the name of another entity/company/institution.
  • Select the “Submit” option.

Applications will only be validated by the Academic Services once the applicant has paid the Application Fee.

Contacts

For information regarding the application process and the course organization, please contact the Academic Services: doutoramentos@ff.ulisboa.pt

Sponsors