Professionals in health administration should have the skills and knowledge necessary to make informed decisions regarding health services. These skills include the ability to understand and interpret the research literature and the capability to conduct health services research. This senior-level course is designed to provide health professionals from a variety of backgrounds with the foundations of research methods in health services. The course covers the basics of scientific research, quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research designs, research validity, issues of sampling and measurement, and specific approaches to health services research. Topics of research ethics, evaluation of the research literature and proposal development are introduced. This course concludes with an advanced skill in applying research methodologies through the preparation of a research proposal.