SGLK20004U Country Exposure
MSc Programme in Global Health - compulsory
The Country Exposure course provides an opportunity to study health-related challenges, interventions and policies of a host setting and to be associated to researchers and organizations in the proces. The course enables students to gain a solid understanding of the health care system and central health-related institutions in the host setting through literature, teachings, visits to health care institutions and dialogue with local professionals.
The course builds on central knowledge, skills and competencies obtained in the four preceding courses of the Global Health Programme (Block 1 and 2).
The course consists of two parts: a short introductory part at the University of Copenhagen and the exposure part, anchored at institutions or universities in a host setting. During the introductory part, the students will establish cross-disciplinary teams that will work together throughout the course, develop profiles on their destination settings, and otherwise prepare themselves academically for the departure to their destination.
For the exposure part, the students will visit a host institution or university. Academic staff at the host institution or university and guest lecturers will teach and supervise the students. Staff from the University of Copenhagen will accompany the students for the major part of the visit to support and supervise learning activities.
In the cross-disciplinary teams, the students will develop a research proposal, including a stakeholder analysis. Based on a predefined global health theme, each team will together with and under supervision from their local supervisor, identify a locally important topic and develop a research proposal for an empirical study.
During the course, each student will also develop a reflection report that outlines individual reflections on experiences and learning activities during the entire course. Central to the report are also reflections on the teamwork process while experiencing a new context (communication, feedback and problem solving, effectiveness, member roles and team cohesiveness). The report should document the work process reflected in the objectives listed below.
Knowledge:
- Display an understanding of health-related challenges, interventions and policies in the host setting
- Present a solid understanding of the health system and central health-related institutions in the host setting
- Discuss the international and local contextual factors that influence the health care system, e.g. historical -, economic-, and political factors of the setting/country and alternative healing traditions
- Describe and discuss equity and social justice-related challenges in health care, including gender-related norms and disadvantages
- Demonstrate an understanding of different types of country or systems analysis, e.g. "Country-wiki" development and stakeholder analysis
- Demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of effective team work
Skills:
- Search and review relevant scientific literature for a given health related topic
- Apply selected analytical models and theoretical approaches to explore and understand national/local health-related challenges, institutions and conditions
- Identify a relevant health-related research question
- Identify and formulate research objectives
- Describe and critically discuss appropriate study methodologies (qualitative/quantitative)
- Design an empirical research study including choice of data collection and analysis methods
- Prepare an itemised budget for a proposed research project
- Present, peer-review and discuss research proposals
- Discuss and assess skills central to team work process
Competences:
- Engage through participant observations in local contexts and processes to gain an insider understanding of the setting
- Discuss limitations and ethical considerations of a research proposal
- Critically assess and discuss analytical and theoretical approaches to understanding relevant national /local contexts, systems and structures of power and privilege.
- Engage in the development of an effective team, including good communication and problem-solving within the team
- Act, interact and collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders in the local setting, in an ethical and culturally sensitive manner
- Critically reflect on, present and discuss, in a culturally sensitive manner, learning activities and outcomes
Principles for placement of students in destination countries:
Students choose a 1st and 2nd priority destination. Should the number of 1st priorities exceed the capacity of a given destination a draw will determine who is placed at their 2nd priority. Capacity may vary in the destinations. Destinations may vary between years. There may be allocated extra slots for MSc in Global Health students should they be delayed in their study plan.
Expenses:
The teaching, supervision and other academic activities taking place as part of the country exposure course – both in Copenhagen and abroad – is covered as part of the programme.
However, students must bear the expenses connected with travel, insurance, vaccinations, food, and lodging for the exposure part. These expenses depend on the destination.
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 52
- Preparation
- 127,5
- Project work
- 42
- Study Groups
- 185
- Guidance
- 5,5
- Total
- 412,0
The country exposure is only open for students enrolled in the MSc in Global Health and not open for credit transfer students and other guest students.
- Credit
- 2,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Course participationWritten assignmentStudents are required to have a minimum of 80% class attendance during the Pre-departure Course to ensure they are adequately prepared for the country exposure part of the course.
