HEALTH SCIENCES | 2011 Undergraduate Catalogue of Courses

HEALTH SCIENCES

NOTE FOR LEVEL 4 COURSES FORMING PART OF THE BSc HEALTH SCIENCES HONOURS PROGRAMME IN SOCIOLOGY (THE PRESCRIPTIONS WHICH APPEARS IN THE UNIVERSITY CALENDAR) SEE UNDER 'SOCIOLOGY'.

Level 1

HE 1501 - FOUNDATIONS OF HEALTH

Credit Points: 15
Course Coordinator: Dr F Marshall

Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Overview

Many factors affect health and the following ones will be studied during this course:- social and cultural determinants of health (including social class, gender, ethnicity, age); biological determinants of health (including stress, genetics, nutrition) and environmental determinants of health (physical and social).

Structure

2 one-hour lectures per week, one self directed exercise per week, 1 one-hour tutorial every 2 weeks.

Assessment

1st Attempt: In course assessment (30%), 90 minute written examination (70%).

Resit: 90 minute written exam (100%).

Formative Assessment

The essay will have a formative element in that detailed, individual feedback will be provided for each student, in an attempt to improve their scientific writing skills.

Each tutorial group will produce a group presentation - allowing the students to develop team working and presentation skills.

Feedback

Individual, written feedback on the essay. Course coordinator will give individual feedback on written exam if this is requested by a student.

Level 2

HE 2502 - ELEMENTARY STATISTICS FOR HEALTH RESEARCH

Credit Points: 15
Course Coordinator: Dr S Fielding

Pre-requisites

HE 1003

Co-requisites

Working knowledge of the computer, web navigation skills and WebCT.

Notes

Only available to second year students. Not available to those students who have previously been registered for ST 1506 (Understanding Data).

Overview

This course includes the following topics:

Descriptive statistics

Measures of central tendency and dispersion

Basic probability

Probability distributions including binomial, normal distribution, student-t distribution, chi-square distribution

Estimation using confidence intervals

Hypothesis testing including independent t-test, paired t-test, ANOVA, correlation and chi-squared tests

Structure

The course is WebCT based with a number of supplementary teaching sessions: 4 one-hour face to face lectures, three SPSS practical sessions (1 two-hour, 2 one-hour), 2 one-hour tutorial sessions.

Additional material available through WebCT, including multiple choice quizzes to allow students to self-test their learning/knowledge.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (60%). Continuous assessment (30%). Online particpation through WebCT quizzes (10%).

Resit: 1 two-hour written examination (100%).

Formative Assessment

The use of a number of multiple choice quizzes through WebCT will do this. Students are allowed as many attempts as they like and receive feedback for their answers. The marks do not count towards credits other than if they undertake all the quizzes, this goes towards their mark for online particpation.

Feedback

The WebCT quizzes have been set up so if a student answers incorrectly they are told why it is wrong and how to answer correctly.

Individual feedback will be provided for each student following submission of the assignments involved in continuous assessment. A full solution will be given alongside specific comments tailored to each student.

Level 3

HE 3010 - INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

Credit Points: 20
Course Coordinator: Dr M Porter

Pre-requisites

At least 200 credit points including 1st and 2nd year Health Science core courses or permission from Course Co-ordinator.

Notes

Available only to students in programme year 3 and above.

Overview

Concentrating on qualitative rather than quantitative research methods, the course will include writing literature reviews, formulating research questions and writing proposals; study design; sampling; individual interviewing and focus groups; observation; questionnaire design; data collection and analysis; ethics in research; validity and reliability and how to assess reported studies.

Structure

1 three-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: In-course assessment (100%).

HE 3016 - SOCIAL INFLUENCES ON HEALTH AND ILLNESS

Credit Points: 20
Course Coordinator: Dr M Porter

Pre-requisites

At least 200 credit points including 1st and 2nd year Health Science core courses or permission from Course Co-ordinator.

