| Unit name | Social and Commercial Determinants of Health |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOLM0085 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Dodds |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Studying the social and commercial determinants of health is paramount to understanding the complex interplay of social, economic, and environmental factors shaping population health and health inequalities. The unit enables you to critically engage with these factors across diverse populations in different places. A strong understanding of how best to address these health determinants is a crucial skill for those who plan to work in global health policy as effective change agents. The unit offers the opportunity to apply key concepts to a range of practical global health topic areas (for example, mental health and wellbeing, non-communicable diseases, and sexual and reproductive health). Appreciation for population health trends through the lens of social and commercial determinants will enable you to understand how and why ‘upstream’ policy making (at local, national and international levels) plays a significant role in work that aims to achieve better health justice for all.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This unit introduces you to a key concept in global health policy planning, helping you to understand the determinants of health perspective. This unit is primarily focussed upon on social and commercial determinants, complementing opportunities across the wider programme for you to critically explore political, historical and post/colonial determinants of health as well. This will enable you to develop critical insights into the policy landscapes that heavily structure health outcomes through social and economic factors. This health determinants approach to scholarship in Global Health Policy will prepare you well for the second half of your course of study to build practical skills, as well as feasible and effective solutions.
An overview of content
This unit will consider how key intersecting policy arenas affect population health and health inequalities, including housing, fiscal and economic policy, employment, trade and investment, occupational health, product availability and marketing, and education. Geo-economic, political and historical imbalances between the Global South and Global North will be a cross-cutting theme.
How will you be different as a result of the unit
You will appraise the ways in which a wide array of policy making at national, regional and global levels intersects with the social and commercial determinants of health to influence global health outcomes. As you develop skill in applying frameworks that identify how policy structures global health, you will reflect upon the strengths and drawbacks of potential responses. You will also acknowledge the role that a range of intersecting social policy and commercial actors may be likely to play in working towards social justice in health.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit you will be able to:
The unit will be delivered through a combination of lectures, and student-centred seminars. Seminars will incorporate small group as well as self-directed exercises enabling you to apply and consolidate your learning through problem-focused inquiry.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
To promote student engagement, students will work in pairs or small groups to lead a brief discussion about weekly essential and further readings in seminars. Students will gain verbal feedback from the seminar tutor on their preparation, speaking skills and content. Students will also undertake an in-class writing task to support development of academic and critical writing skills.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
Open book exam, 2 hours (100%)
This assessment will cover all of the Learning Outcomes
When assessment does not go to plan
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, unsuccessful students may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. If you are eligible to resubmit and where appropriate, you may complete an alternative assessment in the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOLM0085).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
