Module HUSS3371: EVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE FOR RETURNING ERASMUS STUDENTS

Department: Anthropology (Human Sciences) [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

HUSS3371: EVOLUTIONARY MEDICINE FOR RETURNING ERASMUS STUDENTS

Prerequisites

• Levels 1 and 2 Human Sciences BA OR Human Sciences BSc OR Health and Human Sciences BSc OR Evolutionary Anthropology (ANTH2061) OR Human Ecology, Genetics & Health (ANTH2011) OR Phase I MBBS.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• This module aims to expose students to the perspective of evolutionary medicine and to encourage the critical appraisal of western biomedicine in the light of evolutionary theory.

Content

• Evolutionary medicine takes the view that many contemporary health issues are related to an incompatibility between the lifestyles and environments in which humans currently live and the conditions under which human biology evolved.
• This module explores the ways in which questions about health and disease can be reframed in consideration of an evolutionary perspective and new suggestions about treatment can be made.
• Specific areas to be covered included reproductive health (e.g. fertility, postnatal depression, menopause), infant health (e.g. colic, jaundice, SIDS, infant sleep, breastfeeding, chronic disease (e.g. breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, allergies).

Learning Outcomes

• Students should be able to: Understand and explain the application of evolutionary perspectives to a variety of contemporary health issues.
• Understand the value of a cross-cultural perspective in informing evolutionary medicine.

• Articulate how an evolutionary perspective to health might inform current health care practices and interventions and synthesise material.
• Be able to evaluate evolutionary explanations of health issues and be able to articulate how these may be tested.

• Problem solving.
• Research design.
• Ability to engage in discussion and debate on theoretical and practical issues.
• Ability to present written summaries of debates and argue for a particular perspective using research based evidence.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• During the term they are away Erasmus students will be provided with full reading lists and self-study guidelines to ensure they achieve familiarity with the material taught to other Evolutionary Medicine students during the Michaelmas term.
• A dedicated tutorial on the topics covered during self-study will be provided for returning Erasmus students at the beginning of the Epiphany term.
• Additionally Erasmus students will have access to the module DUO site and all the course material contained therein while they are abroad.
• Erasmus students will write a review of one book from the reading list for their summative assessment during the Michaelmas term.
• Erasmus students will rejoin the main module seminars in Epiphany term.
• Seminars will sometimes be tutor led and sometimes student led.
• They will introduce a different health issue each session and present students with various examples of evolutionary interpretations.
• Seminars will guide students to further reading on each area.
• Tutorials (small group teaching) will use a problem solving approach in which students will present the results of their own in depth reading to explore topics of 'received biomedical wisdom' using evolutionary perspectives.
• Formative and summative class-write-ups will be used to consolidate students' ability to explain and articulate evolutionary perspectives on health.
• A summative exam will be used to assess students ability to explain and synthesise their understanding of this topic.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Tutorial write-up 500 words.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University