Course syllabus for An Introduction to Global Health
En introduktion till global hälsa
Essential data
Specific entry requirements
A Bachelor's degree or a professional degree equivalent to a Swedish Bachelor's degree of at least 180 credits. And proficiency in English equivalent to English B/English 6.
Outcomes
After the course, the student should be able to:
Knowledge and understanding
- Discuss current topics in global health.
- Describe the history and theories of global health, including decolonializing perspectives, and their links to key concepts including public health, human rights, gender and intersectionality.
- Describe fundamental concepts of equality, equity, and determinants of health from a global health perspective.
- Explain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and analyse how they link to critical global health strategies and systems thinking.
Competence and skills
- Relate epidemiological transition and burden of disease to different economic contexts and describe established global health indicators.
Judgment and approach
- Reflect upon the role of intercultural competence in global health.
- Describe ethical considerations in global health research and practice.
Content
This course provides an introduction to the key concepts and history of global health, as a foundation for more in-depth study within the Master's programme. The course introduces perspectives that challenge traditional approaches, particularly from the perspective of decolonialisation. It explores the connection between global health and public health, and introduces the role of systems-thinking, human rights, and gender. The course also introduces the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Students will examine how health issues evolve as countries develop, referred to as epidemiological transitions, and why the burden of disease can differ significantly between low- and high-income regions. The course also considers issues of equality and equity, as well as determinants that shape health outcomes, such as income, education, and environment.
Additionally, the course highlights the importance of intercultural competence in global health. The course also discusses ethical challenges in global health. These discussions help students critically engage with foundational concepts of global health.
Teaching methods
Teaching methods include interactive key-note lectures, seminars, practical exercises and peer-learning through group work.
Examination
This course is assessed by group assignments, which are marked as fail or pass, and an individual written examination, which is marked as fail, pass or pass with distinction. To pass the course, students must achieve a pass grade in the group assignments and the written examination. To achieve a pass with distinction on the course, students must achieve a pass on the group assignments and a pass with distinction on the written examination. In addition, all compulsory parts of the course must be completed to pass.
Compulsory participation
Participation in seminars, practical exercises, group work and the final examination are compulsory.
The examiner assesses if, and in that case how, absence from compulsory educational elements can be compensated for. Before the student has participated in the compulsory educational elements or compensated the absence in accordance with the examiner's instructions, the final course results will not be reported. Absence from a compulsory educational component may imply that the student cannot compensate for the missed compulsory educational element until the next time the course is given.
Limitation of number of occasions to write the exam
Students who have not passed the regular examination are entitled to participate in five more examinations. If the student has not passed the exam after four participations, he/she is encouraged to visit the study advisor. If the student has failed six examinations/tests, no additional examination or new admission is provided. The number of times that the student has participated in one and the same examination is regarded as an examination session. Submission of a blank examination is also regarded as an examination. An examination for which the student registered but did not participate in will not be counted as an examination.
If there are special grounds, or a need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus's regulations on the examination form, the number of examination opportunities, the possibility of supplementation or exemptions from the compulsory section/s of the course etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities may not be changed, removed or reduced.
Transitional provisions
Examination will be provided during a time of two years after a possible cancellation of the course. Examination can take place according to an earlier literature list during a time of one year after the date when a major renewal of the literature list has been made.
Other directives
The course language is English.
Course evaluation is carried out according to the guidelines that are established by the Committee for Higher Education.
Literature and other teaching aids
Mandatory literature
- Jacobsen, Introduction to Global Health, Jones and Bartlett Learning, 2018 LIBRIS-ID: 22540864, *