Title: Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH)
Keywords: Sexual & reproductive health
International/Global Health
Health Policy
Gender & health
Country: United Kingdom
Institution: UK - Institute for Global Health and Development, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh
Course coordinator: Luciana Brondi
Date start: 2025-03-10
Date end: 2025-04-11
About duration and dates: 5 weeks
Classification: advanced optional
Mode of delivery: Face to face
Course location: Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh.
ECTS credit points: 5 ECTS credits
SIT: 150 hours SIT, of which 15 hours online content delivery, 15 hours practical online exercises, 15 hours in class teaching, 2-hour tutorial, 3 hours visit to SRH service, 6 hours groupwork (face-to-face), 44 hours self-directed study, 50 hours assignment preparation.
Language: English
Description: At the end of the module the student should be able to:
- Critically examine notions of sexuality, sexual and reproductive health, and the relationships between them;
- Identify and critique theoretical and ideological (social, cultural, religious) perspectives underpinning sexual and reproductive health programmes;
- Analyse how (global and local) power relations, economics and gender affect sexual and reproductive health, interventions and policies;
- Use public health and social science evidence and basic demographic indicators to assess the scope of SRH issues and critique sexual and reproductive health programmes.
Focus or specific features: Note: Please contact IGHD for the specific dates for class-based activities.

Elective modules (semester 2) - subject to the number of students
Assessment Procedures: There are two summative assignments: a group presentation (20%), and an individual 2,500 word essay (80%).


In addition, students are required to complete and submit one formative mini-assignment by the end of the first two-week online learning, as preparation for the summative essay assignment.

Written feedback is given for the formative mini-assignment, and both elements of the summative assignments (group presentation and essay).

For the summative assignments,iIf students fail their first attempt they can resubmit their assignment for a second assessment within the same academic year.

Details of the group presentation and an example of the written assignment question is attached, along with evaluation criteria.

Note: In order to pass the module, students must achieve a pass mark of 50% on all assignments. If a component is failed, resubmission is possible but the mark will be capped at 50%. If the group component is failed, the group will re-work the PP slides and resubmit only these.
Content: This module draws on a range of public health and social sciences to examine sexual and reproductive health in high, middle- and low- income settings. The module consists of three sections:
1) History, conceptualisations and principles (to be delivered via online learning);
2) Current and on-going issues (to be introduced in online learning and discussed in virtual classrooms and F2F sessions);
3) SRH in practice: Programmes, interventions and services in various settings (to be introduced in online learning and discussed in virtual classrooms and F2F sessions).

Key topics covered:
● Historical overview relating to SRH, debates and developments in conceptualisations of SRH including rights-based approaches;
● Key moments in SRH agenda setting, global policy and strategies;
● Theoretical and ideological underpinnings of SRH programmes, services and interventions;
● Epidemiology and social determinants of a range of current sexual health & reproductive health issues;
● Political economy of sexual and reproductive health and SRH interventions and programmes;
● Sexual and reproductive health across the life cycle;
● Sexual and reproductive health and men.
● Sexual health and pleasure.
● Navigating sexual and reproductive rights and justice.
Methods: The module is delivered through blended learning. The following types of learning experiences will be adopted:
● Online content delivery (15 minute annotated and narrated PowerPoints, 25 minute recorded mini-lectures, online resources such as films, documentaries and websites) to introduce subject areas and key debates;
● Practical online exercises, including online reflection and discussion and synchronous group work, to discuss key subject areas and work through scenarios;
● In class teaching (lectures, seminars and small group work) to discuss and debate different perspectives on key topics;
● Visit to an Adolescent Sexual Health service (3 hours) for practical exposure to health service delivery;
● Self-directed study;
● Assignment preparation.

