Understanding Health

What is health?  This module will cover the main ideas and influences involved in studying health – including important historical, philosophical and theoretical debates.  As you consider different understandings of health, you will critically evaluate the dominant bio-medical model, examining its implications at both individual and population levels. Varying theoretical approaches to issues of discrimination and inequalities will also be examined.

Main Topics of Study

This module will explore the problematic concept of health through mapping out the historical, philosophical, sociological and cultural influences on health and conceptualizations of health. The module will initially consider contested definitions of health drawing upon historical and philosophical assumptions that underpin current understandings of health. The dominance of the bio-medical model will be critically examined and its implications considered for understanding the multi-dimensional nature of health at both individual and population levels. Issues of discrimination and inequalities will be examined and different theoretical approaches introduced.

Assessment

There are a number of formative assessments that you complete as part of your study and forward to your academic tutor for grading and comments.

You’ll also take a summative assessment at the end of your module that determines your final mark.

Summative Assessment Breakdown

40% Presentation
60% Essay

Please note there are additional assessment fees for each module.