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Science and health: an evidence-based approach

This module introduces the science of human health and covers eight globally important health topics, from nutrition and infectious diseases to pain and breast cancer screening. Each topic integrates biological, chemical and physical sciences concepts with psychology and health statistics to illuminate the causes of disease and disability and the consequence for individuals and populations. You’ll also develop skills for further study of health sciences, including evaluating evidence, handling numbers, presenting data, writing, and using information technology.

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OU qualifications are modular in structure; the credits from this undergraduate module could count towards a certificate of higher education, diploma of higher education, foundation degree or honours degree.

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Module

Module code

SDK100

Credits

Credits

  • Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
  • One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
  • You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
  • For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.
60

Study level

Across the UK, there are two parallel frameworks for higher education qualifications, the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Northern Ireland and Wales (FHEQ) and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). These define a hierarchy of levels and describe the achievement expected at each level. The information provided shows how OU module levels correspond to these frameworks.
Level of Study
OU SCQF FHEQ
1 7 4

Study method

Module cost

Entry requirements

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I honestly cannot recommend this module enough. I hit the ground running with this module. It was informative, well structured...
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This is a very informative module about different body processes and conditions. I learnt a great deal, for instance about...
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What you will study

This module is studied online and presented through eight globally important health topics:

Topic 1: Infectious disease
The emergence of ‘new’ infections such as HIV/AIDS and Ebola and the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria are among many signs that infectious diseases still threaten global health. This topic describes the range of infectious agents and the diseases they cause and the risk factors that increase exposure or susceptibility to infection. It reviews the contribution of hand hygiene, sanitation, an effective immune system, vaccination programmes and other defences against infection and the difficulties faced in protecting the world’s population – particularly young children – from infectious diseases.

Topic 2: Nutrition and malnutrition
Poor nutrition is a major underlying cause of death and disability worldwide. A third of all child deaths are a result of insufficient nutrition, but obesity has also increased rapidly in many countries, with consequences that include increased diabetes and heart disease. This topic looks at why we need food and how our bodies process it. You will learn about body systems, tissues and cells as well as the components of a healthy diet, the chemical composition of nutrient molecules and the biology of digestion and nutrient absorption. Finally, you will explore the causes and consequences of poor nutrition and some interventions that could reduce nutrition-related disease.

Topic 3: Understanding and treating pain
This topic is an integrated account of the psychosocial and neurobiological aspects of pain. It considers the common properties of pain triggered by physical injuries and the pain of events such as divorce, and explores how you might measure these experiences of pain. You’ll study the structure and function of the nervous system and how the activity within it can cause and modulate the perception of pain. Finally, you will learn how different pain treatments are evaluated and used in the clinic.

Topic 4: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Permanent loss of lung function due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects millions of people worldwide. In wealthy countries, most people with COPD are older cigarette smokers, but in poorer countries, younger women and children exposed to indoor smoke from cooking fires also suffer from this condition. This case study explains the science of respiration, the effects of COPD on people’s lives and the treatment and prevention of COPD.

Topic 5: Acute trauma and recovery
Stroke and traumatic injury cause millions of deaths and disabilities globally and both are rising as populations age and the volume of road traffic increases. You will look at how the body reacts to tissue damage, focusing on brain lesions and limb fractures in younger and older people. The psychological – as well as the physical – effects of injury are considered in the context of variations in access to emergency and longer-term care.

Topic 6: Alcohol and human health
Heavy drinking increases the risk of life-threatening diseases, accidental injury, psychological impairment, and addiction, but many people argue that moderate intake has some health benefits. You’ll explore global trends in alcohol use, the chemistry of alcohol, how alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream and its effects on the body’s major organs and on behaviour and memory.

Topic 7: Screening for breast cancer
Mammography screening using X-ray imaging to detect early breast cancers in women occurs in most wealthy countries. This topic explains how breast cancer develops, the risk factors associated with the development of breast cancer, the rationale for screening and how the screening technology works. It also considers the debate about the benefits and drawbacks of screening and explores the tests used to confirm a diagnosis of breast cancer.

Topic 8: Sight: a window on the world
Partial or total loss of sight affects millions of people worldwide, and has an enormous impact at the level of the individual, their family, and wider society. In this topic you’ll learn about the science of sight, how the eye works and how it can malfunction to cause the common forms of impaired vision. Many cases of sight loss are preventable or curable, and you’ll see how a range of approaches from all the health sciences can contribute to restoring vision. This topic will also give you the opportunity to revisit the knowledge and skills that you have acquired in earlier parts of the module, and will help you prepare for the end of module assessment.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor

Throughout your module studies, you’ll get help and support from your assigned module tutor. They’ll help you by:

  • Marking your assignments (TMAs) and providing detailed feedback for you to improve.
  • Guiding you to additional learning resources.
  • Providing individual guidance, whether that’s for general study skills or specific module content.
  • Facilitating online discussions between your fellow students, in the dedicated module and tutor group forums.

