Course Objectives

In course 1, Family, Childhood and Socialisation students will:

• Develop knowledge of growing up in modern society, changing family conditions and challenges associated with various sosialisation arenas.
• Develop awareness of multicultural opportunities and challenges.
• Gain understanding of various risk factors for children and young people and the importance of relationships in promoting cooperation, participation and dialogue between children and young people and adults.
• Gain knowledge of professional practices and professional organisations.
• Gain insight into measures that can prevent disease, marginalization and social exclusion among children and young people.
• Gain increased understanding of the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation for preventive care.
• Be able to utilise new insights and perspectives in measures and actions that will contribute to mastering and prevention of health and psychosocial problems in children and young people.

In course 1 A, Society and Mental Health students will:

• Develop knowledge of developmental theory, interaction and relationships.
• Develop critical reflection of the relationship between mental illness, social development and society.
• Develop knowledge of ethnic minorities and mental health.
• Discuss and reflect upon pathologisation in modern society.
• Gain knowledge of preventive care and mental health.

In the course 1 B, Nutrition, Health and Lifestyle, students will:

• Gain increased knowledge about the relationship between food, body and health.
• Gain increased awareness of social development with regard to diet, health and nutrition.
• Gain knowledge about and discuss various preventive care theories.
• Develop critical reflection upon the concept promotion of health.

Course Description

Family, Childhood and Socialisation consists of the following courses:

Family, Childhood and Socialisation (20 ECTS)

1a Society and Mental Health (10 ECTS)

1b Nutrition, Health and Lifestyle (10 ECTS)

Students will choose either course 1a or course 1b.

Family, Childhood and Socialisation examines how various socialisation factors and socio-cultural conditions affect the growing up environments and identity development of children and adolescents. This also includes discussion of health and psychosocial problems in children and young people and their families. Students will develop an understanding of the various dilemmas and challenges that children and young people encounter during socialisation. Through such insight, students will develop a critical awareness of how children and young people are challenged in relation to their own vulnerability, and in relation to mastering their own lives. This also involves knowledge of how different systems and cultures affect children and young people, contributing to both prevention and to the reinforcement of psychosocial difficulties. Processes involving marginalization and stigmatisation are a key problem area. This outline of professional knowledge will provide the basic foundation for the development of professional skills in preventive care in health and social fields.

Family, Childhood and Socialisation includes the following main themes:

• Growing up in modern society
• Multicultural opportunities and challenges
• Youth and youth culture
• The school as a socialization agent
• Growing up and risk
• Professional practices and organisation development

The course 1 A, Society and Mental Health focuses on the relationships between the mental health of children and youth, relational and social development conditions and social conditions. Mental problems and disorders affect individuals, but may be seen as something that develops between people, and as something that affects interpersonal interaction and communication. Further, focus will be given to mental health and immigration, strategies for preventive care and personal resource mobilisation to maintain good mental functioning. The course presents the central developmental psychological theories as a starting point in order to understand and explain psychological disorders, but is also concerned about how modern society is to an ever-increasing extent characterized by pathologisation and diagnostication of human behaviour.This will involve an examination of the various relationships between mental health, social development and society.

The course includes the following themes:

• Developmental theory, interaction and relationships. Relational and emotional conditions for good mental health.
• Mental development and mental and relational disorders in children and young people.
• Mental health, disease, and society.
• Mental health and ethnic minorities.
• Pathologisation of human life.
• Prevention and Treatment

Course 1 B, Nutrition, Health and Lifestyle is a thematic specialisation of course 1, and examines the relationship between social development and children and young people's nutrition, health and identity. The themes food, body and health will be examined from different professional perspectives. Preventive care theories and different notions of what promotes health will be discussed in relation to factors such as body, gender, age, class and ethnicity.

The course includes the following themes:

• Gender, body and health - a focus on children and young people
• Body and health - a focus on children and young people
• Social and cultural perspectives on food
• Diet and health
• Prevention, nutritional measures – do they work?

Learning Methods

Lectures, seminars, group work and written and oral presentations.

Assessment Methods

Course code: 981HEMN1

Course 1: Family, Childhood and Socialisation

Course 1 will conclude with a 1-week individual home examination.

The assignment will comprise roughly 5000 words.

The assignment will be given a graded mark (A-F), and the grade for the course will be separately entered on the diploma.

A 5-hour individual examinations under supervision will be given in the course 1A or 1 B. No examination aids are permitted.

The assessment will receive a separate course grade which will be entered on the diploma.

Minor adjustments may occur during the academic year, subject to the decision of the Dean