Thesis Proposal
30 ECTS
Thesis Proposal
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Module Description
In this module, the student will dedicate 6 months to the research and formulation of the Thesis Proposal which will be presented to the Doctoral Committee for consideration at the end of this phase.
Following the presentation, the student will be given an interview by the Doctoral Committee who will assess the proposal, research question(s) and other parameters deemed necessary for the transition that leads to the commencement of a Doctoral Thesis.
Entry Requirements
Candidates who apply for this course will require to be:
- Professionals whose academic studies include 1st cycle (undergraduate and Bachelor’s levels) and 2nd cycle (Graduate and Masters level) qualifications totalling not less than 240 ECTS in areas related to healthcare and management. Any other professional who meets the Level requirements (L7 + L6 to a total of 240 ECTS) coming from a different area, but has 7 years of experience in a managerial position will also be considered.
OR
- A Level 7 Master’s Qualification (90 ECTS) related to healthcare and management, together with a Level 5 Higher Diploma equivalent to 120 ECTS and a minimum of 5 years working experience in Management within a specialised sector/area which is directly related to and relevant to the subject being researched in the Doctoral Programme.
RPL will be considered for applicants with other high-level qualifications (e.g. OTHM L8 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice). The maximum number of credits that may be gained through RPL will not exceed 50%. For more information regarding IDEA College’s RPL Policy and Process, please refer to: https://mt.ideaeducation.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Doc_007_24-Recognition-of-Prior-Learning-Policy-and-Process.pdf
Students whose first language is not English will be required to demonstrate English language capability at IELTS level 6.5 or equivalent by presenting evidence (formal certificate) of an achieved pass at that level.
Target Audience
The target group for this doctorate programme consists of experienced professionals and senior practitioners working in, or aspiring to work in, advanced leadership, policy, and management roles in the health and social care sectors. Participants are expected to be mid-career or senior-level professionals with substantial practical experience, holding a relevant Master’s degree (MQF Level 7 or equivalent), and seeking to progress to doctoral-level study (MQF Level 8).
Specifically, the programme is designed for:
- Health professionals (e.g., physicians, nurses, allied health practitioners) who have moved into leadership, governance, or policy-making roles.
- Senior managers and executives in hospitals, health systems, public health agencies, and NGOs.
- Policy advisors, regulators, and government officials engaged in health strategy, workforce planning, and global health governance.
- Academics, researchers, and consultants seeking to deepen their expertise in health policy or workforce sustainability.
- International learners, including those from low- and middle-income countries, who wish to strengthen their capacity to respond to global health and workforce challenges.
This diverse learner group will bring interdisciplinary and international perspectives, fostering a community of interprofessional practice aligned with IDEA College’s teaching philosophy.
Career Paths
This programme is not designed to prepare students for a specific warranted profession or regulated occupation. Instead, it develops the advanced knowledge, skills, and competences outlined in the curriculum, equipping participants for senior leadership, management, policy, and consultancy roles across the health and social care sectors.
The programme is targeted at:
- Health and social care professionals (including doctors, nurses, allied health practitioners, social workers) who have moved or wish to move into leadership and policy-making positions.
- Managers and executives in hospitals, primary care systems, elderly care organisations, and NGOs.
- Policy advisors and strategists in health ministries, regulatory agencies, and international organisations.
- Consultants and researchers specialising in health policy, global health governance, or workforce planning.
Graduates will be well-prepared for:
- Senior management and leadership positions within hospitals, elderly care organisations, and wider health systems.
- Roles such as policy analysts, health system planners, or workforce strategists in government or international agencies.
- Consultancy and advisory roles within think tanks, NGOs, and intergovernmental organisations.
- Academic or applied research roles in universities, research institutes, and policy bodies.
How you’ll be assessed
Assessment shall include:
- A presentation of the doctoral thesis proposal: 80%.
- An interview and the defense of the thesis proposal with the Doctoral Committee: 20%.
The Thesis Proposal should:
- Not exceed 7,500 words (i.e. about 30 pages) in length (excluding cover page, abstract, table of contents, bibliography, and appendices).
Learning Outcomes
Competences
At the end of the proposal writing process the learner will be able to:
- Produce a literature review through critical reading and analysis identifying gaps in the area of specialization.
- Identify a specific problem or hypothesis and formulate a focused research question for investigation.
- Identify ways of attacking that problem, of finding solutions, which may or may not be generalised across contexts and determine the best methodological approach required to conduct the research.
- Consider possible ethical issues and propose measures to address them.
- Design a clear plan of action to be taken/applied to complete the research study.
Knowledge:
At the end of the proposal writing process the learner will have been exposed to the following:
1. Produce a literature review through critical reading and analysis identifying gaps in the area of specialization.
- Review local and international scholarly literature related to the identified area of study.
- Synthesize the key points/concepts/ideas/arguments in the relevant literature and the implications of these claims vis-à-vis the topic selected.
- Compare studies and predominant practices, identifying gaps and proposing areas that need further research in the field.
Guiding questions:
- What is the argument(s) being made, or the position taken, by various authors writing in the domain to be investigated?
- What assumptions underpin these positions/arguments?
- What is the basis for the arguments presented?
- What evidence is presented to substantiate the arguments?
- What, if any, are the implications of argument(s) presented?
- What are the connections with your own research problématique?
2. Identify a specific problem or hypothesis and formulate a focused research question for investigation.
- Identify gaps in the field that could be addressed through independent research.
- Formulate the conceptual/theoretical framework to be used for the study.
- Design the central research question and/or hypotheses to be investigated emerges from the existing literature.
3. Identify ways of attacking that problem, of finding solutions, which may or may not be generalised across contexts and determine the best methodological approach required to conduct the research.
- Evaluate which research methodology will produce valid data and facilitate data analysis leading to congruent answers to the research questions.
- Analyse strengths and weaknesses of the chosen approach to justify choice of methodology and methods of data collection.
- Identify the sources of information or data that are required for the study.
- Determine information about the quality and/or availability of such data.
4. Consider possible ethical issues and propose measures to address them.
Guiding points:
- Why do research ethics matter?
- Getting ethical approval of the study.
- Types of ethical issues ( voluntary participation, confidentiality, informed consent, potential for harm, communication of results)
- Research Misconduct.
5. Design a clear plan and timeline of action to be taken/applied to complete the research study.
- Draw a plan and timeline for the doctoral study?
- Identify the important milestones in the doctoral study.
- Manage the doctoral study timeline.
Skills:
At the end of the proposal writing process the learner will have acquired the following skills:
- Analyse scholarly literature related to the field of study.
- Research information and sources effectively.
- Write a doctoral thesis proposal meeting all the established criteria.
- Present a clear and realistic plan of action to carry out the doctoral thesis proposal.
- Defend the proposal in front of the Doctoral Committee.
Module-Specific Learner Skills:
At the end of the module/unit the learner will be able to:
- Write a doctoral proposal.
Module-Specific Digital Skills and Competences:
At the end of the module/unit, the learner will be able to:
- Use digital tools effectively to write a research proposal according to guidelines.
- Use digital tools and online databases to conduct research and access scholarly material.
- Navigate through the online learning platform to find assignments, discussion boards, literature, tutorials, etc.