SGLK20004U Country Exposure

Volume 2024/2025
Education

M.Sc. Programme in Global Health – Mandatory Course

Content

The Country Exposure course provides an opportunity to study health-related challenges, interventions and policies of a host setting and to be associated with researchers and organizations in the process.

The course enables students to gain a solid understanding of the healthcare 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. Staff at the host institution or university and guest lecturers will teach and supervise the students. In the cross-disciplinary teams, the students will develop a project proposal (i.e., [1] a research proposal or [2] an intervention/ implementation proposal), including a budget and stakeholder analysis. Based on a predefined global health theme, each team will together with and under supervision from their local supervisor(s), identify a locally important topic and develop the project proposal.

An equally important component of the course is the individual reflection report, in which each student documents their reflections on the experiences and learning activities encountered during the entire course. Central to the report are reflections on the teamwork process while experiencing a new context (communication, feedback and problem solving, effectiveness, member roles and team cohesiveness) and experiences working with various stakeholders in the field of global health (e.g., reflections related to decolonization and the research-practice gap). The report should document the work process reflected in the objectives listed below.

Learning Outcome

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, regional, national, 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 teamwork 

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 relevant health-related research question
  • Identify and formulate project objectives
  • Describe and critically discuss appropriate data collection methodologies (qualitative/ quantitative)
  • Design an empirical research study or programme monitoring and evaluation strategy including choice of data collection and analysis methods
  • Prepare an itemised budget for a proposed project
  • Present, peer-review and discuss project proposals
  • Discuss and assess skills central to teamwork process 

Competences:

  • Engage in participant observations within local contexts and processes to gain an insider understanding of the setting
  • Discuss the limitations and ethical considerations of a project 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
  • Interact, collaborate, and engage 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
Must have passed the courses and exams in Global Health and Diseases: Introduction and Major Challenges SGLK15001U/E and Health Research Methodology SGLK18002U/E or SGLK20001U/E+SGLK20002E
The teaching methods will include a combination of formal lectures, class and team exercises, on-site field visits, observations and reflections to be included in the exam assignment, problem-based learning, peer-review and feedback. Students are expected to partake fully in all activities and to take on responsibility for own learning.
The principles below apply when traveling to the specific low- and middle-income society is allowed and feasible.

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
Oral
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
2,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Requirement to attend classes
Type of assessment details
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.
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 update on their planned collaboration, their expectations, group dynamics, and chosen topic.

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
No external censorship
One internal examiner
Re-exam

To be decided by the course leader

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, regional, national, 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., "Countrywiki" 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 assignment
Type of assessment details
The exam document consists of two parts: (1) A group assignment (a project proposal concept note) of maximum 2 pages (max 4800 key strokes), along with accompanying documents, such as budget and stakeholder analysis that informed the concept note, and (2) an individual assignment (reflection report) of 5 pages (Times New Roman or Arial font in 12-point size).
Exam registration requirements

Passed course participation (in pre-departure week (SGLK20004E)) as described above.

Aid
All aids allowed
Marking scale
passed/not passed
Censorship form
No external censorship
No external censorship
More than one internal examiner
Exam period

See the exam schedule

Re-exam

See the exam schedule

Criteria for exam assesment

To pass this exam, the student must submit a project proposal and a reflection report, demonstrating the objectives below.

Knowledge and skills:

  • Identify and formulate a relevant and realistic research or practice 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 project objectives.
  • Discuss and assess skills central to teamwork 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 project 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 problem-solving within the team
  • Interact, collaborate and engage in an ethical and culturally sensitive manner
  • Critically reflect on, present and discuss, in a culturally sensitive manner, learning activities and outcomes