MAJO4100 Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Course description

The focus of this course is human sexual and reproductive health and rights in a life cycle course perspective, founded on knowledge-based practice. Adolescents and young people’s sexual and reproductive health are emphasized, as an important part of health promoting practices to improve well-being and public health. Women’s health and challenges related to reproduction is an important part of this course.

The course is both directly and indirectly related to United Nations sustainability goals, including health, gender equality and poverty eradication. As basis for exercising health promotion and relevant prevention as pertains to sexual and reproductive health, this course will emphasize counseling, communication and relevant pedagogics. Throughout this course the various topics will be problematized and discussed from a variety of global, national, historic and cultural perspectives focusing on values and human rights. The meetings with young people or adults may take place in intimate and unpredictable situations. It is important that the students are aware of, their own as well as others, perceptions of body, gender and sexual rights.

The student must have been admitted to the Master’s Degree Programme of midwifery.

Learning outcomes 

After completing the course, the student should have the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge  

The student 

• can analyze societal and cultural contexts of importance for human sexual and reproductive health and rights, including user perspectives, gender diversity, youth health and variations in sexual relationships

• can discuss women’s sexual and reproductive health in a life-cycle-course perspective

• can identify and analyze scientific and professional themes related to contraceptive self-determination, contraceptive methods, as well as contraceptive use.  

• can assess and implement culturally sensitive approaches in relation to ethnic and gender diversity

Skills  

The student 

• having acquired the relevant competence in order to obtaining requisition authority, can provide relevant requisition and administer contraceptives (Prescription rights are dependent upon Norwegian authorization as health personell)

• can plan and implement knowledge-based counselling for self-determined contraceptive use

• can carry out relevant procedures, including gynecological, in order to insert and remove intrauterine devices and implants

General competence  

The student 

• can analyze relevant scientific and professional themes related to sexual and reproductive health and rights and reflect on challenges for the midwifery profession´s independent and interdisciplinary practice

• has advanced understanding of the various user needs in order to apply knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and rights in a respectful and inclusive manner reflecting contextual insights into challenges of cross-cultural and global professional practice

• has an advanced understanding of the needs of different users and applies knowledge about sexual and reproductive health and rights in an open and inclusive manner

The course will use varied, student-active work methods. The course uses a blended learning approach that combines digital learning resources which can be used flexibly, and learning in real time. This includes group assignments, seminars and self-study. The seminar days are primarily digital, in addition to a compulsory day on campus for students in Norway.

The following must have been approved in order for the student hand in the exam: 

• 1 digital test, can be repeated until it is approved within the specified deadline
•  Must have completed an individual simulated gynecological examination and insertion of a spiral as well as subdermal insertion of a contraceptive rod. Students from cooperating institutions who are not present in Norway must submit confirmation from their own place of study of the completed activity.

Individual project examination, in accordance with given criteria and that is developed during the course. Scope: up to 2,000 words.

Resit examination: If the student fails the assignment, he/she will be given one (1) opportunity to submit a reworked version.

The course is taught in English. Students may also choose to write/conduct the examination in a Scandinavian language (Norwegian, Swedish or Danish).

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.   

Grade scale A-F

Two internal examiners. External supervisory examiner participates in the de development of the exam and exam assessment criteria.