Prof Michelle McKinley, Dr Laura McGowan
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
More than one in two pregnant women are considered overweight by the time they come for their first antenatal appointment (around 12 weeks). This puts both the short- and long-term health of mum and baby at risk.
This research will examine whether it is possible to give women who are overweight at the start of pregnancy a leaflet (Ten Top Tips for a Healthy Weight’ (10TT)) that encourages them to develop positive food and activity habits, and also to have a healthy weight gain during pregnancy and beyond. 10TT includes 10 healthy eating and activity habits; it has been shown in scientific research to help overweight adults manage their weight over the long-term. The original 10TT intervention will be refined to make it suitable for pregnant women. Alongside this, a protocol for delivery of the refined 10TT to women in early pregnancy will be devised after consultation with healthcare professionals in NI and the ROI in order to find the best way to integrate this into current antenatal care pathways. The intervention will then be implemented in a pilot study in two hospitals in Northern Ireland and two in the Republic of Ireland and its acceptability will be evaluated.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Candidates should have or expect to obtain a 2:1 or higher Honours degree or equivalent in a relevant biomedical or life sciences subject.
English Language
Candidates applying from countries where the first language is not English should produce evidence of their competence through a qualification such as IELTS or TOEFL score.
The minimum recommended score for the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science is:
• IELTS score of 6.0 with not less than 5.5 in each of the four component elements of listening, reading, speaking and writing taken within the last 2 years;
• TOEFL score of 80+ (internet basted test), taken within the last 2 years, with minimum component scores of; Listening 17, Reading 18, Speaking 20, Writing 17);
• A valid Certificate of Proficiency in English grade A or B;
• A valid Certificate of Advanced English grade A; or
• A first or upper second class honours degree from a university based in the UK, Republic of Ireland or other suitably quality assured location in a country deemed by the UK Border Agency to be majority English speaking.
For a list of English Language qualifications also accepted by the School and University please see the following link:
http://www.qub.ac.uk/International/International-students/Applying/English-language-requirements/#English
The English Language Unit (ELU) offers both pre-sessional and in-sessional courses in English for academic purposes and study skills. Courses vary in length and full information can be obtained from the ELU http://www.qub.ac.uk/tefl/
*PLEASE NOTE*
This project will involve Regulated Activity (working with children and/or vulnerable groups).
The successful applicant will be required to supply their details to the School Postgraduate Office in order for a criminal history check to be undertaken (Enhanced Disclosure Checks). The project will be conditional on the successful applicant being issued with a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure Certificate.
Funding Notes
*FUNDING CONFIRMED – CHITIN*
Eligibility for both fees (£4,260 for 2018/19) and maintenance (£14,777 for 2018/19) depends on the applicants being either an ordinary UK or EU resident.
References
Please visit the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Public Health, website for further details about the Centre:
https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/CentreforPublicHealth/