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Programme Outline: Health Studies (MA)
Why Health Studies?
There is a growing demand for more knowledge about, and a better understanding of, human health and well-being. It is now widely accepted that there are a range of factors which determine whether individuals remain healthy, develop illnesses or experience early death. These determinants include individual biology and behaviour, economic, environmental, educational and socio-cultural factors as well as the access individuals have to health services. In addition, new approaches to health care have developed, with an emphasis on multi-professional team-work. Older forms of care are therefore giving way to new, including the moving of care and responsibility for improving population and individual health status, outside hospitals and other institutions. It is against this background that the degree in Health Studies has been instituted - its teaching shared by the Colleges of Life Sciences and Medicine and Arts and Social Sciences. It is mainly concerned with examining the variety of views of what constitutes health (psychological, social and managerial), and also providing a basis from which assessments may be made of the relevance of formal and informal health care to patterns of national ill-health. The degree includes options for entrants with different interests and the opportunity to focus on social science aspects of health and illness. It therefore provides a base from which to proceed to a career in a wide range of health-related occupations or research.
Structure of the Degree
The MA Health Studies degree is organised by the Division of Medical and Dental Education. Students in the first two years of the degree take a range of compulsory and optional courses across health and social science subjects along with students on other degree courses. These courses are normally based at the Old Aberdeen site. In third year most of the courses are specifically designed for the Health Studies degree and are based at the Medical School, Foresterhill site.
Students can finish their studies with the Health Studies designated degree at the end of third year, or they can proceed for an Honours degree.
Overview of Programme
First and second year
Health Studies students study a variety of subjects in first and second year. These subjects are intended to provide them with a broad understanding of the academic disciplines and knowledge which underpin current understanding related to the social aspects of health and illness.
Year |
Compulsory subjects |
Optional subjects include |
Management, Psychology, Foundations of Health |
Sociology, Economics, Philosophy, politics, Social Anthropology, |
|
Sociology, Statistics, Management |
Anatomy, Biochemistry, Cultural History, Economics, History & Philosophy of Science, Politics, Psychology, |
Third Year
The general aim of the third year of study is to encourage and support the acquisition of knowledge that will enhance an understanding of health and illness. Through academic study, project work, problem-solving and study placements students are encouraged to apply the knowledge learned in the first two years to health related contexts. The third year curriculum is also designed to help students identify specific subjects and intended areas of study which will determine their Honours year study if they have not already done so. An outline of the third year of the Health Science degree is outlined below. Most of third year teaching takes place in the Medical School on the Foresterhill site.
Year |
Compulsory subjects |
Optional subjects include |
Community Health Attachment, Epidemiology & Medical Statistics, Health Promotion, Introduction to Research, Social Influences on Health & Illness |
Management, Cultural History, History, Moral Philosophy |
Fourth Year
The general aim of fourth year is to develop the skills and knowledge about health and illness acquired in third year to a more comprehensive and detailed understanding of the investigation and management of health care. Teaching and supervision is provided by staff based in the School of Medicine and Dentistry.
Part of fourth year study will involve developing a research problem, reviewing the relevant literature and formulating a research strategy, which the student will attempt to solve with the collection and analysis of original data.
Year |
Compulsory subjects |
First semester: Health Economics, Health Services Research.
|
The Health Studies degree is a new programme at the University and is designed to make our graduates highly employable in areas such as health promotion, health and health care research, and health services management. There are also opportunities to use the degree to gain access to vocational post graduate courses or study for a PhD.
We welcome applications from people with an interest in health and health care, and we welcome students with qualifications other than those traditionally acquired on leaving school; these include most mature students.
Further information and contact details
For more information on the MA Health Studies degree please contact Programme Coordinator, Fiona Marshall (fiona.marshall@abdn.ac.uk)
The full mailing address is:
Dr Fiona MarshallProgramme Coordinator, BSc Health Sciences/MA Health Studies
School of Medicine & Dentistry
Polwarth Building
Foresterhill
Aberdeen
AB25 2ZD
Tel 01224 551276
Dr Fiona Marshall
Programme Coordinator, BSc Health Sciences/MA Health Studies
Tel: +44 (0) 1224 437249
Email: fiona.marshall@abdn.ac.uk