1. 1. Module Overview

 

The module looks at the environmental health stressors associated with the natural and built environments. You will look at how air, water, noise pollution and how conditions within the home can impact on human health. A risk based approach is used to determine the actual risk to human health and how intervention and compliance strategies can be used to mitigate these impacts.

 

 

2. Learning Outcomes

 

All modules in UK Higher Education have learning outcomes that you will study towards and then demonstrate you have met.  In order to do this, you will draw on many factors such as: your prior learning and experience; the module learning units and tasks; your wider reading, reflection (and possibly practice); and, also the expertise of your tutors and other students.

 

In most modules it will be clear exactly which of these learning outcomes is assessed in which of the assessments you have to submit and pass.

 

On successful completion of this learning, and this module, you will be able to:

 

1. Critically evaluate the impacts of the stressors arising from the natural and built environment on human he

 

1. Critically evaluate the intervention strategies available to control, mitigate or eliminate the impacts of stressors on the human and physical worlds arising from the natural and built environm

 

 

3. 3. Assessment types used in this module

 

Formative Assessment

Formative assessments and activities are opportunities for you to apply, practice and make sense of the learning materials and content that you have worked with. These will mainly be located in the End of Unit Activities.

 

We have written these to help you to (for example) practice some academic or professional skills, such as referencing, literature searching and analysing materials. You can choose how much time and effort you put into these activities.

 

These may take the form of individual tasks, such as: reading some text, or watching a video and documenting your reaction to it; responding to some discussion points on the discussion forum; considering a case study; or, participating in a live online classroom session.

 

The main aim of formative activities is for you to receive feedback on your contribution, performance, or progress that will help you prepare for and complete your final summative module assessment.

 

All modules you take will vary in several ways, and the type of feedback you get for each formative assessment or activities will vary too. If your tutors give you marks as part of the feedback, these will not be counted in your final module grade.

 

Summative Assessment

 

Summative assessments are the pieces of coursework that you must complete which contribute towards your final grade in this module. If you have a Support Plan you can discuss with your module tutor what reasonable adjustments you need.

 

Summative assessment in this particular module is via TWO pieces of submitted work.

 

You will be expected to submit your summative assessments via the Turnitin assessment points on the Assessment page in My Learning section of the module.

 

You should take the feedback that you receive from the completion of summative assessments in this module and use it to help you improve your performance in future assessments.

 

4. 4. Specific Assessment Component Guidelines

 

 

Assessment description:

Component 1: COURSEWORK

An academic essay of investigating the public health impact of a given stressor (1000 words).

Weighting: 40 %

Assesses Learning Outcome:  1

Component 2: COURSEWORK

Summary of Assessment Method:  A case study based report that critically evaluates the common intervention options used in the natural and residential environments (2500 words).

Weighting: 60%

Assesses Learning Outcome:  2

 

 

 

Assessment Component:	Assessment weighting:		Assessment limits:	Assesses module learning outcome/s:
1.		40%	Maximum 1000 words	1
2.		60%	Maximum 2500 words	2

 

 

 

 

 

Detailed guidance

 

Coursework One

 

“An evidence based critical review of the human health effects of exposure to environmental noise.”

 

This assignment is critically evaluating the public health significance and impact that exposure to environmental noise can have on the health of the population.

 

You will need to identify the different health effects that have been linked to environmental noise and critically evaluate whether the scientific evidence is conclusive or not. You will also need to give consideration to any vulnerable groups that may in particular be affected. (You will therefore need to look at original peer reviewed journal articles to evaluate these effectively.)

 

The Brief in Summary:

 

• Outline what environmental noise is, what the main sources are and areas of highest risk.
• What are the main non auditory health effects associated with environmental noise exposure?
• Critical evaluation of the scientific and medical evidence that exposure to environmental noise is an environmental and housing stressor.
• Critically evaluate whether the scientific evidence is conclusive or not.
• Give consideration to any vulnerable groups that may in particular be affected.
• Look at original peer reviewed journal articles to evaluate these effectively

 

This is an academic essay and as such must be presented in an appropriate style.

 

It is essential that it is correctly referenced and it is expected that where possible original sources of information will be referred to i.e. you will read the original journal or research source.

