MA Humanitarianism and Conflict Response / Course details

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Health Systems

Course unit fact file
Unit code HCRI74000
Credit rating 15
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Full year
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) “A good health system delivers quality services to all people, when and where they need them. The exact configuration of services varies from country to country, but in all cases requires a robust financing mechanism; a well-trained and adequately paid workforce; reliable information on which to base decisions and policies; well maintained facilities and logistics to deliver quality medicines and technologies” (WHO).  

Post conflict and developing states have difficulty in providing many of these needed services.  This module will define and explore aspects of an optimal health system and specific challenges expressed within developing and post conflict scenarios. It will also provide scope as to how these challenges have been met through the intervention of international government and non-government entities.

Aims

The unit aims to: Define the components of a good health system and identify how the delivery of these components is complicated within post-conflict and developing countries.  It will provide examples of each component, factors that have led to deficiencies within each and ways in which improvements can be made within the context of post-conflict and developing countries.

Teaching and learning methods

The module will be delivered entirely online using Blackboard 9.  The module will be comprised of 8 sessions which will be released to the student in one week intervals.  Each module will include:

  • Session description
  • Session material (which may include: inter alia, written material, assigned readings, videos, web casts, web links, discussion boards, interactive assignments
  • Summary of learning outcomes
  • Formative questions/assessments to test knowledge

Knowledge and understanding

  • Understand the components of health systems
  • Identification of factors that limit health delivery
  • Explain how international actors affect the health delivery in post-conflict and developing states

Practical skills

  • Health delivery overview
  • Health communication processes

Transferable skills and personal qualities

  • Persuasive writing
  • Health policy analysis

Assessment methods

Assessment Task

Formative or Summative

Weighting

Discussion Board Contributions

Formative and Summative

10%

Multiple Choice Questions

Summative

15%

Essay

Summative

75%

 

Feedback methods

Written feedback following submission

Study hours

Independent study hours
Independent study 150

Additional notes

Please note that these units are intensive 8-week short courses, predominately independent-study, with no face-to-face learning

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