| Unit name | Introduction to Child and Adolescent Health |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOL20060 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Straun |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
This unit introduces students to core knowledge about child health and development, provides descriptions of common health problems of childhood and adolescence and evidence-based responses to them, helps students understand the health policy context, including how health care provision aims to meet the health needs of children and young people, helps students understand how our physical and social environment shapes child health, and allows students to apply their knowledge and understanding to a range of topics and contexts.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
This mandatory unit provides an opportunity to focus learning on some of the main health issues concerning child development. Students who develop an interest in this domain of childhood studies can choose to study the Child Nutrition, Activity and Health unit in the final year.
An overview of content
The unit will provide lectures, independent learning materials and seminars introducing a range of topics and contexts to illustrate this learning. Students will be expected to read and understand policy documents and research studies linked to these topics, and to apply their learning to a range of health issues and conditions.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students will understand how government policy and associated services can affect and support health behaviours of individuals and families. Students will be able to critically evaluate health and activity research. Students will be able to describe and understand normative patterns of growth, health and development in childhood.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will:
The unit will provide lectures, independent learning materials and seminars introducing a range of topics and contexts to illustrate this learning. Students will be expected to read and understand policy documents and research studies linked to these topics, and to apply their learning to a range of health issues and conditions.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Seminar activities and lecture content will prepare the students for the formative task which is a critical analysis of a policy brief related to the topics covered by the unit. This will support students to understand the features of this document type, in preparation for policy briefs they will write for this unit as well as others. Detailed guidance will be provided to help students choose a suitable topic and structure the summative themselves.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Policy brief (3000 words, 100%) This assessment covers all of the ILOs.
When assessment does not go to plan
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, unsuccessful students may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. This will comprise a task in the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOL20060).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
