This course will explore how the manifestation of mental health difficulties can vary across time and cultures. The course will also critically discuss attempts to identify biological mechanisms underlying mental health difficulties and the interplay that these mechanisms might have with social factors.

This course will take place over 10 teaching weeks in semester 3.

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Two components of written assessment:

■ Essay 50% (2000 words approx.) ILOs 1&2

■ Blog post 50% (1000 words approx.) ILOs 3&4

This course aims to explore how the manifestation of mental health and mental ill health can change across time and cultures. This course aims to develop an understanding of the importance of resilience and aims to discuss the links between culture, social and economic factors and mental health. Finally this course aims to enable students to develop an understanding of the biological mechanisms implicated in mental illness.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Critically evaluate the various models of care and treatment for mental health difficulties

2. Critically discuss the underlying determinants of mental health e.g.  culture, poverty, substance misuse, violence (including gender-based violence), war, migration and disaster. 

3. Critically discuss the concept of resilience, consider its cultural aspects and the implications it has for mental health promotion and prevention.

4. Critically discuss current diagnostic challenges within mental health and evaluate the potential role of biomarkers in diagnosing mental health difficulties in a global context.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.