2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SLSP2060 Sociology of Health and Illness

20 creditsClass Size: 65

Module manager: Patrick Macartney
Email: p.macartney@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2008/09

Pre-requisite qualifications

Normally 40 credits at level 1 from programmes of study within the Faculty of ESSL or related disciplines.

This module is approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module covers sociological approaches to health, illness and medicine; medicalisation; lay experiences and structural divisions in health; practitioner-client encounters; mental health; healthism; and alternative medicine. Using sociological theories and current empirical research the module explores the social and cultural factors which are important in contemporary medicine. Contact: Patrick Macartney p.macartney@leeds.ac.uk or undergradsociologysocialpolicy@leeds.ac.uk

Objectives

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to demonstrate:
- an understanding of the key themes and debates within the sociology of health and illness;
- the ability to explore the application of sociological theories and approaches to health and illness;
- an understanding of recent empirical research;
- the ability to analyse detailed knowledge and understanding of selected areas.

Skills outcomes
Written skills, IT skills, presentational skillsWritten skills, IT skills, presentational skills

Syllabus

Sociological theories of health and illness;
Application of sociological analyses to medicine and health;
The medical/professional dominance thesis;
Biomedicine and medicalisation in modern society;
Illness as a social state;
The sick role and lay experience of illness;
The interaction at macro and micro levels between professionals and patients;
A critical analysis of alternative medicine and complementary therapies;
Issues of healthism and health inequalities;
The relationship between chronic illness and stigma;
Issues regarding global health, gender and HIV/AIDS;
The concept of deviance with regards to mental illness;
Social and cultural aspects of death and dying;
The issue of scientific medicine.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Seminar	10	1.00	10.00
Private study hours			179.00
Total Contact hours			21.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

Preperation for seminars: 100 hours;
Reading and essay writing: 40 hours;
Reading for revision: 39 hours.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Presentations and attendance.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,500 words	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		50.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		50.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 08/03/2010

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