Notes

Available only to students in programme year 3 and above.

Overview

Four major areas relating to health and illness will be covered:

The body and the life course - including historical and cultural variations in perceptions of normal bodies; the regulation and control of bodies throughout the life course and at death.

Inequality – including the relationship of health and illness to age, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status.

The experience of health and illness including lay/patient perspectives and medical and social models of ill-health, diagnosis and treatment. Stress, mental disorder, disability and stigma will be examined in depth.

Health care systems, the role of health professionals and allied professions –including international comparisons of functioning and effects.

Structure

1 three-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (50%) and in-course assessment: 1 essay (50%).

Resit: 1 x two-hour written exam.

HE 3017 - SOCIAL INFLUENCES ON HEALTH AND ILLNESS FOR SPORTS STUDIES

Credit Points: 30
Course Coordinator: Dr M Porter

Pre-requisites

Notes

Available only to Sport Studies students in programme year 3 and above.

Overview

Four major areas relating to health and illness will be covered:

The body and the life course - including historical and cultural variations in perceptions of normal bodies; the regulation and control of bodies throughout the life course and at death.

Inequality – including the relationship of health and illness to age, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status.

The experience of health and illness including lay/patient perspectives and medical and social models of ill-health, diagnosis and treatment. Stress, mental disorder, disability and stigma will be examined in depth.

Health care systems, the role of health professionals and allied professions - including international comparisons of functioning and effects.

Structure

1 three-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour examination (50%); in-course assessment (40%) and oral presentation (10%).

Resit: 1 x two hours written exam (100%).

HE 3019 - EPIDEMIOLOGY AND MEDICAL STATISTICS

Credit Points: 30
Course Coordinator: Dr P Murchie (Epidemiology) Dr L Aucott (Medical Statistics)

Pre-requisites

At least 200 credit points including 1st and 2nd year Health Science core courses or permission from Course Co-ordinator.

Notes

Available only to students in programme year 3.

Overview

Epidemiology & Demography: Basic concepts and terminology in epidemiology; introduction to demography; measuring and comparing the health of populations; routine sources of health data; incidence and prevalence; conducting epidemiological studies; association and causality; bias and confounding; interpreting epidemiological data.

Medical Statistics: Interpreting figures and tables; relative risk and odds ratio; statistical analysis of epidemiological studies; statistical inferences and hypothesis testing.

Structure

2 three-hour seminars per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (60%) and in-course assessment (40%).

Resit: 1 two-hour written examination (100%).

HE 3508 - COMMUNITY HEALTH ATTACHMENT

Credit Points: 10
Course Coordinator: Dr F Marshall

Pre-requisites

At least 200 credit points including 1st and 2nd year Health Science core courses or permission from Course Co-ordinator.

Notes

Available only to students in programme year 3 or above.

Overview

Students spend 36 hours with a health organisation of their choice, finding out what the organisation does. The students write a report about the organisation and give an oral presentation on their experience, to their peer group.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Written report (50%) and presentation (50%).

HE 3514 - HEALTH PROMOTION

Credit Points: 20
Course Coordinator: Dr F Douglas

Pre-requisites

At least 200 credit points including 1st and 2nd year core courses.

Notes

Available only to students in programme year 3 or above.

Overview

This introductory course in health promotion is designed to enable students to critically examine the values, theoretical basis and practice of health promotion in the UK. The seminars will encourage students to explore some of the current thinking and debate surrounding the nature of health and its determinants. It will also critically explore the variety of approaches which have been adopted in this country and overseas to improve population health. In addition, students will explore some contemporary UK public health issues that are government policy concerns (eg obesity, tobacco use, health inequalities). Finally the concepts and debates surrounding health promotion evaluation are introduced.

Structure

1 three-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 1 one and a half-hour written examination (50%) and in-course assessment (50%).

Resit: 1 one and a half-hour written examination (100%).

