Course Description
This course provides students with an opportunity to explore planetary health. Students will gain awareness and knowledge of the complex relationships between human health and the environment, focusing on the interconnectedness of ecological, social, political, and economic factors. Students will explore the impacts of environmental degradation, climate change, biodiversity loss, and other global challenges on planetary health and well-being. Current and emerging issues in planetary health will be examined and students will expand their world views through engagement in critical inquiry and reflection.
This course is Global Competency Certificate (GCC) eligible. This course is open to students outside of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and is not specific to students studying in healthcare disciplines.
Course Content
- Planetary health
- Anthropocene
- Climate and environmental change
- Ecosystems
- Planetary boundaries
- Global citizenship
- Social responsibility
- Social justice
- Inequality and inequity
- Disease ecology
- Health policy
- Population health
- Social determinants of health
- Mental health
- Sustainability
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Cultural safety
- Cultural humility
Learning Activities
Learning activities may include syncronous and asynchronous sessions, group discussion, and case studies in order to promote critical inquiry, reflection, and analytical reasoning.
Means of Assessment
Assessment will be in accordance with the Douglas College Evaluation Policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a graded course.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course, successful students will be able to:
- Discuss planetary health, including its interdisciplinary nature and global significance.
- Analyze the pressing planetary health issues including the impacts of climate and environmental change.
- Recognize key environmental and social challenges that impact ecosystems.
- Analyze the interconnectedness between human health and the health of the planet, including the concept of the Anthropocene.
- Describe the impact of environmental health on the global burden of disease.
- Explore how planetary health issues disproportionately affect vulnerable populations and explore strategies to address health inequities and inequalities.
- Expand thinking about implications for public health policies at the local, national, and international levels.
- Examine sustainable solutions that promote both human and planetary health.
- Reflect on ethical considerations related to planetary health such as social responsibility and social justice and what it means to be a global citizen.
- Articulate the values and practices of cultural safety and humility.
Textbook Materials
A list of required and optional textbooks and materials is provided on the Instructor’s Course Outline which is available to students at the beginning of the course.