Public Health (Postgraduate Certificate-Diploma-MA)
Objectives# To critically analyse the links between social, economic, biological and environmental determinants of health # To explore the social and political contexts of public health activity and policy, including health protection and ethical decision making # To enable students to critically appraise a range of interventions to improve health # To consider the principles, practice and effectiveness of partnership working in public health and community development # To enable students to critically appraise methods of measuring, describing and monitoring population health and disease # To develop the knowledge and skills necessary for the planning and management of public health programmes # To provide a strong central theme of research and evaluation in order to allow students to fully comprehend the nature of evidence-based public health.
Entry requirementsCOURSE INFORMATION This programme is aimed at those who wish to develop their careers in public health. It will also benefit those who wish to improve their ability to promote the health of the public as part of their current professional role. The programme has been designed to reflect key public health competencies.
Academic titlePublic Health (Postgraduate Certificate/Diploma/MA)
Course description The programme is part of the School's Postgraduate Framework (PGF). MPH students will study three research modules (core to the PGF) and five public health modules, one of which will be selected from a range of options.
Students may exit after 1 year of study (PG Certificate - 60 credits) or continue to PG Diploma (120 credits) or Masters level (180 credits). The MPH may be achieved in 2 or 3 years of part-time study. The public health modules are available as stand-alone components for which students will receive academic credit.
Year 1
# Research skills: approaches to evidence and enquiry
# Population health and well-being
# Epidemiology and health protection
# Partnerships working for health.
Year 2
# Research skills: design and method (this module may be taken during the summer for MPH students taking 2 year option)
# Leadership and management in public health.
Options may include:
# Communicating and educating for health
# Maternal and infant issues in public health
# Health Development: a global perspective
# Identifying and managing own learning
Other options which may be available are:
# Health economics
# Health protection
# Health services research
# Management of post-disaster physical and mental trauma.
Year 2/3
Students have a choice of three pathways to their Masters award - Empirical project - Practice project - Systematic review.
COURSEWORK AND ASSESSMENT
The teaching and learning strategies used on the programme will be creative and varied. Students will experience lectures, seminars, group work case studies, problem-solving exercises, skills development sessions (IT and statistics), project-related work (facilitated by personal supervision), directed and independent study.
Students will be encouraged to reflect on current public health concerns and practice issues in the light of new learning and to apply this new learning in the workplace or practice.
The assessment methods used in the programme will be flexible enough to allow all students, whatever their professional or academic background, to draw on their public health experience. The actual assessment formats will vary in order to allow students to fully demonstrate their learning from each module. Assessment methods will include essays, project proposals, public health project plans, group and individual presentations, and a dissertation