| Unit name | Health Geography |
|---|---|
| Unit code | GEOG20023 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Crane |
| 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 of Geographical Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
Health is one of the 21st century’s most important local, national and global problems. This unit will introduce you to how and why geographers study health, and we’ll look beyond health as a solely biological phenomenon to examine its deeply political, economic and social dimensions. These dimensions shape our present moment: in which, in the UK for example, cultural appreciation of the NHS continues despite vast issues in provision. The unit also looks historically, examining how such contemporary crises emerged. All of these insights into health will help you make better sense of the contemporary moment, but also of the role different geographical approaches to health play in addressing health inequality and injustice. The unit closes by examining how researchers can uncover the vastly unequal ‘experiences’ of healthcare systems, and what they can do about these, as well as by addressing the impacts of the covid-19 pandemic.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
Human geographers study health in many different ways. This unit will introduce you to some of the methods, debates and case studies that make up geographical and spatially-sensitive approaches to health, from the study of disease spread to the role of institutional environments in creating hostile or inclusive spaces. You’ll leave this unit with a better understanding of how health geographers think about and study health as it relates to inequality, identity, and power. You’ll also gain experience through the unit of developing your own interpretive and critical thinking skills as you analyse the geographical scholarship on health, and you’ll gain a better sense of how geographers are grappling with new areas of health research, including visual health geographies, sensory environments and intersectional analysis. The academic discussions we have in seminars and lectures are augmented - and challenged - by a policy debate and analytical field trip.
An overview of content
Content on the unit may include case studies in the following areas:
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will learn about aspects of geography that will change the way you think about your subject. You’ll gain a better sense of how taken-for-granted dimensions of your own life are not disconnected from the longer historical and inherently geographical story of how health came to matter to states, communities and individuals. You will think more critically about the resources involved in providing for health and healthcare systems, and you will be challenged to consider the histories and geographies of health in places outside the UK and around the globe.
Learning Outcomes
How you will learn
The unit will include lectures and seminars supported by weekly office hours. Lectures will provide an overview of key research areas and concepts, supported by presentation of specific case studies and examples to help you navigate the academic literature on the topic. The lecture will also help you better understand why the topic is an important area of research in health geography. Between the lectures and seminars, you will be asked to read academic research articles on the week’s topic, and to come to the seminar ready to ask questions and talk about what you read in a discussion facilitated by the instructor. Independent reading and study in preparation for these seminars will help you become more familiar with the topics presented in the lecture; the seminar will deepen your knowledge through dialogue with other students. You can also raise questions to aid your learning during weekly office hours held by the instructor. These methods of teaching will help you to develop your analytical skills, to develop more confidence in sharing complex ideas with others, and to prepare for completing the assessments.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Briefing sessions will equip you to understand the annotated bibliography and exam formats, and how best to prepare for these. The briefing sessions will offer advice, as well as example questions and answers for both assessments. Further to this, the annotated bibliography set texts are seminar readings, so will be read in advance, and discussed in classes. Seminar activities are designed to range across case studies and topics, guided by pre-set seminar questions, which will prepare you for the exam. You may use the tutors’ office hours if you have further questions or concerns about the summative tasks.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
40% 1500-word Annotated bibliography on articles of students’ choice
60% Unseen 2-hour exam
When assessment does not go to plan
Re-assessment will be based on 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. GEOG20023).
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.