Students will be encouraged to provide critical peer support through group work, will obtain feedback from tutors on discussion posts, homework tasks and the formative mini-assignment.
Prerequisites: ● General admission requirements for entry onto MSc courses run at IGHD include IELTS level of an overall score of 6.0 with no component less than 5.5; or for the TOEFL iBT an overall score of 80 with no component less than 17.
● Regular access to a computer and the internet (broadband) for the duration of the module as well as the ability to watch videos.
● Basic computer skills, including using the world-wide web
Attendance: Maximum number of students is 30 (no limit on number of TropEd students). Applications stay open until two weeks before the course is due to start.
Selection: No specific selection criteria apply – first come first served principle
Fees: Scot/UK/ROI: £820
International: £1,750
Scholarships: None
Major changes since initial accreditation: Module coordinator: Georgina Pearson joined IGHD, QMU in November 2019 and has taken over module coordination.
Content: The content of sessions has been updated in line with ongoing key topics and issues. We continue to include specific content on HIV, maternal health, abortion, infertility, adolescent SRH, and include men and sexual health within this. In addition, material relating to sexual health and pleasure, and a session on navigating sexual and reproductive justice with external speakers have been included.
Mode of delivery: In line with IGHD teaching developments addressing a need for more flexible modes of study, the module has been redesigned for blended learning as described earlier in the form.
Assessment: In response to student feedback, the assessment has been changed to include two summative assignments (i.e. the group presentation is now summative), in order that the final mark does not rest on one sole submission.
Student evaluation: Students generally value the SRH module positively, in particular the space to discuss and debate topics, and to consider topics from social science perspectives (rather than a purely clinical perspective). They appreciate the expertise of teachers brought in to facilitate sessions, including internal/ external guest speakers. The visit to the adolescent SRH clinic receives excellent evaluation, particularly as students can see the relevance for future work and they appreciate applying what is learnt in the sessions to ‘real-world’ scenarios.
As above, a number of students fed back that it would be preferable to allocate some assessment marks to the other assignments (group presentation), which has been responded to.
Lessons learned: We continue to consider and facilitate ways to create respectful dialogue and debate, drawing on different perspectives, and encouraging peer learning. The module focuses on SRH topics in high, middle and low income settings, and students from various backgrounds can relate to the material presented – allowing broad debate.
Videos and debates continue to be a popular approach to stimulating discussion and learning. The move to blended learning in 2020/21 will allow for further development and use of various teaching and learning methods.
tropEd accreditation: Re-accredited in January 2010 in Heidelberg. Re-accredited in April 2015, Re-accredited Nov 2020 (until Nov 2025)
Remarks: Key reading:
CENTRE FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS (2020) Breaking Ground 2020: Treaty Monitoring Bodies on Reproductive Rights. New York: Centre for Reproductive Rights.
COAST, E., NORRIS, A., MOORE, A., AND FREEMAN, E. (2018) Trajectories of women's abortion-related care: a conceptual framework. Social Science and Medicine, 200. pp. 199-210. ISSN 0277-9536
LOCK, M., & NGUYEN, V. K. (2018). An anthropology of biomedicine. John Wiley & Sons.
Chicago, Selected Chapters (4, 6, 7, 9).
LOWE, L. (2019). Refusing caesarean sections to protect fertile futures: Somali refugees, motherhood, and precarious migration. American Ethnologist, 46(2), 190-201.
MILLER, S., ABALOS, E., CHAMILLARD, M., CIAPPONI, A., COLACI, D., COMANDÉ, D., ... & MANUELLI, V. (2016). Beyond too little, too late and too much, too soon: a pathway towards evidence-based, respectful maternity care worldwide. The Lancet, 388(10056), 2176-2192.
SINGH S ET AL., Abortion Worldwide 2017: Uneven Progress and Unequal Access, New York: Guttmacher Institute, 2018.
SMITH, S. L., & SHIFFMAN, J. (2016). Setting the global health agenda: the influence of advocates and ideas on political priority for maternal and new-born survival. Social Science & Medicine, 166, 86-93.
STARRS, A. M., EZEH, A. C., BARKER, G., BASU, A., BERTRAND, J. T., BLUM, R., ... & SATHAR, Z. A. (2018). Accelerate progress—sexual and reproductive health and rights for all: report of the Guttmacher–Lancet Commission. The Lancet, 391(10140), 2642-2692.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION, 2016. Global health sector strategy on sexually transmitted infections 2016–2021. Geneva: WHO.
Email Address: PKadetz@qmu.ac.uk
Date Of Record Creation: 2021-09-09 01:39:50 (W3C-DTF)
Date Of Record Release: 2021-09-09 06:43:43 (W3C-DTF)
Date Record Checked: 2021-09-09 (W3C-DTF)
Date Last Modified: 2024-09-18 10:20:47 (W3C-DTF)