Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2015-2016 (archived)

Module HEAS44215: Placement in Public Policy & Global Health

Department: Health [Queen's Campus, Stockton]

HEAS44215: Placement in Public Policy & Global Health

Type Open Level 4 Credits 15 Availability Available in 2015/16 Module Cap None.

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • This module provides students with a workplace based learning opportunity to develop, extend and demonstrate the application of theory, practical skills and communication skills in an organisation operating in area relevant to public policy and the health of communities.

Content

  • The content of the module will be placement -provider specific and agreed between the placement provider, the student and the School of Medicine, Pharmacy & Health. The agreed content will be structured to extend and develop skills acquired within the core modules of the MSc such as issues awareness, evidence synthesis, policy development, intercultural competency and/or awareness of differing stakeholder perspectives and traditions. In addition, depending on the specifics of the placement agreement, students will have the opportunity to develop one or more key practical skills listed below.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Depending on the placement specifics, students will have gained practical experience in applying and/or critiquing the learning outcomes from the taught modules, in particular:
  • Assessing the local health inequality impacts of global and national phenomena, transnational and national health policies, and governance mechanisms
  • The complexity of health-related issues and the associated challenges in developing and/or operationalizing policies and/or programmes in public health from a system perspective and the perspectives of public health prpfessionals and organisations
  • The constraints within which organisations in the field of public policy, health and global health operate.
Subject-specific Skills:
  • Dependent on the specific placement students will have opportunities to hone skills gained via classroom based modules within the MSc Public Policy & Global Health and to develop one or more of the following skills:
  • Interacting with individuals, families, carers, groups, local communities and/or field practitioners
  • Working with individuals, families, carers, groups, communities and/or practitioners to assess needs and circumstances
  • Representing fairly the circumstances, needs, views and/or values of a specific community/ constituency of people to (an)other constituency
  • Managing risk to individuals, families, carers, groups, communities, self and/or colleagues
  • Planning, carrying out, reviewing and/or evaluating policy and/or practice within a specific organisation and in relation to a specific initiative on a topic of relevance to health either globally or for communities within a specific locality
  • Managing (with supervision) and being accountable for their own work practice within their placement organisation
  • Demonstrating professional and/or intercultural competencies in a work-place based learning environment.
Key Skills:
  • Work collaboratively with people with differing status, backgrounds, occupation and/or profession, cultures and/or traditions
  • Apply complex ideas, propositions and theories to workplaces
  • Express ideas and values clearly and succinctly in writing
  • Defend their opinions by reasoned argument
  • Seek out and identify appropriate sources of evidence and information
  • Tackle problems in a clear-sighted and logical fashion.

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

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Placement â–  1 Ideally one block of 20 working days Dependent on the working hours of the agency 140
Tutorial 3 One per term One hour 3
Reflective blog 20 Each placement day 10 minutes 3.33
Self Directed study Student determined Student determined 3.66
Total 150

Summative Assessment

Component: Reflection Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Daily blog entries student determined 50%
Reflective summary 1500 words 50% 1500 word essay
Component: Assignment Component Weighting: 50%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Placement report 2000 words 100% Essay

Formative Assessment:

Discussions with workplace and academic mentors.


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