GGES3019 is a multidisciplinary unit designed for students with an interest in how individuals and societies understand and respond to environmental shocks and stresses, and their different capacities for adaptation. The focus of the module is on climate and weather hazards. Through lectures and seminars we will explore the key concepts of vulnerability and risk relating to environmental events. We will apply these concepts in a variety of applied contexts through case studies and seminars. Applied frameworks and real world observations lie at the heart of this module, and it is on these aspects that assessment is based. The module begins with an exploration of the key concepts that underpin adaptation, followed by an understanding of what adaptation looks like in practice, and ending with some considerations of future adaptation needs and realities. The module has a global focus and will consider adaptation in the UK and the rest of the world.
In Biomedical Engineering, it is essential to develop an in-depth understanding of human biology, anatomy and physiology, so that engineering expertise can be meaningfully applied to problems in human healthcare and disease as well as degeneration within the context of the life course. This ‘Human Biology and Systems Physiology’ module comprises a foundation in human cellular and molecular biology and how the body functions as a whole system. Particular attention will be given to five, key biological system strands: the Immune System, the Musculoskeletal System, the Cardiovascular System, the Respiratory System and Neurosensory Systems. In these key strands you will receive a more in-depth view of the relevant biology and physiology, existing concepts and models of the systems in health and in disease. Links are made throughout the module to allied engineering themes. There will be an integrated, cross-referenced, series of lecturers, first exploring the molecular and cellular characteristics of human biology, followed by multi-lecture strands covering the key human physiological systems. The system lectures will be supplemented with lectures with a biomedical engineering focus from recognised experts in the fields of tissue repair and microfluidics. The lectures will be combined with a presentation workshop and a tutorial involving team-based thematic oral presentations. This module is primarily aimed at students with an engineering and physical sciences background, wishing to apply their skills to biomedical challenges. It is not recommended for those who already have a background in medicine or biology This postgraduate module is designed to equip you with the knowledge to appreciate and understand the organisation of human physiological systems, with perspectives spanning molecules, cells, organs and their integration into functional systems. This is coupled with a mechanistic knowledge required to understand system function and the causes of disease and degeneration that represent the focus of the pre-clinical and clinical application of biomedical engineering. The module will give you the breadth of understanding and critical thinking skills to tackle modern challenges in biomedical engineering, solutions to which will deliver real clinical impact. Through this module you will be able to comprehend the nature of dysfunction of physiological systems in disease and degeneration that informs and underpins the use of biomedical engineering strategies taught throughout the other modules. The module provides opportunities for you to develop and demonstrate scientific understanding, biomedical knowledge, communication skills, and critical thinking qualities
Medical engineering requires an understanding of the human body, its structure and function in health, disease, dysfunction and with disability. This module will provide you with a conceptual background to aspects of human biology that are key in the use of healthcare technologies. We will therefore focus on some fundamental principles, such as metabolism and signalling between cells within organs and between systems and then focus specifically on systems of primary relevance in biomedical engineering, including the musculo-skeletal, cardio-vascular, respiratory and neuro-sensory systems, as well as the skin – the interface for many healthcare technology interventions. We will consider function in health and in some common impairments due to disease or injury and highlight the patients’, carers and clinician’s perspective of the condition. We will also consider the use of, or potential for, healthcare technology interventions in these conditions.
This module provides an introduction to the role human factors in Engineering. It demonstrates how the characteristics and capabilities of people can be taken into account to optimise the design of things used by people, the environments in which they live and work, and the organisation of systems.
This module provides an introduction to the role of human factors in engineering. It demonstrates how the characteristics and capabilities of people can be taken into account to optimise the design of things used by people, the environments in which they live and work, and the organisation of systems.
The investigation of human origins has been described as the intellectual romance of the social sciences. This module examines the changing ideas about our earliest ancestors and the evolution of hominin culture and biology and explores the links between the two. The development of language, art and social behaviour are also considered in some detail.
This module concerns issues in human resource management and organisational design. These are what ultimately implement the firm’s strategy. Although many organisations recognise the importance of managing the work force effectively and even "know" what approaches are effective, it is remarkable how often firms and managers fail to implement these approaches. Consequently, this module has two central themes: (1) How to think systematically and strategically about aspects of managing the organisation’s human assets, and (2) What really needs to be done to implement these policies and to achieve competitive advantage through people. The intent of the module is both to impart knowledge as well as to stimulate discussion about the values and beliefs that stand in the way of implementing this knowledge.
This module provides an understanding of human responses to sound and vibration in the environment, and how such environmental stimuli are measured and assessed. People judge the success or failure of any efforts in noise and vibration control, so their responses should be understood and anticipated. The module also shows: - The main effects of noise and vibration on people. - How to identify relevant variables and how they can be combined to make quantitative predictions of human responses to noise and vibrations. - How to use standards and regulations that have been developed to provide a framework for the objective evaluation of noise and vibration. - How to provide a basic understanding of alternative approaches to assessment that might be adopted in particular case.
Contemporary theories of global justice and international human rights law proceed from an essential common basis, i.e., placing persons in the centre of their focus and regarding them as ultimate units of moral and legal concern. Does this mean that human rights are the best tool for expressing and realizing the demands of global justice and the latter could be adequately translated into the language of human rights? The module addresses issues surrounding a complex relationship between human rights and global justice from two perspectives: first, it analyses the role of human rights in embodying and promoting principles of global justice; and second, it explores how contemporary theories and discourses of global justice can contribute to justifying, conceptualizing, and implementing human rights. The module begins with an advanced introduction into some fundamental aspects concerning global justice and human rights and their interrelation, including normative foundations, principles, major actors, institutional framework, as well as strategies, mechanisms, and practices of realisation. Following that, the module critically assesses the potential and limitations of human rights in dealing with the most pressing problems of global justice, such as colonialism and unfair domination, racism, gender discrimination, poverty and extreme inequality, unjust wars, climate change, digital divide, etc. The participants of the module will try to find out whether a (radical) reconstruction of international human rights law is necessary to appropriately respond to the global challenges and meet the needs and expectations of the current and future generations.
This hands-on specialist module provides an in-depth understanding of Human Robot Interaction (HRI), focusing on the key modalities through which humans and robots interact, including verbal, non-verbal (such as pose and affect), spatial, and tactile interactions. Students will explore the sensors and actuators enabling these modalities and examine the underlying technologies, such as automatic speech recognition, human pose estimation, emotion recognition, and multimodal algorithms. The module emphasizes critical human factors in HRI, including safety, explainability, trust, shared autonomy and decision-making, and workload management. It introduces design methodologies to create HRI studies using simulations, wizard-of-Oz style tasks and real-world experiments and participatory approaches to create interactive robotics systems widely accepted by users. The module also covers evaluation techniques using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Finally, learners will investigate real-world HRI applications and use cases, including collaborative robots (cobots), social robots, and robots for wellbeing and education, equipping them with practical skills and theoretical knowledge to design and assess advanced HRI systems.
This module will provide an overview of human sexuality, sexual behaviour, and sexual diversity.
