PHVIT9000 Health Sciences I Course description

This course adopts a critical perspective of the empirical and theoretical basis for the significance of health for people as individuals and as participants in society. Looking at how the concept of health is constructed through interaction between health sciences, health service actors and professions, and members of society allows for important discussions that can raise awareness within multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary fields of health sciences. The course covers the development of different views of health and places these concepts in a complex physical, psychological, behavioral, and social context. The ethical and policy challenges posed by new health technologies are also discussed.

Admission to the PhD programme.

The course can also be offered to students who have been admitted to the "Health Science Research Programme, 60 ECTS", by prior approval from the supervisor and based on given guidelines for the research programme.

On completion of the course, the PhD candidate has achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The PhD candidate

• can critically assess different theories of and approaches to health
• can assess the usefulness and application of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research in health sciences
• can assess the usefulness and application of health technology developments
• address complex theories of health and challenge established knowledge in the health sciences and in their own discipline and/or profession

General competence

The PhD candidate can

• identify relevant ethical and health policy issues
• identify and discuss research-based knowledge on health
• assess the need for new research to promote health and prevent illness
• participate in debates about health policy and ethics

Work and teaching methods consist of lectures, seminars, and self-study. The outcomes of the seminars are presented and discussed in plenary sessions.

This course covers research into key phenomena originating from human experience of health and illness. Such phenomena can be perceptions of quality of life, hope, coping, pain, body, dignity, and suffering, and serve as the basis for developing concepts and theories in the health sciences. The course covers different methods for concept and theory development; for example, the hybrid model of concept development, semantic concept analysis, Walker and Avant's model for theory development, and grounded theory. The methods are applied to selected phenomena, concepts, and theories.

This course is primarily aimed at PhD candidates admitted to the PhD Programme in Health Sciences but is also open to other applicants. Admission requirements are a completed major, master's degree (120 credits) or equivalent qualification.

The course can also be offered to students who have been admitted to the "Health Science Research Programme, 60 ECTS", by prior approval from the supervisor and based on given guidelines for the research programme.

On completion of the course, the PhD candidate has achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The PhD candidate:

• is at the forefront of knowledge of methodologies related to the development of concepts and theories
• has an in-depth understanding of the relationship between human experience, concepts, and theories in a health science context

Skills

The PhD candidate can:

• develop a conceptual and/or theoretical framework related to their own research
• identify relevant clinical phenomena to develop concepts and theories
• analyse and interpret research findings related to concept and theory development
• address complex scientific issues and challenge established knowledge and practice in concept and theory development

General competence

The PhD candidate can:

• argue in favour of particular methodologies in concept and theory development based on scientific theory
• participate in discussions on concept and theory development

Work and teaching methods consist of lectures, seminars, and self-study. The outcomes of the seminars are presented and discussed in plenary sessions.

None

Candidates must write an essay based on a concept and/or theory of their choice and apply principles from the methods of concept and theory development presented in the course. The essay must consist of up to 5,000 words and must be submitted no more than 2 weeks after the end of the course.