 

The following areas need to be given attention in this essay:

 

• Presentation including grammatical style and spelling
• Use of original reference sources and appropriate referencing system
• Identification and discussion of relevant health effects
• Critical evaluation of evidence for health effects and where the evidence has come from.
• Conclusions and recommendations for future studies

 

This is an absolute word limit, in line with the University of Derby Online Learning word count policy, and must not be exceeded (In other words there is no +10% allowance). The word count does not include references and citations. It is a tight word count and has been designed to make you write in a concise and structured manner.

 

This essay length has been established to ensure that your review is presented in a precise and factual style.

 

As it is an academic essay it should be structured accordingly and so there should be no headings, tables or charts etc. included within the essay.

 

Coursework Two (A) -To only be completed by students enrolled on the MSc Environmental Health programme

 

 

Case Study

 

11 Surrey Street, Langdon

 

The Scenario

You are the newly appointed as the Director of Regulatory Services at Langdon District Council (LDC). You have recently had a meeting with a cabinet member of the Authority who has responsibility for housing services and development.

During this meeting, she spoke at length about the condition of privately owned shared housing in the Marrow Park area of the town. This is an area of mixed development; side streets of traditional 1900’s terraced two storey housing (of which approximately 70% is private rented to students at the local college). And the main thoroughfare, consisting of ground floor retail / commercial with flats above (converted three / four storey tenement blocks) let on a shared basis predominantly to migrants or benefits claimants. She wanted to know what could be done to help improve their general condition, in particularly she made particular reference to the Decent Homes and energy efficiency standards and their potential application to such dwellings.

Similarly the high concentration of student accommodation (the mainly shared terrace housing) is causing concern to local residents; upset about the Authorities apparent lack of action they have now contacted the local newspaper. In particular they are perturbed about the high number of student houses in the area and associated antisocial behaviour and the overgrown gardens.

The Councillor wishes for you to produce a report, outlining the powers the Authority has to deal with these issues.

Learning Outcome

Critically evaluate the compliance strategies to control, mitigate or eliminate the impacts of stressors on the human and physical worlds arising from the natural and built environment.

The Task

Produce a report (maximum length 2500 words) for the Council’s Cabinet that critically evaluates the intervention options available, having regard to your critical evaluation recommend an intervention approach that will ensure that each stressor is appropriately eliminated, controlled or mitigated against and which will lead to improvements for the residents.

Your evaluation of the intervention options available should not only consider the enforcement options available, but will go beyond these and will look strategically at how the issues may be resolved, and include details of the role of potential partner organisation in resolving these concerns.

This is an individual activity and your report should be a maximum of 2500 words and must be presented in an appropriate report style. Any other reports or documents referred to in your report need to be referenced properly.

Submission Details

This assignment must be submitted through the Turnitin system.

These are academic assignments and as such must be presented in a report format. It is essential that it is correctly referenced and it is expected that where possible original sources of information will be referred to. They must be submitted in at least 1.5 line spacing format, minimum font size 12, with the word count on the title page.

 

 

 

5. 5. Feedback, marking criteria and grading of your assessment

This section tells you how the marker will assess your work fairly. All markers aim for our feedback to be: timely, individual to you, helpful, empowering and manageable.

 

They will also offer you opportunities to discuss the marking criteria they intend to use, and the type of feedback they intend to give you. You should create a shared understanding of this with them and your peers during the course of the module. They may also give you opportunities to assess your own work and the work of your peers. Look out for these opportunities.

 

Assessment markers can give you feedback and allocate marks to you using a range of methods and tools that are appropriate to the specific module and assessment. The marker may make comments within your script (in bubbles) and may also give you written comments in the long box. They may give you a form of audio or video feedback.

 

When they give you feedback on your assessment, as a minimum, your marker will tell you:

 

    if and how you have met the relevant learning outcomes

    the areas within which you did well in this assessment (they will commend you)

    the areas you could have improved in this assessment (they will make suggestions)

    what activities you can work on to help you in your next studies (you can take these ideas forward with you, and may discuss them with your Personal Tutor. You can also build them into your Action Planning.

 

 

6. 6. Assessment Presentation

 

When marking this assessment, the markers will also be looking for the following.

 

        Legible presentation.

        Good use of spelling, grammar and language throughout.

        Appropriate focus, meeting learning outcomes/assessment criteria.

        Logical progression and structure of arguments.

        Evidence of a range of relevant supporting reading.

        Use of accurate, evidence based information to support the arguments made.

        Follow normal Academic Regulations in terms of Academic Offences, style and language.

 

 

        Use of the appropriate system of referencing and may include a bibliography that lists all resources referenced.

