| Unit name | Health Policy in a Global Context (SPS) |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOL20061 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Dodds |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
The unit critically explores factors influencing health in a global context with a focus on key issues involved in the global distribution of health. We will pay attention to differences between and within diverse countries and regions - with reference to some of the most pressing global health challenges of our time.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
For SPS students taking this unit as an option within their degree programme, this complements core units, helping students to better understand and use models of social policy influence and development and broadening our interpretations of what constitutes social harm. This is achieved by examining the diverse ways in commercial, social, policy, welfare and legislative structures and infrastructures may either support or undermine health and wellbeing, across the lifecourse and around the world.
For intercalating medical students taking this unit as a mandatory component of their Global Health iBSc, this introduces you to fundamentals of social policy scholarship. You will become better able to make connections between morbidity and mortality patterns you may have previously only regarded in terms of individual or cohort outcomes. You will apply your new interdisciplinary skills to consider how powerfully health is patterned and influenced by the ways that our societies and our global relations are organised.
This unit is enormously enriched by the mixture of School for Policy Studies (social sciences) and Intercalating Global Health (medical) students who take the classes together, work in groups, and learn from one another in small group team tasks from week to week.
An overview of content
The unit explores some of the key global health challenges facing health policy makers and policy actors; while also considering the feasibility of achieving health justice and equity within the social, economic and political contexts of a globalised age. The unit introduces you to theoretical frameworks and policy models that help to explain the persistence of global health injustice and unequal access to healthy living conditions, the role and relevance of actors in the health policy field, and the limitations of the concept of 'governance’ as it relates to global health.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will be more able to appreciate the ways in which a wide array of policy making at national, regional and global levels intersects with the social determinants of health to influence global health outcomes. As someone who becomes more skilled in applying a decolonising approaches and policy analysis tools to identify how power asymmetries influence global health, you will come to better understand the role that various actors might play in working towards health justice.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the unit, students will demonstrate that they can:
This unit heavily draws on inquiry-based learning. During a shared plenary taking place weekly, the first half will consist of a one hour lecture where core concepts are presented and discussed, with opportunities for students to clarify their learning. The second half of plenaries will then consist of student-led problem-solving and exploration in small groups, collaborating on a shared task that relates directly to that week’s topic. Feedback from peers and the unit director will be iterative and informally shared with the class as a whole during this interactive phase. Weekly essential readings will be assigned as mandatory seminar preparation, and all students are expected to reflect critically during their seminars on the links between lecture materials, group tasks and readings.
Tasks which help you to learn and prepare for summative tasks (formative):
Group tasks will be undertaken and shared with feedback offered by peers and unit director during class time. The tasks will help you develop your critical engagement skills regarding a range of topic areas in the field of global health. Informal feedback will be provided on brief formative annotated bibliographies, in order to help you to understand how your selected literature may best support summative essay development.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay (3000 words maximum, 100%) - assesses ILOs 1-5
When assessment does not go to plan:
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, you may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. This will comprise a task of the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOL20061).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