Module tutors also run online tutorials throughout the module. Where possible, recordings of online tutorials will be made available to students. While these tutorials won’t be compulsory for you to complete the module, you’re strongly encouraged to take part.

Assessment

The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box.

Future availability

Science and health: an evidence-based approach (SDK100) starts twice a year – in January/February and October.

This page describes the module that will start in October 2024 and February 2025.

We expect it to start for the last time in February 2028.

Regulations

As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.

Course work includes:

5 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)
End-of-module assessment


Entry requirements

At The Open University, we believe education should be open to all, so we provide high-quality university education to anyone who wishes to realise their ambitions and fulfil their potential.

Even though there are no entry requirements, you’ll need the ability to:

  • add, subtract, multiply and divide simple numbers
  • read and understand written English of a style and complexity characteristic of a professional magazine or quality newspaper.

Are you ready for SDK100?

Preparatory work

The module website includes induction materials to help you navigate the website, organise your study materials and start a personal development plan. You can access the module website 2–3 weeks before the module begins.

Register

Start End England fee Register
25 Jan 2025 Sep 2025 £3636.00

Registration closes 09/01/25 (places subject to availability)

Register
This module is expected to start for the last time in February 2028.

Additional Costs

Study costs

There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.

If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.

Ways to pay for this module

Open University Student Budget Account

The Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) offers a convenient 'pay as you go' option to pay your OU fees, which is a secure, quick and easy way to pay. Please note that The Open University works exclusively with OUSBA and is not able to offer you credit facilities from any other provider. All credit is subject to status and proof that you can afford the repayments.

You pay the OU through OUSBA in one of the following ways:

  • Register now, pay later – OUSBA pays your module fee direct to the OU. You then repay OUSBA interest-free and in full just before your module starts. 0% APR representative. This option could give you the extra time you may need to secure the funding to repay OUSBA.
  • Pay by instalments – OUSBA calculates your monthly fee and number of instalments based on the cost of the module you are studying. APR 5.1% representative.

Joint loan applications

If you feel you would be unable to obtain an OUSBA loan on your own due to credit history or affordability issues, OUSBA offers the option to apply for a joint loan application with a third party. For example, your husband, wife, partner, parent, sibling or friend. In such cases, OUSBA will be required to carry out additional affordability checks separately and/or collectively for both joint applicants who will be jointly and severally liable for loan repayments.

As additional affordability checks are required when processing joint loan applications, unfortunately, an instant decision cannot be given. On average the processing time for a joint loan application is five working days from receipt of the required documentation.

Read more about Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA).

Employer sponsorship

Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.

More than one in ten OU students are sponsored by their employer, and over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees. 

  • Your employer just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.
  • You won’t need to get your employer to complete the form until after you’ve chosen your module.  

Credit/debit card

You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module. 

We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron. 

Mixed payments

We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA).


Please note: your permanent address/domicile will affect your fee status and, therefore, the fees you are charged and any financial support available to you. The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2025. Fees typically increase annually. For further information about the University's fee policy, visit our Fee Rules

This information was provided on 10/10/2024.

Can you study an Access module for free?

Depending on eligibility and availability of places, you could apply to study your Access module for free.

To qualify, you must:

  1. be resident in England
  2. have a household income of not more than £25,000 (or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit)
  3. have not completed one year or more on any full-time undergraduate programme at FHEQ level 4 or above or successfully completed 30 credits or more of OU study within the last 10 years

How to apply to study an Access module for free

Once you've started the registration process, either online or over the phone, we'll contact you about your payment options. This will include instructions on how you can apply to study for free if you are eligible and funded places are still available.

If you're unsure if you meet the criteria to study for free, you can check with one of our friendly advisers on +44 (0)300 303 0069, or you can request a call back.

Not eligible to study for free?

Don't worry! We offer a choice of flexible ways to help spread the cost of your Access module. The most popular options include:

  • monthly payments through OUSBA
  • part-time tuition fee loan (you'll need to be registered on a qualification for this option)

To explore all the options available to you, visit Fees and Funding.

What's included

All of the study materials for this module are provided online on the module website.

You will need

You will find it useful to have a simple calculator as well as a notebook and pen for note taking and working out your answers to self-assessment questions and activities.

You may need to draw diagrams or graphs and then use either a scanner or a digital camera to produce files of these diagrams for inclusion in your assessments.

The module includes some simple home projects and a home experiment which may require some basic kitchen equipment, including a kitchen weighing scale, a means of boiling water, a 1-litre measuring jug, a clock or watch, a teaspoon, dried baker’s yeast and sugar.

Computing requirements

You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Ventura or higher.

Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.

To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).

Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.

Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It’s not available on Kindle.

It’s also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you’ll also require a desktop or laptop, as described above.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying SDK100 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages.