SIW4100 International Health Policy Course description

The course forms a theoretical and practical basis for being able to assess choices and perform molecular analyses of genetic changes in cancer cells, both in diagnostics and research. This comprises advanced immunological, biochemical, cell and molecular biology methods. A selection of these methods are used in the practical work.

Students must have been admitted to the Master’s Programme in Health and Technology - Specialisation in Biomedicine. The course is also offered as an individual course, with the same admission requirements as for the specialisation.

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 critically assess the choice of material and method for molecular diagnostics
• can account for possibilities and limitations associated with the use of advanced molecular analyses
• can discuss results of molecular analyses against clinical relevance

Skills

The student

• can use and critically interpret results from selected methods in molecular pathology in an independent manner
• can work on the basis of knowledge of their own area of diagnostics and research
• can independently assess the suitability of molecular pathology methods in a clinical context

General competence

The student

• can critically assess relevant molecular pathology methods in biomedical research and diagnostics
• can critically assess, discuss and disseminate advanced research literature
• can help to implement molecular pathology methods in their own field

The course is largely web-based and includes digital lectures, digital group assignments and self-study. The course also comprises a compulsory three-day session at OsloMet that includes skills training in the form of laboratory courses. The group assignments include oral presentations where students receive feedback on their work from fellow students and the lecturer.

The following coursework requirement must be completed and approved by the given deadline in order for the student to take the exam.

Students must submit a coursework requirement paper of eight pages (+/- 10%), calibri, pt. 12, paragraph 1.5, written preferably in groups (4-5 students). Students who wish to write individually (around 4-5 pages) must get permission from the course lecturer. The topic of the work requirement will reflect main areas of the course curriculum and lectures.

The coursework requirement papers are to be presented at a seminar, or poster session, or zoom gathering. Participation in the seminar, or poster session, or zoom gathering is a mandatory part of the coursework requirement.

Students whose papers are not approved after the first submission will be given the chance to resubmit. Papers that are not approved after two submissions will disqualify students from sitting the final examination.

The student's learning outcome will be assessed on the basis of an individual six-hour written school examination.

Students may use a spelling dictionary, as well as a bilingual dictionary during the written school exam.

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

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. A random selection consisting of at least 25% of the exam papers will be graded by both an internal and external examiner. This will inform the grading of the remaining exam papers.

Simon Innvær