Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

People are living longer across the world, with every country facing a significant increase in both absolute numbers and in the proportion of older people across the population. This module will introduce students to the study of ageing at an individual, community, and population level, using examples from diverse regions. While using a life course lens, this module will give an insight into key public health and policy implications associated with ageing populations globally, and more broadly on ageing studies and gerontology theory and practice.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will start with an overview of demographic change, epidemiological transition, and public health implications of ageing populations. Students will be then introduced to different models and theories of ageing, highlighting that the ageing process is a lifelong process that does not start in older age. The concepts of multiple long-term conditions and frailty will also be introduced.

Other topics that will be covered include the importance of supportive environments for older people, and the role of modifiable risk factors (e.g. nutrition, physical activity, etc.) in the ageing process. Policy approaches to ageing, the role of governmental and non-governmental organisations in supporting ageing populations, and healthcare and social care systems for older people will also be highlighted.

The course will cover both national and global approaches to ageing studies and policies.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Identify the key public health implications of global key demographic changes
2. Describe key theoretical approaches and models of healthy ageing, including the role of modifiable risk factors
3. Compare different life course models and discuss their implications to practice and policy
4. Describe how health, social systems and environments can support healthy ageing
5. Discuss the concepts of multiple long-term conditions and frailty
6. Give examples on how attitudes towards ageing and older people vary between cultures, and how policy implications related to ageing can vary across diverse settings

Intended Skill Outcomes

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to:

1. Identify types and sources of data to answer life course and ageing questions, explain their advantages and disadvantages, and outline suitable methods to analyse these data
2. Evaluate various models and theories of ageing, recognising it as a lifelong process starting before old age
3. Examine the public health implications of multiple long-term conditions and frailty in ageing demographics
4. Quantify health expectancy indicators and evaluate the theories of compression, expansion, and dynamic equilibrium as frameworks for understanding the evolution of population and public health
5. Communicate public health insights about ageing populations to lay audiences

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

•Teaching and learning strategies include lectures (delivered in-person and as online recordings), seminars, small group tutorials, workshops, problem-based/team-based learning.

•Lectures will introduce relevant topics and allow delivery of both theoretical information, practical concepts, and current developments within a particular field. Lectures will provide opportunities to introduce research activities in the institution and highlight to students that they are studying in a research-led organisation.

•There will be an increased focus on students developing as independent learners building upon the work done in prior modules.

•Seminars and small group tutorials will provide an opportunity to examine an area in depth, including those covered in the lectures, as well as from the literature.

Students will have the chance to discuss issues at hand, having already covered the theoretical aspects of an area in lectures and during self-directed and directed learning. Some seminars will be problem-based activities which will encourage students, individually and as a team, to engage in problem-based and team-based learning. These problem- and team-based sessions will integrate the material students have covered so far and provide opportunities to develop confidence, interpersonal and communication skills.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The podcast (oral presentation) will assess how the students have consolidated learning, combining knowledge from the lectures, small group sessions and independent studies. This presentation will also provide evidence of the students’ communication and presentation skills and ability to speak of scientific topics in lay terms, which is a vital skill for public health researchers/practitioners.

The critical appraisal exercise (poster) will assess the student’s critical understanding of the topics learned.

General Notes

N/A