Helsevitenskap I

This course adopts a critical perspective of the empirical and theoretical basis for the significance of health for people as individuals and as participants in society, and will elucidate health as a means and as an end. Health can be regarded as a good in itself, but it can also be regarded as a key premise for quality of life and social participation. Looking at how health and illness are constructed through interaction between health sciences, health service actors and professions, and members of society opens for important discussions that can raise awareness within multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary fields of health sciences. The course covers the development of different views of health and illness, and places these concepts in a complex physical, psychological, and social context. The ethical and health policy challenges posed by new biomedical technology are also discussed.

None

On completion of the course, the PhD candidate has achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The PhD candidate

• can critically assess different theories of and approaches to health and illness
• can assess the usefulness and application of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research into health and illness
• can assess the usefulness and application of biomedical and technological developments

Skills

The PhD candidate can

• address complex theories of health and illness and challenge established knowledge in the health sciences and in his or her own discipline and/or profession

General competence

The PhD candidate can

• identify relevant ethical and health policy issues
• present and discuss research-based knowledge of health and illness
• assess the need for new measures to promote health and prevent illness

Work and teaching methods consist of lectures, seminars, and self-study. The outcomes of the seminars are presented and discussed in plenary sessions.

None

Individual home examination, to be submitted no more than two weeks after the end of the course, in which candidates discuss their own research projects from different perspectives of health and/or illness. Answer papers must consist of up to 3500 words.

All

Pass / Fail

One internal and one external examiner will assess the answer papers submitted by all candidates.