HLTHPSYC 716 : Psychoneuroimmunology
Medical and Health Sciences
2024 Semester One (1243) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
The course is delivered in weekly 2-hour sessions throughout the semester comprising lectures and student-led seminars based around readings drawn from recent research literature.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 1: | People and Place |
| Capability 2: | Sustainability |
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 7: | Collaboration |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Describe and explain the key features of the immune system and the nature of the bi-directional communication pathways between immune and nervous systems. (Capability 3.1 and 3.2)
- Identify and explain the role of neuroimmune connections and inflammation in sickness behaviours and the implications for understanding physical symptoms. (Capability 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 4.1)
- Describe and discuss the psychosocial factors that affect inflammation and infection and outline psychosocial interventions that affect these. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 4.1 and 5.1)
- Explain the relationships between psychosocial processes and wound healing and cancer progression and the neuroimmune mechanisms underlying them. (Capability 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3)
- Demonstrate an ability to design an experiment in the psychoneuroimmunology area and to analyse and interpret the results that might eventuate from it. (Capability 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1 and 8.2)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Presentation | 10% | Individual Coursework |
| Peer evaluation | 5% | Individual Coursework |
| Research assignment | 25% | Individual Coursework |
| Final Exam | 60% | Individual Examination |
| 4 types | 100% |
| Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||
| Presentation | ||||||||||
| Peer evaluation | ||||||||||
| Research assignment | ||||||||||
| Final Exam | ||||||||||
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15-point postgraduate course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, each week you can expect 2 hours of lectures/seminars and 7 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 1 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including lectures and seminars to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings.
Students are required to present seminars to the class and to assess the seminars of other students.
Attendance on campus is required for the final exam.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.
Learning Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Students were very happy with the course. As a result of student feedback we will make each student seminar similar in terms of number of papers to present.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
The delivery mode may change depending on COVID restrictions. Any changes will be communicated through Canvas.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course students may be asked to submit coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.