- Exam registration requirements
Students are required to have a minimum of 80% class attendance during the Pre-departure Course to ensure they are adequately prepared for the country exposure part of the course.
Students are also required to develop and present an assignment that outlines central challenges, institutions and policies related to the students' chosen theme
- Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- passed/not passed
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
One internal examiner
- Re-exam
To be decided by the course director
Criteria for exam assesment
In order to pass this exam, students must be able to:
Knowledge:
- Display an understanding of health-related challenges, interventions and policies in the host setting
- Discuss the international and local contextual factors that influence the health care system, e.g. historical -, economic-, and political factors of the setting/country and alternative healing traditions
- Describe and discuss equity and social justice-related challenges in health care, including gender-related norms and disadvantages
- Demonstrate an understanding of different types of setting/country or systems analysis, e.g. "Country-wiki" development, stakeholder analysis, gender analysis
Skills:
- Search and review relevant scientific literature for a given health related theme
- Apply selected analytical models and theoretical approaches to explore and understand national/local health-related challenges, institutions and conditions
Competences:
- Critically assess and discuss analytical and theoretical approaches to understanding relevant national /local contexts, systems and structures of power and privilege
- Engage in the development of an effective team, including good communication and problem-solving within the team
- Critically reflect on, present and discuss, in a culturally sensitive manner, learning activities and outcomes
- Credit
- 12,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
- Written assignmentThe exam document consist of two parts: A group assignment (a research proposal) of max 14.400 key strokes /2400 key strokes per page and an individual assignment (reflection report) of max 12.000 key strokes /2400 keystrokes per page
- Exam registration requirements
Passed course participation (pre-departure week (SGLK20004E) as described above.
- Aid
- All aids allowed
- Marking scale
- passed/not passed
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
More than one internal examiner
- Exam period
- Re-exam
Criteria for exam assesment
To pass this exam, the student must submit a research proposal and a reflection report, demonstrating the objectives below.
Knowledge and skills:
- Identify and formulate a relevant and realistic research problem within global health.
- Discuss the international and local contextual factors that influence the health care system, e.g. historical -, economic-, and political factors of the setting/country and alternative healing traditions
- Describe and discuss equity and social justice-related challenges in health care, including gender-related norms and disadvantages
- Identify and formulate relevant objectives.
- Discuss and assess skills central to team work process
Competences:
- Engage through participant observations in local contexts and processes to gain an insider understanding of the setting
- Find, discuss and evaluate relevant scientific literature in relation to the research proposal
- Choose the appropriate study methods (qualitative/quantitative literature review)
- Engage critically with analytical and theoretical approaches to understanding relevant national /local contexts, health challenges, systems and structures of power and privilege
- Discuss limitations and ethical issues related to the completed field study.
Engage in the development of an effective team, including good communication and problemsolving within the team
Act, interact and collaborate in an ethical and culturally sensitive manner
- Critically reflect on, present and discuss, in a culturally sensitive manner, learning activities and outcomes
Course information
- Language
- English
- Course code
- SGLK20004U
- Credit
- See exam description
- Level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
- 1 block
- Placement
- Block 3
- Schedule
- Project work
- Course capacity
- 40 participants. If travel to a low- and middle -income society is possible, 20 slots at each destinations. Principles for allocation of slots in each destination are described below - see the box 'Remarks'. If travel to a low- and middle-income society is not possible, the exposure part of the course will take place in a Danish destination for all 40 participants
- Study board
- The Study Board for Public Health Science and Global Health
Contracting department
- Department of Public Health
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Course Coordinators
- Birgitte Gantriis (3-666d6b4477797268326f7932686f)
Course coordinator - Britt Pinkowski Tersbøl (6-6979707b6c79477a7c756b35727c356b72)
Course responsible, Poland - Jane Brandt Sørensen (6-7168756c697a477a7c756b35727c356b72)
Course responsible, Tanzania
Lecturers
Academic staff at host universities and accompanying academic staff from the University of Copenhagen