Course content - Learning outcome - Admission - Prerequisites - Teaching - Examination - Evaluation

Course content

The course aims at building knowledge and skills on how to develop a health communication strategy for public health, and at creating awareness about interpersonal communication issues affecting strategy outcomes, and affecting communication with stakeholders in the field.

Main contents:

• Effective learning about health and medicines, and how people change health habits. This includes overview of mass media and face to face education methods;
• Development of information and communication strategy on public health topics;
• The student/health professional as an actor in the change process: the importance and effects of interpersonal communication methods;
• Development of communication and education materials: From medicine-based information to patient-focussed communication, using action research strategy and communication and anthropological methods and tools;
• Patient empowerment perspectives;
• Introduction to reflective practice as a tool to learn about own role as a researcher in the field, during MPhil (or other) field work
• Operational research principles, applied to TB and HIV communication.

Note: The course requires 80% attendance to get the course accepted

Learning outcome

The basis for the course is social science and communication theories, and the application of the theories to understand practice and build a plan for a public health communication strategy. Participants’ own practices, experiences and questions are important starting points for the teaching. A variety of pedagogical methods are used, including experience based learning, lectures and debates. Methods are linked to strategies needed for effective health communication through different channels.

While the workshop itself focuses on learning to develop a communication strategy, the period before and after focuses on development of awareness about students’ own communication practices in interactions with various stakeholders through observation and reflective practice. The theory and practice of using observations to motivate and affect change of practice will be taught, using guided tasks. The tasks will start participants on the process of developing awareness about personal communication habits and styles in different situations before the workshop. Tasks continue into the field work period of the research, where participants are invited to observe and reflect on their communication with different stakeholders, the effect of their communication on the other person, and ultimately on the quality of their data.

Literature: A number of articles and manuals, available on the net. In addition, one page handouts will be used to give summaries of main points from the teaching, and links to further information sources.

Admission

Id does not exist in shared text

Students enrolled at the M.Phil in International Community Health programme will get first priority to the courses. The deadline for register in Studentweb and apply for courses is February 1, 2013.

External applicants

External applicants are welcome to apply. Please contact Linda Andreassen if you want admission to this course.

Id does not exist in shared text

Prerequisites

Formal prerequisite knowledge

Id does not exist in shared text

• A completed Bachelor’s degree or a period of study comparable with a Norwegian Bachelor's degree from a recognised institution. Applicants with foreign education, please refer to the country list
(The applicants must have a specialization either within health sciences or social sciences).
• a minimum grade point average (GPA) of C (in Norwegian scale) or equivalent from the specialization in your degree.
• An internationally recognised English language proficiency test

Note: all documents must be official certified copies

International applicants or external applicants without a Norwegian ID number:

In order to be evaluated for admission, applicants must fulfill the basic entrance requirements to Norwegian universities, called Higher Education Entrance Qualification or generell studiekompetanse in Norwegian. Applicants from most European countries are eligible for admission upon completion of the secondary school leaving certificate that provides the basis for admission to university studies in the home country. Entrance requirements for applicants from non-European countries may include one or two years of university studies in addition to secondary school. Read more about admission for international applicants

You must submit the Basic Qualifications Registration Form if your Higher Education Entrance Qualification (generell studiekompetanse) for studies in Norway has not already been evaluated. In order to be evaluated, all documents must be submitted within the deadline December 1, 2012.

Send the documents to:
The University of Oslo
The Section for International Health
Department for Community Medicine
University of Oslo
P.O.Box 1130 Blindern
0318 Oslo

Recommended previous knowledge

A basic background within health sciences is a definite advantage

Teaching

Classroom lectures

Spring 2013: Week 16 (April 15th-19th); 09.00-16.00

Access to teaching

Id does not exist in shared text

Examination

Home Exam.

Examination support material

Id does not exist in shared text

Language of examination

Id does not exist in shared text

English

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Explanations and appeals

Id does not exist in shared text

Resit an examination

Id does not exist in shared text

Withdrawal from an examination

Id does not exist in shared text

Special examination arrangements

If you have a disability or a health problem that entails significant inconvenience in an examination situation, you may be considered for special examination arrangements. Mothers who are breastfeeding may apply for extra time to complete the exam.

Evaluation

Id does not exist in shared text