Social Work and Public Health in Third World Countries

Course Code: HS622A

Institution:

Care Science

Revision:

1

Other set versions

Approval

The course was established 22 February 2007.
This course syllabus (version 1) was approved 22 February 2007 by the Faculty Board of Health and Society .
The syllabus is valid from 01 July 2007.

Education level

Second cycle

Course description

The objective is to give students a critical understanding of Third World development issues, social and public health problems, social and public health policies and planning, and of foreign cultures and their background, in order to (1) facilitate working as a development worker in Developing Countries within the field of social work and public health, and (2) better understand immigrants to the students´ home countries and so better work with them.
The course should also stimulate an engagement in the predicament of poor countries and poor and powerless people.

Advancement in relation to the degree requirements

Master level.

Entry requirements

Bachelor´s degree consisting of 180 hp, with 90 hp in social work, public health or nursing science, and the equivalent of English course B in Swedish secondary school.Information on application and eligibility is available at www.mah.se/education

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students should
- discuss (lack of) development in DCs and LDCs with the help of appropriate development theories and strategies and/or stakeholder analysis,
- explain what globalisation entails, its driving forces and its effects, positive and negative, in relation to DCs,
- analyse backgrounds to conflicts or (lack of) development at multiple levels of explanation,
- analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of social and public health policies and welfare systems in a country, and suggest remedies at policy and practical social work level, and
- show practical Development Worker-skills in use.

Assessments

Two compulsory group-assignments.
Two individual papers.
Compulsory participation in seminars and exercises.

The grades used are pass with distinction (A, B), pass (C, D, E) and fail (FX, F) as specified below:
A = Excellent – outstanding performance with only minor errors
B = Very good – above average standard but with some errors
C = Good – generally sound work with a number of notable errors
D = Satisfactory – fair but with significant shortcomings
E = Sufficient – performance meets the minimum criteria
FX = Fail – some more work required before credit can be awarded
F = Fail – considerable further work is required

Examinations will be conducted through combinations of individual examinations and seminars. Clinical practice will be assessed using a clinical assessment form which demonstrates nursing practice development.

Examination re-sits
Students who fail examinations have two further opportunities to re-sit. Furthermore, students have the opportunity to re-sit these examinations during the course to avoid subsequent interruption to follow on courses. If the course ceases or goes through major restructure, students retain the right to two re-sit examinations based on the original course content. Examinations and re-sits are scheduled throughout the course timetable.

Course content

The course will discuss theories of development and the effect on development and social work of international relations and of internal structures and conditions in developing nations. The effect of development cooperation and aid will be discussed, both state-centred, market based, and civil-society based, including here the role of NGOs.
Central topics and perceptions and definitions of social policy and its relation to development issues, and perceptions of social and health problems and how to deal with them, as well as topics concerning social welfare- and social order problems, and food, nutrition and health issues. And accordingly are discussed necessary and feasible interventions in social work and public health.
Finally will be included practical skills, applied communication and "good manners".

Learning activities

Lectures by researchers and practitioners. Student-active methods, groupwork and seminars.

Grading system

Fail (U), Pass (G) or Pass with Distinction (VG). ECTS grading system can be used on students demand.

Reading list and other media

Chambers, Robert (1995): Rural Development. Putting the last first. Prentice Hall. Ca 100p of 256p.
Chambers, Robert (2005): Ideas for Development. London: Earthscan. 259p (e-book).
Cox, David & Pawar, Manohar (2005): International Social Work – Issues, Strategies, and Programs. Chapter 1: Introduction (downloadable). Ca. 20 p of 432 p. London: Sage
Eriksen, Thomas Hylland (2002): Ethnicity and Nationalism. Anthropological Perspectives. London: Pluto press. Ca. 50 of 199 p.
Family Health International. (2005). Research Ethics Training Curriculum. (downloadable) n.p.
Fuglesang, Andreas (1982): About Understanding Ideas and Observations on Cross-Cultural Communication. Uppsala: Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation. ca. 50 of 231 p
Hahn, Robert A. (ed.) with Kate W. Harris (1999): Anthropology in public health: bridging differences in culture and society. New York: Oxford University Press. Ca. 50 of 384 p
Hall, Anthony & Midgley, James (2004): Social Policy for Development. London: Sage. All of 280p.
Lindstrand, Ann, Staffan Bergström, Hans Rosling, Birgitta Rubenson & Bo Stenson (2006): Global Health - An introductory textbook. Lund: Studentlitteratur. 326p.
Mikkelsen, Britha (2005): Methods for Development Work and Research. A New Guide for Practitioners, Second Edition. London: Sage. ca. 200 of 384 pages
Nichols, Paul (1991) Social Survey Methods: A Fieldguide for Development Workers. Oxford: Oxfam ca. 131p.
Potter, Robert B. et al (2004) Geographies of Development, second edition. Harlow: Pearson. All of 508p.
Svenska regeringskancelliet/UD 2005: Making It Happen. Swedens report to the MDGs 2004 (downloadable) 50p.
World Bank. 2004. Monitoring and Evaluation: Some Tools, Methods and Approaches. World Bank, Operations Evaluation Department. 26 p
Werner David (?) Helping Health Workers Learn. (download)
Werner, David (2006) Where there is no doctor, a village health care handbook (new revised edition). Berkeley: Hesperian Foundation. 22 of 418 pages(downloadable).

Additional articles, guides and handbooks.

Course evaluation

Evaluation is an ongoing dialogue during the course. Formally, there is at the end a written evaluation with oral and visualised statistical feedback.