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PSY40920

Academic Year 2026/2027

Psychology & Health: Population-level perspectives (PSY40920)

Subject:
Psychology
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Psychology
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Sonya Deschenes
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The module objective is to provide students with population-level perspectives on psychosocial aspects of health and functioning, including chronic health conditions, infectious diseases, disability, health-related quality of life, and wellbeing. Lectures will highlight the interactions between psychological factors, social environment, functioning, and physical health. Emphasis will be placed on integrating the following topics: affective symptoms and related conditions such as depression, psychological wellbeing, community factors, social-environmental characteristics, disability and quality of life, and the onset and course of illness. In each lecture, research and theory will be critically evaluated.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the module, students should be able to:
1) Identify key psychosocial factors that are associated with health and disability and understand how this can inform preventive interventions.
2) Critically evaluate the research literature on psychological aspects of health and disability.
3) Synthesize information on the influence of mental health and social environment on physical health and disability.
Note on academic integrity:
All sources used in the production of assessments for this module must be cited using APA standards.
Please note that the use of generative AI tools is NOT permitted in the assessments for this module.

Indicative Module Content:

Provisional topics include:
- Introduction to social epidemiology and population health
- Measuring health status and functioning in the population
- Comorbidity
- Loneliness and health status
- Depression and chronic health conditions
- Environmental and occupational considerations in health

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

30
Autonomous Student Learning

170
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
The module will consist of lectures, student presentations, group discussions, and assigned readings. Each 3-hour class will include a lecture component and a seminar component. As part of the seminar component, students will present research papers during class throughout the semester and group discussions will follow. Students will also work on a project during the semester that they will present in class at the end of the term.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Individual Project: In-class presentation - students will present 1-2 papers in class throughout the semester (final number will depend on class enrollment). Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10 Graded No
35
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Active class participation is an integral component of the module and its evaluation. Grades will be assigned according to attendance and thoughtfulness and clarity of verbal contributions. Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10 Graded No
15
 No
Group Work Assignment: Final project: In small groups, students will present a project in class at the end of term (25%) and submit a written summary of the project (25%). Details will be provided in class. Week 8, Week 9, Week 10 Graded No
50
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Lecture Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31 Mon 10:00 - 12:50
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