SFOK15014U Obesity in a cross-disciplinary perspective

Volume 2015/2016
Education

Full Degree Master in Public Health Science

Content

The aim is to introduce students to perspectives from several disciplines on obesity with the dual purpose of training interdisciplinary thinking and understanding and an understanding of the complex causes and aspects of interventions towards obesity. The focus will be on different explanations of the increasing prevalence, and on preventive and therapeutic measures to reduce the prevalence and obesity's harmful health effects and the issues related to them. The aim is thus both to increase knowledge of different aspects of obesity and awareness of how different disciplines construct the issues

Topics: Cross-disciplinary work, art, theories about causes of the increase in obesity prevalence, experiences of being obese, including food and physical activity, history, policies, legal and economic regulation and ethics including stigma.

The course implies preparations before the course, using online learning methods. An intensive two weeks course where students could expect full days and sometimes include evenings where we take advantage of the learning possibilities Copenhagen can provide, such as physical activities and urban planning.

There will a substantial part of student activities during the course, where the students’ different disciplinary and geographical backgrounds will be brought into play. We aim at using the possibilities new technologies provide for teaching and learning.

Learning Outcome

Knowledge

About theories and ways of understanding, explaining and dealing with obesity in different disciplines

Skills

Ability to analyse obesity related issues from different disciplinary perspectives, ability to combine relevant perspectives and to use theories in analyses of empirical data.

Competencies

Ability to combine different disciplinary perspectives and cooperate with people from other disciplines on issues relating to obesity.

Open for MSc students and for BA students enrolled in Public Health Science programmes
Class teachings and online teachings methods.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 50
  • Exam
  • 115
  • Preparation
  • 110
  • Total
  • 275
Credit
10 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Written assignment and three smaller assignments to be prepared before and during the course. The small assignments will be graded passed or failed.
Written assignment. A paper to be written after the course. Written individually, length 15 pages. Including approaches and/or theories from at least two disciplines.
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Exam period

See the exam schedule for summer 2016: http://sund.ku.dk/uddannelse/vejledning-information/eksamensplaner/folkesundhedsvidenskab/

Re-exam

See the exam schedule for summer 2016: http://sund.ku.dk/uddannelse/vejledning-information/eksamensplaner/folkesundhedsvidenskab/

Criteria for exam assesment

Knowledge

About different ways of understanding and theorizing about obesity related issues.

Skills

Ability to use different theories in analyzing obesity related issues.

Competencies

Analytical abilities and ability to work crossdisciplinary.