Level 4

HE 4008 - HUMAN NUTRITION

Credit Points: 60
Course Coordinator: Dr L Masson

Pre-requisites

360 credit points including CM 1015 or CM1016, BI 25M6 and all core courses.

Overview

This is the taught component of an honours year in the BSc Health Sciences Programme and must be followed by HE 4502. Topics are: Foundation for Nutrition, Dietary Assessment, Nutrient Metabolism, Growth and Nutritional Status, Energy Balance and Diet and Health.

Assessment

1st Attempt: 2 two-hour examination (70%) and 6 continuous assessments (3 practical exercises, 2 essays and 1 literature assignment) (30%).

HE 4013 - HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH

Credit Points: 30
Course Coordinator: Dr F Marshall

Pre-requisites

360 credit points including all core courses.

Overview

Topics include: Formulating a research question; research designs for health care evaluation; sampling and sample size; criteria for evaluation; design of data collection instruments, data management, analysis and reporting the findings; qualitative approaches to health services research; systematic reviews and meta-analysis; critical appraisal of articles; getting research findings into practice; writing a research protocol.

Structure

One three-hour seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: In-course assessment (60%) and written examination (40%).

HE 4015 - HEALTH ECONOMICS AND ECONOMIC EVALUATION

Credit Points: 30
Course Coordinator: Dr M Kilonzo

Pre-requisites

360 credit points including all core courses.

Overview

Topics will include: basic principles of opportunity cost; economic definitions and approaches to assessing "need"; distinguishing between different techniques of economic evaluation; how to measure the costs and effects of health care inventions; concepts of marginal analysis,
discounting and sensitivity analysis; critical appraisal of articles on economic evaluations of health care; the health behaviours of individuals; the organisation and financing of health services; priority setting and resource allocation; and equity in health and health care.

Structure

1 two-hour lecture/seminar per week.

Assessment

1st Attempt: in-course assessment (50%) and 1 two-hour examination (50%).

HE 4502 - HONOURS PROJECT (HUMAN NUTRITION)

Credit Points: 60
Course Coordinator: Dr L Masson

Pre-requisites

HE4008. Available only to candidates for Honours in Human Nutrition in the BSc Health Sciences course.

Overview

A project which can be survey, laboratory, clinic or library-based, according to students’ individual interests.

Assessment

Assessment will be by Project Report (90%) and Oral Presentation (10%).

HE 4505 - DISSERTATION FOR BSc HEALTH SCIENCE: HEALTH PROMOTION

Credit Points: 60
Course Coordinator: Dr M Porter

Pre-requisites

HE4013 and HE4015

Overview

Under close supervision from a member of staff, students will develop a research question, which they will attempt to answer by collecting and analysing original data or by means of a systematic review of relevant literature.

Assessment

1st Attempt: Assessment will be by Project Report (90%) and Oral Presentation (10%).

HE 4506 - DISSERTATION FOR BSc HEALTH SCIENCE: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH

Credit Points: 60
Course Coordinator: Dr M Porter

Pre-requisites

HE4013 and HE4015

Overview

Assessment

1st Attempt: Assessment will be by Project Report (90%) and Oral Presentation (10%).

HE 4507 - DISSERTATION FOR BSc HEALTH SCIENCE: HEALTH AND SPORT

Credit Points: 60
Course Coordinator: Dr M Porter

Pre-requisites

HE4013 and HE4015

Overview

Assessment

1st Attempt: Assessment will be by Project Report (90%) and Oral Presentation (10%).

HE 4510 - HONOURS PROJECT (HEALTH STUDIES)

Credit Points: 60
Course Coordinator: Dr F Marshall

Pre-requisites

Available only for MA Health Studies candidates who have accumulated 60 credits at Level 4.

Overview

Course projects can include survey studies, interview-based research, secondary data analysis, and systematic reviews. Therefore, because of the nature of the course, the content will vary from student to student. However, the content would cover the elements required for students to be able to meet the above learning outcomes.