Program Overview

---

An Introduction to Global Health

Course Overview

This short course identifies why health has improved in many countries of the world but not in others and provides a framework to help us make a difference. The course identifies the world agenda that will achieve a sustainable planet and good health for all, but notes that this is not inevitable and relies on humans choosing this direction of travel.

Course Features

• Taught by Dr John Acres, who coordinates the Wessex Global Health Network. He is a Visiting Fellow in the Faculty of Health and Wellbeing's Centre for Global Health. After clinical work in hospitals for some years he specialised in public health.
• Taught by Dr Rachel Locke, who is a Senior Lecturer in International Development: Global Health in the School of Sport, Health and Community, Faculty of Health and Wellbeing. Rachel is convenor of the University's Centre for Global Health.

Course Details

Location

Distance learning only.

Learning and Teaching

The course is delivered entirely online, self-paced and takes between 5 - 10 hours to complete. The duration will be dependent on the amount of further reading in which a learner engages.

The course content includes written material, graphics, videos, narrated presentations, links to further resources and reading materials. There is no formal external assessment. However, learners are encouraged to reflect on the content of the course and the course includes some guided reflection.

This distance-learning course is delivered via Canvas. Due to government regulations, Instructure (Canvas) prohibits the unauthorised use of its products and services in specific countries and regions.

Modules

Module 1

This module is about people and the planet. It covers the evolution of humans, their spread and development over time. It notes the important changes that took place when they developed settlements and how this and their animal origins have affected their health ever since.

Module 2

This module is about causes of death and how and why these have been changing. It explores early theories of disease and tests whether changes in these have lead to the increase in population. Using the example of a country that has become high income it covers how causes of death have changed and how this knowledge can be used when looking at all countries round the world.

Module 3

This module is about the health gradient, inequalities and social determinants. The module starts by looking at the relationship between health and wealth and explores why some people are more healthy than others.

Module 4

This module provides a practical framework to help decide how to improve health in the most cost effective way. The module begins by looking at the health problems of a low-income country in Africa.

Module 5

This module looks at what the world doing about global health and the future of the planet. The module looks first at the impacts that human activities have had on the health of people in countries of the world and some of the ways these have and are being tackled.

Entry Requirements

• UK International
• Health Professionals
• A good command of the English Language is required, both written and oral.

Additional Costs

For information about staff and student discounts please contact the department administrator.

Research Areas

• Diversity, Human Rights and Ethics
• Environmental, Social and Economic Determinants of Health
• Global Epidemiology
• Global Health Governance
• Health Systems and Health Professionals
• Interconnection with Nature
• The Anthropocene and Health
• Equity and Social Justice
• Movement Building and Systems Change
• Systems Thinking and Complexity

Fees

£150

Course Start Date

October 2024, February 2025

Course Length

10 hours

Operating Systems

• Windows XP SP3 and newer
• Mac OSX 10.6 and newer
• Linux - chrome OS

Memory

• 1GB of RAM
• 2GHz processor

Bandwidth Environments

• Minimum of 512kbps (basic DSL)

Browsers

• Chrome 19
• Safari 5
• Firefox 12

JavaScript

JavaScript must be enabled in your browser.