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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

Information in the Degree Programme Tables may still be subject to change in response to Covid-19

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences : Public Health Research

Postgraduate Course: Sociology of Health and Illness (PUHR11026)

Course Outline
SchoolDeanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences CollegeCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course introduces sociological perspectives on health, illness and the practice of public health. Key themes include the social construction of health and illness; social patterning health and illness, lay and expert knowledge, lay and expert relations.
Course description Each session will comprise a combination of lecture, seminar and discussion including some student led work. Each student will be required to present a short seminar paper; this will form part of the overall assessment. The sociology of health and illness is a sub-discipline within sociology, with a range of theoretical perspectives and concepts; it is also a strongly empirical discipline.

Sociology is one of the core disciplines within Public Health. This module introduces students to the field and aims to support the student towards in-depth understanding of topics of particular interest to them.
Other than in the first session which will be an overall introduction to the module, students will be expected to prepare for each week through their own reading from the supplied reading lists in preparation for seminar based discussions. Specified reading is indicative rather than definitive and students may wish to seek out their own reading.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Students will develop and demonstrate a critical understanding of different sociological perspectives.
  2. Students will apply a critical sociological perspective to examine key concepts and approaches in public health, showing their awareness of issues regarding the production and distribution of power and knowledge.
  3. They will learn to link individual experiences of health and illness with social figurations and the social construction of normality.
Reading List
Textbooks:

Nettleton S (2013) The Sociology of Health and Illness. Third Edition. Cambridge: Polity.

Lupton D (1995) The Imperative of Health: public health and the regulated body London: Sage.

Petersen A & Lupton D (1997) The New Public Health: health and self in the age of risk. London: Sage
Additional Information
Course URL https://www.ed.ac.uk/molecular-genetic-population/mph/on-campus
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Keywordssociology,public health
Contacts
Course organiserMr Eric Carlin
Tel:
Email: ecarlin@exseed.ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Charlotte Munden
Tel: (0131 6)51 318
Email: cmunden2@ed.ac.uk
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