TEMP0117XX Health in Emergencies and Refugee Health

Volume 2013/2014
Education
Master's Programme in International Health
Master's Programme in Disaster Management
Content

The course addresses the following aspects related to disaster- and conflict related emergencies

  • Conceptual & legal frameworks, i.e. conflict analysis, human rights, international humanitarian law and refugee conventions, guidelines on internally displaced persons, code of conduct

  • Operational aspects of humanitarian interventions, i.e. needs assessment and public health surveillance, control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, mental health, reproductive health, violence and injuries, water and sanitation, nutrition, refugee camp planning

  • Partnerships and roles in different stages of emergencies, e.g. humanitarian reform, role of national governmental and non governmental actors, community participation, prevention/recovery strategies

Learning Outcome

The course aims at providing participants with an in-depth understanding of the broad range of issues which are crucial in planning, implementing and accounting for health interventions in contemporary emergencies. This includes an understanding of the rapidly evolving humanitarian reform process, and the roles which may be taken by local, national and international partners, such as UN, NGO or other.

The emphasis is on a combination of state-of-the-art theoretical knowledge, familiarisation with the newest guidelines and agreed approaches, as well as practical exercises through group work, in order to develop a solid base for action.

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

  • Critically appraise existing international and national policies and strategies utilising appropriate modes of analysis (f. inst. epidemiological, socio-economic, etc.);

  • Critically analyse and discuss barriers to humanitarian interventions at international, national, and community level in a systems perspective;

  • Apply relevant theories and concepts to formulate a humanitarian response plan as part of existing national relief efforts in a given country;

  • Design and develop appropriate management strategies for humanitarian response, including planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, in national and local contexts.

This course is a blended learning course.

First six weeks consist of part-time online learning, which can be undertaken from anywhere in the world as long as you have a computer with an internet connection. Moderated online discussions, online tests and short recorded lectures are central parts of the online learning experience.

The last two weeks of the course take place in Copenhagen, and will include lectures, site visits and a final exam. The campus weeks of the course is based on interdisciplinary teaching and problem oriented learning and seeks to draw on students' own experience as a resource. Both lectures and group work are important components. Group work will mainly be used in relation to specific case studies. For each session, we consider the current state of research, as well as policy and practice and critically examine the underlying paradigms. Students are expected to actively participate in the learning process and prepare for the sessions by studying distributed and recommended reading materials.

Some information about online learning
During the online weeks you will only meet and interact with your teachers and fellow students in the University of Copenhagen's online learning platform.

A typical E-module is composed of:

An introduction to the topic
An overview of the purpose, the subjects and the intended learning outcome
A short study guide
Learning resources (which can be text, audio and/or video files)
Several exercises called E-lessons.
The E-lessons are online learning activities which can be questionnaires, assignments or online discussions. The roles of the teachers are to assist student learning by serving as E-moderators for the various E-lessons.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • E-Learning
  • 60
  • Exam
  • 4
  • Lectures
  • 58
  • Preparation
  • 16
  • Total
  • 138
Credit
5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 4 hours under invigilation
Written exam using essay questions
Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student shall be able to:

  • Critically appraise existing international and national policies and strategies utilising appropriate modes of analysis (f. inst. epidemiological, socio-economic, etc.);

  • Critically analyse and discuss barriers to humanitarian interventions at international, national, and community level in a systems perspective;

  • Apply relevant theories and concepts to formulate a humanitarian response plan as part of existing national relief efforts in a given country;

  • Design and develop appropriate management strategies for humanitarian response, including planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation, in national and local contexts.