        A declaration statement which says you have checked your Turnitin originality report and certain that the work is your own (and has never been submitted for marking before by you, or anyone else)

        A statement that says you have maintained the confidentiality of clients/customers and persons associated with them, including colleagues and organisations

 

 

% Mark	Grade Descriptors	Category
90-100%	Excellent   Meets all criteria in 80-89% range below, plus demonstrates exceptional ability and insight, indicating the highest level of technical competence; work is virtually flawless and has potential to influence the forefront of the subject and may be of publishable/exhibitable quality. Relevant generic skills are demonstrated at the highest possible standard.   Exceptional achievement distinguishable even amongst the best quality work and deserving of the highest possible marks within the Distinction grade.	Distinction
80-89%	Excellent   High to very high standard work with most of the following features: authoritative subject knowledge; a high level of critical analysis and evaluation; incisive original thinking; commendable originality; exceptionally well researched, with a very high level of technical competence; high quality presentation; impressive clarity of ideas; excellent coherence and logic. Work is close to the forefront of the subject and may be close to publishable or exhibitable quality. Relevant generic skills are demonstrated at a very high level. Referencing is consistently used, complete and accurate. Only trivial or very minor errors.   Very high quality work worthy of a high Distinction grade mark.	Distinction
70-79%	Excellent   Authoritative, current subject knowledge;    excellent critical analysis and evaluation – including dealing with ambiguity in the data;  significant originality;  well researched with a high level of technical competence – work is accurate and extensively supported by appropriate evidence;  excellent presentation; commendable clarity of ideas;  thoughtful and effective presentation;  very strong sense of coherence and logic;  relevant generic skills are demonstrated at a high level; referencing is excellent– consistently used, complete and accurate; a small number of misunderstandings/minor errors only.     High quality work deserving of a Distinction grade.	Distinction
60-69%	Very good   Work is well-developed and coherent; demonstrates sound, current subject knowledge; a very good level of critical analysis and evaluation; some evidence of original thinking or originality; well researched; no significant errors in the application of concepts or appropriate techniques; a very good standard of presentation; ideas generally clear and coherent; relevant generic skills are demonstrated at a very good level; referencing is very good; minor errors and misunderstandings only, possibly with some deficiencies in presentation.   Well above pass standard and worthy of a Merit grade.	Merit
50-59%	Good/Satisfactory   Has achieved intended learning outcomes as evidenced by the following features. Satisfactory subject knowledge;  a fair level of critical analysis and evaluation;  the work is generally sound but tends towards the factual or derivative, and there may be minimal evidence of original thinking or originality;  adequately researched;  a sound standard of presentation; ideas fairly clear and coherent;  some significant errors and misunderstandings, possibly shown by conceptual gaps or limited use of appropriate techniques;  relevant generic skills are generally at a satisfactory level;  referencing is generally accurate; some weakness in style or presentation.     Satisfactory overall – a clear pass	Pass
40-49%	Unsatisfactory   Has narrowly failed to achieve intended learning outcomes as evidenced by the following features.  Satisfactory subject knowledge to some extent;  some sound aspects but some of the following weaknesses are evident:  factual errors;  conceptual gaps; inadequate critical analysis and evaluation;  little evidence of originality;  not well researched – limited use of appropriate techniques;  presentation does not meet the standard required;  ideas unclear and/or incoherent; some significant errors and misunderstandings;  relevant generic skills unsatisfactory to some extent;  referencing may be inadequate.     Work is unsatisfactory but shows potential for achieving learning outcomes if feedback is addressed – Marginal fail	Marginal Fail
5-39%	Very Poor   Has failed to achieve intended learning outcomes in several critical respects.  Will have some or all of the following features to varying extent:  inadequate subject knowledge; factual errors;  conceptual gaps;  minimal/no awareness of relevant issues and theory; limited/no use of appropriate techniques;  standard of presentation unacceptable;  ideas confused and/or incoherent – work lacks sound development;  a poor critical analysis and evaluation;  no evidence of originality;  inadequately researched;  some serious misunderstandings and  errors;  quality of  relevant generic skills does not meet the requirements of the task.     A clear fail well short of the pass standard	Fail
1-4%	Nothing of Merit   Nothing of value is contained in the submitted work.  The work presents information that is  irrelevant  and  unconnected  to  the  task;   no  evident  awareness  of  appropriate principles, theories, evidence or techniques
NS	Non-submission   No work has been submitted
Z	Academic offence notation   Applies to proven instances of academic offence