Instructional goals
Students are expected to learn the constitutive elements as well as the evolution of health policies, mainly in a comparative European perspective.
Prerequisites
There are no special prerequisites. It is advisable for students to have passed exams in Sociology, Political Science and in the field of Public Law.
Intended learning outcomes
- Knowledge and understanding
The student – through course attendance and
practical activities – will gain full knowledge
of the general principles of Sociology of Health and Healthcare Policies at European level.
- Applying knowledge and understanding
Student will be able to interpret and apply,
also to specific cases, principles of Project Cycle Management, especially in Healthcare contexts. They will be able to read and analyze main International Reports on Health fields.
- Making judgments
Students will acquire analytical skills and
critical spirit in the analysis of the main International Reports by public institutional players and bodies.
- Communication skills
By the end of the course, students will be
able to transmit with clarity, rigor, and
methodological consistency the learning outcomes in the field of Healthcare Policies and Project Cycle Management.
Through the various activities that will take
place during the course – lessons with
discussion, debates, project work –students
will be able to put these communication skills
into practice in various contexts. They will
learn to adapt the terms used to the
interlocutor in the specific case, thus gaining
advanced rhetorical skills necessary for the
professional career.
- Learning skills
By putting into practice the methodologies
learned during lectures and seminars, the
student will be able to elaborate insights and
conduct research by consulting Reports, specialist texts and journals. The student will develop a solid knowledge of the fundamental aspects of Healthcare Policies at European level.
Course Contents
The course focuses on health policies and their planning at European level. Particular attention will be given to teaching programming techniques issued by the EU and to the analysis of International Reports
Reference Books
Reference books:
-James A. Johnson; Carleen Stoskopf; Leiyu Shi (2018, second edition). Comparative Health Systems: A Global Perspective. Jones and Bartlett Learning, Burlington, MA (Part 1: all; part 3: only cap. 29).
-WHO (2015). Health in All Policies. (no Appendices)
- NHS (2017). The Good Indicators Guide: Understanding how to use and choose indicators
-European Commission (2004). Project Cycle Management.
Other texts:
-Giarelli G. (2021). The Italian Nhs Between Latent Paradoxes and Problematic Sustainability. In Gabe J., Cardano M., Genova A. (Eds.). Health and Illness in the Neoliberal Era in Europe. Emerald Publishing.
-OECD (2024), Health at a Glance: Europe 2024. State of Health in the EU cycle.
- EC (2021). Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and Council
-EC (2022). Healthier Together. EU Non-Communicable Diseases Initiative
Teaching Methods
Class teaching and discussion; project work.
Assessment Method
Oral exam. There are no intermediate tests.
Thesis assignment criteria
Personal interest in the topic; active participation in the discussion in class. If, when writing his/her thesis, a candidate uses some phrases or ideas taken elsewhere and does not quote the sources appropriately, supervision will be interrupted.
Week 1
Health policies. An introduction. Introduction to Sociology of health. Organizational aspects of the course.
Week 2
European Healthcare Systems in comparative perspective
Week 3
European Healthcare Systems in comparative perspective
Week 4
Health in All Policies. Report analysis
Week 5
How resilient have European health systems been to the COVID‑19 crisis? OECD Report analysis
Week 6
Project Cycle Management. Definitions and procedures
Week 7
Project Cycle Management and Logical Framework Approach. Applications in Health care fields
Week 8
The concept of Global Health and the Sustainable Development Goals
Week 9
The Good Indicators Guide: Understanding how to use and choose indicators
Week 10
The Good Indicators Guide: Understanding how to use and choose indicators
Week 11
Elaboration and discussion of Project Work in the classroom related to the analyzed Reports
Week 12
Elaboration and discussion of Project Work in the classroom related to the analyzed Reports