175739

Health Psychology: Understanding Health and Illness

A critical examination of how conceptualisations of health and illness shape symptom interpretation, help-seeking, diagnosis, and healthcare relationships, as well as wider social reception. Sociopolitical and cultural factors are given particular emphasis, along with an exploration of the notion of person-centred care.
Course code

Qualifications are made up of courses. Some universities call these papers. Each course is numbered using six digits.

175739
Level

The fourth number of the course code shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).

700-level
Credits

Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.

15
Subject
Psychology

Course planning information

General progression requirements

You may enrol in a postgraduate course (that is a 700-, 800- or 900-level course) if you meet the prerequisites for that course and have been admitted to a qualification which lists the course in its schedule.

Learning outcomes

What you will learn. Knowledge, skills and attitudes you’ll be able to show as a result of successfully finishing this course.

  • 1 Critically evaluate how culturally-based conceptions of health and illness, including the biomedical model, influence symptom perception, help-seeking, and healthcare practices.
  • 2 Analyse psychological research on symptom perception, highlighting psychosocial and cultural factors involved in recognising and interpreting bodily changes.
  • 3 Critically examine the social model of diagnosis as a socially embedded and negotiated process, emphasising relevant sociopolitical and cultural dimensions.
  • 4 Evaluate how patient–provider communication and person-centred approaches foster collaborative relationships in healthcare settings.
  • 5 Assess the roles of power and vested interests (e.g., within medicine and the pharmaceutical industry) in shaping knowledge and practices around health and illness.

Learning outcomes can change before the start of the semester you are studying the course in.

Assessments

Assessment Learning outcomes assessed Weighting
Written Assignment 1 2 3 4 45%
Written Assignment 1 2 3 4 5 55%

Assessment weightings can change up to the start of the semester the course is delivered in.

You may need to take more assessments depending on where, how, and when you choose to take this course.

Explanation of assessment types

Explanation of assessment types
Computer programmes
Computer animation and screening, design, programming, models and other computer work.
Creative compositions
Animations, films, models, textiles, websites, and other compositions.
Exam College or GRS-based (not centrally scheduled)
An exam scheduled by a college or the Graduate Research School (GRS). The exam could be online, oral, field, practical skills, written exams or another format.
Exam (centrally scheduled)
An exam scheduled by Assessment Services (centrally) – you’ll usually be told when and where the exam is through the student portal.
Oral or performance or presentation
Debates, demonstrations, exhibitions, interviews, oral proposals, role play, speech and other performances or presentations.
Participation
You may be assessed on your participation in activities such as online fora, laboratories, debates, tutorials, exercises, seminars, and so on.
Portfolio
Creative, learning, online, narrative, photographic, written, and other portfolios.
Practical or placement
Field trips, field work, placements, seminars, workshops, voluntary work, and other activities.
Simulation
Technology-based or experience-based simulations.
Test
Laboratory, online, multi-choice, short answer, spoken, and other tests – arranged by the school.
Written assignment
Essays, group or individual projects, proposals, reports, reviews, writing exercises, and other written assignments.

Textbooks needed

There are no set texts for this course.