SOCSCIPH 300 : Current Debates in Health and Health Policy

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Examines the recent histories of central intellectual debates in health and health policy and their relevance for and in the New Zealand and Pacific contexts. These may consist of the following: the 'medicalisation' of social issues, the 'socialisation' of medical issues, cross-national health policy analysis, the rationing of health resources (global and local perspectives), defining and measuring health outcomes (accountability and responsibility in health service delivery), health service management (medics or managers).

Course Overview

Course objectives
 1. To provide an information base on health and health policy debates in New Zealand, set in a context of international health policy and considerations of:
  • broader social factors that influence health and health policy;
  • the urban environment and its influence upon health-related outcomes and experiences, and the implications for policy;
  • detailed discussion of related case studies of health, and health services, and selected policies;
  • and examination of relationships between research, policy and health.
2. To encourage a broad social science approach to health and health policy debates.
3. To explore social approaches to equity and health care, including issues of access and ethical arguments.
4. To explore health and health policy in the context of a diverse society and urban environments. 
5. To consider how and whether health policy makes a difference to health outcomes.
6. To provide opportunities for critical analysis and debate about the issues examined.
7. To enhance students’ skills in written and oral communication.

This course includes weekly lectures and a timetable of seven tutorials (five assessed tutorials and two essay workshop tutorials).

Assessment items
  • Five tutorial debates worth 2% each (10% of total mark)
  • 1500-word essay (20% of total mark).
  • 2500-word essay (30% of total mark)
  • A 2-hour final examination (40% of final mark)

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: SOCSCIPH 200

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Analyse current health and health policy issues using interdisciplinary social science perspectives (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  2. Apply social science concepts to a range of health and health policy problems (Capability 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2 and 6.1)
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of health and health policy issues relevant to Aotearoa New Zealand and diverse populations (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  4. Communicate using social scientific language (Capability 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2)
  5. Evaluate interdisciplinary frameworks and their potential to support ecological approaches to health and equity (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2 and 4.1)
  6. Explain broad social factors that facilitate and constrain policy attempts to improve health outcomes (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1 and 5.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Tutorial debates (x5) 10% Individual Coursework
Essay one 20% Individual Coursework
Essay two 30% Individual Coursework
Exam 40% Individual Examination

Next offered

2020 is the last year that SOCSCIPH 300 will be offered.

Learning Resources

The course requires students to read weekly articles that are available via Canvas Reading Lists.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

Digital 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.

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 against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

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 at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

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.

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.

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 you may be asked to submit your 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. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 25/07/2020 05:06 p.m.