Course syllabus - Health and Welfare - perspectives on Equity, Access and Participation

Objectives

The objective of the course is for students to acquire in-depth knowledge of current and future societal challenges and related research problems for equity, access and participation in health and welfare.  Further, the objective of the course is for students to apply this knowledge within their own field of research.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course the student/doctoral student shall be able to:

1. Describe ideological and theoretical perspectives on the research domain of health and welfare
2. Analyse a research problem in health and welfare
3. Analyse, compare and evaluate the concepts of equity, access and participation from different perspectives
4. Contrast national and international perspectives on equity, access and participation in current research
5. Describe the current research on equity, access and participation in relation to their own research project and to their own values and positions
6. Analyse how policy documents influence equity, access and participation in health and welfare
7. Describe current and future challenges in equity, access and participation in health and welfare
8. Explain and analyse the principles, application, challenges and opportunities of a participatory research design from epistemological and ethical perspectives.

Course content

Ideological and theoretical perspectives on the research domain of health and welfare.
The student's/doctoral student's own project in relation to the research domain of health and welfare.
The implications of the concepts of equity, access and participation and the applications of the concepts in national and international research and also in their own research project.
Analysis of policy documents in the form of legal texts (e.g. the Discrimination Act, the Health and Medical Services Act, the Social Services Act, the Education Act and the Swedish Act concerning Support and Service for Persons with Certain Functional Impairments) and conventions (e.g. the Convention on Human Rights, the the Convention on the rights of the Child, guidance documents for health and medical care, WHO's national public health objectives) and their relation to access and participation for equity in health and welfare.  
Current and future challenges regarding equity, access and participation within the area of health and welfare.
Epistemological and ethical perspectives on participatory research design.

Tuition

Teaching methods are based on the student's independently and actively seeking knowledge, and also analysing and evaluationg this knowledge in relation to their own project.  Teaching takes place in the form of seminars, lectures and independent written and oral assignments.

Specific requirements

A Bachelor's degree in Public Health Sciences, Physiotherapy, Medical Science, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology, Caring Sciences with Specialisation in Nursing, or the equivalent. In addition Swedish B/Swedish 3 and English B/English 6 are required. For courses given entirely in English exemption is made from the requirement for Swedish B/Swedish 3.

Examination

HEM1, Individual written assignment, 3 credits, Individual written assignment concerning learning outcomes 1-5, Marks Fail (U) or Pass (G).
HEM2, Individual written assignment, 3 credits, Individual written assignment concerning learning outcomes 6-8. Marks Fail (U) or Pass (G).
SEM1, Seminar, 1.5 credits, Oral examination concerning learning outcomes 6, 9, 10. Marks Fail (U) or Pass (G).

A student who has a certificate from MDU regarding a disability has the opportunity to submit a request for supportive measures during written examinations or other forms of examination, in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for Examinations at First-cycle and Second-cycle Level at Mälardalen University (2020/1655). It is the examiner who takes decisions on any supportive measures, based on what kind of certificate is issued, and in that case which measures are to be applied.

Suspicions of attempting to deceive in examinations (cheating) are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, in accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance, and are examined by the University’s Disciplinary Board. If the Disciplinary Board considers the student to be guilty of a disciplinary offence, the Board will take a decision on disciplinary action, which will be a warning or suspension.

Grade

Pass, Fail