Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Summer 2024 - HSCI 496 D200

Special Topics in Experiential Global Health Learning (3)

Class Number: 4779

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Location: TBA

  • Prerequisites:

    HSCI 160 or equivalent, and HSCI 230 (or 330) or equivalent, all with a minimum grade of C-. An Introductory language course may be a requirement for some course locations (SPAN 102 or SPAN 103 or equivalent for Mexico). Students enrolled in the course are required to register with the SFU International Travel Safety Program.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

A focus on inter-disciplinary approaches to understanding and addressing the global burden of disease and health inequities in socially and culturally diverse global settings. The intensive format is designed to foster hands-on, experiential learning in key principles and practices of global health, preparing students for research and practice.

COURSE DETAILS:

This field school is an intensive, interdisciplinary course addressing the themes of interconnected human, animal and ecosystem health, including social-ecological systems, human-environment relationships, eco-social health equity, and Ecosystem Approaches to Health (Ecohealth), One Health and Planetary Health. The field course will combine rural and remote island field experiences focused on integrative approaches to health, environment and community issues, with real-time connections with students and instructors from four universities (Guelph, UNBC, UQAM, SFU). Topics covered in this course will include health equity across the human, animal, and ecosystem interface; multisolving; ecological determinants of health; eco-social health literacy; and intergenerational, interspecies, and intersectoral innovations for climate justice and community health. The Ecosystem Approaches to Health pillars of sustainability, equity, transdisciplinarity, systems thinking, knowledge exchange, and participation will weave through the course. Field activities and inter-institutional learning will focus on the course theme of: “Climate health justice and reciprocity”. The course is supported by and connected to the Canadian Community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health: www.copeh-canada.org.

This course will combine: Four 3-hour in-class lecture times (Tuesday May 7th, Thursday May 9th, Tuesday May 21st, and Thursday May 23rd from 9:30am-12:20pm on Burnaby Campus BLU 9021) with five days on Cortes Island (May 13-17th). *Note: May 12th and 18th will be full-day travel days.

Note: This course is taught in conjunction with HSCI 885 D200

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Expected Outcomes: Upon completion of this course, students should be able to: 

  • Strengthen skills in community engagement, cultural sensitivity, and applied skills in eco-social health equity
  • Benefit from co-learning between local and national trainees, researchers, and public health professionals
  • Cultivate a national academic and professional network
  • Describe how complex, intersecting inequalities and processes produce rural health inequities
  • Understand how our health is directly connected to that of the communities and ecosystems we live in
  • Describe interdisciplinary aspects of advancing co-benefits across community initiatives at the nexus of environments, community health, and social resilience
  • Critically assess the connections between health inequities, connection to community and environments, social and structural determinants, and access to community driven health interventions
  • Reflect on your social location and responsibility, and how these insights can strengthen your work promoting health equity

Grading

  • Participation and leadership 20%
  • Assignments during field course 50%
  • Group synthesis 30%

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the university community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the university. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the university. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html