Students
MMCC2060 – Health, Bodies, Media
2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
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| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Nicole Matthews
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
What does it mean to be 'healthy'? This course will critically examine the way we understand and imagine 'health'. Drawing on perspectives from media and cultural studies, communication studies, disability studies, critical health studies and science and technology studies, we ask how our own embodied experiences of health or ill health are shaped by media and culture, as well as wider biomedical and political institutions. We will focus particularly on the way health is imagined in broadcast and online media, including public health campaigns, popular science communication, news and current affairs, commercial advertising, popular entertainment television genres and self-monitoring apps. Contemporary debates such as those around smoking, obesity, drinking, sexual health and mental illness will be analysed and discussed and we will explore how categories of 'health' and 'illness' play out in ethical and political decision making. How are ideas about 'normal' or 'pathological' bodies and identities tied into concepts of 'health'? And how does the idea that 'wellness' is an individual's responsibility underpin public policy and peoples' ways of understanding and managing their own bodies? |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which health is understood and experienced across a range of contexts.
- ULO2: interrogate key concepts around health, showing an awareness of debates around definitions of these terms.
- ULO3: outline a theoretically informed account of the relationship between forms of knowledge and experiences of embodied subjectivity and sociality.
- ULO4: apply key methods of critical analysis to evaluate social economic, legal and or medical practices which focus on bodily-being.
- ULO5: communicate effectively and ethically in a range of contexts and modes of writing.
- ULO6: evidence engagement with and reflection on the process of learning.
General Assessment Information
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply - two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date - and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (including weekends) after the original submission deadline, No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments - eg quizzes, online tests
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online take-home test | 20% | No | Monday 7th Sept 9am |
| Reflective summaries | 30% | No | Mon 9am Wks 2-8, 10-12; final reflection due Fri Nov 6 11pm |
| Report on a health promotion campaign; health app or health-related legal or policy change | 50% | No | Monday 2nd November 11pm |
Online take-home test
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Monday 7th Sept 9am
Weighting: 20%
Students will take an online take-home multiple choice test. This test is an open book test.
Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which health is understood and experienced across a range of contexts.
- interrogate key concepts around health, showing an awareness of debates around definitions of these terms.
- evidence engagement with and reflection on the process of learning.
Reflective summaries
Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Mon 9am Wks 2-8, 10-12; final reflection due Fri Nov 6 11pm
Weighting: 30%
Students will write a week by week summary of key readings and a final reflection on the way understandings of key readings have been shaped by in-class learning.
Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which health is understood and experienced across a range of contexts.
- communicate effectively and ethically in a range of contexts and modes of writing.
- evidence engagement with and reflection on the process of learning.
Report on a health promotion campaign; health app or health-related legal or policy change
Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 40 hours
Due: Monday 2nd November 11pm
Weighting: 50%
Students will write a report on a health promotion campaign, health app or health-related legal or policy change.
Refer to iLearn for further information.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- outline a theoretically informed account of the relationship between forms of knowledge and experiences of embodied subjectivity and sociality.
- apply key methods of critical analysis to evaluate social economic, legal and or medical practices which focus on bodily-being.
- communicate effectively and ethically in a range of contexts and modes of writing.
- evidence engagement with and reflection on the process of learning.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
See ilearn for information about delivery and resources.
Unit Schedule
Topics for discussion in 2020 will include concepts such as medicalisation and demedicalisation, the health consumer, biopower, health identities and risk and case studies around health apps, sexual health, men's health, alcohol and eating.
Tutorials for this unit will begin in Week 1
See ilearn for information about the unit schedule.
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.