Subject area: Health in Social Science
Why choose Health in Social Science at the University of Edinburgh?
This innovative programme features the complexities of health, illness and the social arrangements for care. In one discipline, it brings together:
- sociology
- psychology
- geography
- counselling
- ethics
- nursing studies
You can take innovative option courses in community engagement. This will allow you to:
- gain new abilities
- get work experience
- experience community-based learning
In Year 3, you can study abroad through the University's international exchange programme. You will have the opportunity to experience healthcare in an international context.
My programme is preparing me for my future career by addressing various issues from many different perspectives, which is necessary in our globalised world, as well as presenting me with opportunities to volunteer and go abroad.
Introducing Health in Social Science
We live in a global age of increasing life expectancy but chronic health conditions are rising and infectious disease is showing no signs of disappearing.
The programme aims to:
- give you practical and academic skills to help you make a positive difference in the world
- expand your understanding of the social dimensions of health and illness
- prepare you to contribute to improving people’s lives
Drawing on a range of disciplinary perspectives, you will address three broad themes:
- societies and communities
- individuals, personhood and experience
- healthcare, social care and professional development
You will explore this important area of study across diverse social contexts, and apply your learning to real-world situations.
You will examine how social, political and economic organisations contribute to health and illness, with the distribution across:
- societies
- communities
- social groups
You will also study culture and language and how areas influence people's experience of health and illness.
Essential to your learning is:
- the concept of care and its delivery
- understanding the critical role that individuals, communities and policy-makers have on health outcomes