Masters Degrees (International Public Health)

Course Overview

​This programme focuses on the application of the key principles of multidisciplinary public health practice to the breadth of 21st Century public health challenges. Our aim is to develop reflective public health practitioners capable of designing, implementing and evaluating community-focussed public health interventions – in Wales, the UK and internationally.

In this programme we will challenge your preconceptions and practice, developing your knowledge, skills and competences, helping you develop as a reflective public health practitioner. We place a strong emphasis on your own area of practice, and encourage you to base your studies on the issues and situations you face in your own field.

The programme has been designed to meet the needs of a wide range of public health practitioners, professionals, community workers and volunteers working to achieve improvements in the wider determinants of health. Our objective is to support you in further developing your public health knowledge and skills in order to improve your current and future practice, and enhance your career options.

The programme is aimed at anyone with an interest in improving the full range of social, economic and environmental determinants of health: for example, people working in education, health promotion, housing, transport, leisure, environmental health, community development, health & wellbeing partnerships, planning, social services, school nursing, and health visiting (not an exhaustive list!). We welcome applicants from all sectors: public, private and the voluntary & independent sector. The programme retains an international focus, addressing public health issues faced around the world, as well as in Wales and the UK.

See the website https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/health/courses/Pages/Applied-Public-Health---MSc.aspx

​Course Content​​

The course is designed as a Masters programme but it has exit points at both postgraduate certificate & diploma level. Reflective practice is integrated into the programme: we’ll encourage you to reflect upon your learning as you progress, culminating in an assessed reflective statement demonstrating the integration and development of your learning and practice through the course of your studies. The dissertation also incorporates a reflective practice element. The programme is available on a part-time and full-time basis; you can also apply to study individual modules on a CPD basis.

For the Postgraduate Certificate, you’ll complete the following modules:
- Assessing Health, Wellbeing & Inequity (20 cred​its): Assess, evaluate and communicate information about the health and wellbeing of populations & communities

- Health Risk Perception & Communication (10 credits): Appraise the sociocultural, emotional and psychological factors that influence responses to threats to population health and wellbeing

- Public Health Policy Development (10 credits): Evaluate the political, social and economic framework within which policies influencing health & wellbeing are developed

- Applied Research Methods and Design (20 credits): Develop the qualitative and quantitative research skills necessary to undertake research and evaluate interventions and day-to-day practice.

For the Postgraduate Diploma, you’ll undertake the above modules, plus the following modules:
- Frameworks for Public Health Intervention (30 credits): Explore approaches to intervention for the protection and improvement of health and wellbeing, and integrate learning from across the programme in the development a coherent multidisciplinary intervention on an identified public health issue.

- Health Protection (20 credits): Assess, prevent and manage risks to health arising from the general environment, communicable disease and environmental health hazards.

- Reflective Public Health Practice (10 credits): Reflect on your learning, practice and experiences in order to evidence the development of your professional public health practice.

To obtain the MSc, you will also complete a Dissertation (60 credits): Design, plan and undertake a piece of independent applied research, and present the findings.

Learning & Teaching​

- ​Course Delivery
Attendance for taught modules is usually one evening per week (part time) or two evenings per week (full time). SHS7000 Applied Research Methods & Design is currently delivered as a blended learning module over four contact days, two days in the autumn term (October) and two further days in the spring term (February), supported by e-learning materials and activities. The APH7008 Health Protection module follows a similar approach, being taught via three 2-day short courses spread through the academic year (November, February, April), plus an assessment day in May.
During your dissertation studies, you will attend research project workshops and be allocated individual supervision time. These usually begin in March (of the 2nd year of study for part-time students).

- Learning & Teaching Activities
The teaching and learning strategy for the programme places a strong emphasis on application of theoretical frameworks to real problems and situations, and allows for substantial student input and discussion. During the programme you will engage with a variety of learning & teaching activities, including:

- Lectures
Lectures will be used to provide you with a framework of ideas and theory, into which you can fit material obtained from independent study and tutorials. Whilst lectures are seen as opportunities for imparting key information they are also intended to be interactive, and debate is encouraged.

- Seminars
These will provide you with the opportunity to discuss problems related to specific subjects. Group seminars will enable you to share experiences and discuss, analyse and evaluate possible solutions.

- Workshops
Tasks will be set requiring you to work together to develop problem solving strategies and to analyse issues.

- Student Symposia
Learning activities led by students will form part of the programme. You will be required to develop and present short papers and facilitate discussion relating to specific issues.

- Case Studies
These sessions will present a case for discussion based on previous events, and you’ll be expected to analyse the situation and suggest appropriate public health interventions in response. These studies will be aimed at improving your skills with respect to the analysis of problems and the synthesis and evaluation of solutions.
Preparation for such a case study may include the following:
- Presentation of available data and information about the case.
- Group discussions, tutorial and individual learning to enable you to identify the problem and synthesise possible solutions.
- Discussions and lectures with relevant professionals to understand the rationale behind the adoption of specific solutions.
- Debriefing by way of tutorials and seminars.

- Contact Time and Self-Directed Learning
The direct contact time between student and tutor varies from module to module. Generally, unless otherwise stated on the module guide, 10 credit modules will include up to 18 hours contact time and 20 credit modules will include up to 36 hours contact time. An exception to the above is APH7010 Frameworks for Public Health Intervention, which includes student-led group work supported by keynote lectures.

In addition to direct contact time you are generally expected to undertake a further 3-4 hours of self-directed learning for every 1 hour of contact time.

- Introduction to Academic Skills
Included within the introduction to the programme is an introduction to the academic skills needed to study at Masters level. This includes the provision of specific e-learning material, a formative assignment and access to a Personal Tutor.

- Moodle
You can access programme material both on and off campus via Moodle, the University’s virtual learning environment. This includes access to lecture presentations, recommended and required reading, group forums, e-portfolios and a range of other learning and teaching resources specific to the modules and programme.

- Personal Tutors & Professional Development
In addition to a general open door policy, we encourage you to meet with the Programme Director and tutors regularly throughout the programme to discuss feedback on assignments and the development of academic skills.
You’ll be an allocated a Personal Tutor at the beginning of the programme, who you can work with to develop your academic skills and consider how you can integrate your learning experiences with your own professional development needs and aspirations. Your aspirations for professional development will be discussed during the induction to the programme. Support and guidance will then be tailored throughout the programme to ensure that you are best able to fulfil your chosen professional development needs.

Assessment

To reflect the applied nature of study, the programme contains no unseen written examinations. Instead, teaching and assessment will focus on case studies, exercises & scenarios reflecting contemporary issues in public health practice, often located within your own professional experience and environment. Examples of assessment tasks include: reports, essays, briefings, oral presentations, group work, observed practice scenarios, online tests and posters.

Throughout the programme, the assessment tasks we set will encourage you to select specific topics of study that are relevant to your interests and practice. For example, in the Assessing Health, Wellbeing and Inequity module, you will be asked to assess and evaluate the health and wellbeing of a specified population (in general or focussed on a specific issue/range of issues). You’ll be free to select a population and issue of professional and/or personal interest to you.

Employability & Careers​

The promotion, protection and improvement of public health are key objectives for the Welsh Government, UK Government and at an international level, as exemplified by the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.

Our programme is closely mapped to Levels 6 & 7 of the Public Health Skills & Knowledge Framework - the recognised competence framework for public health at all levels in the UK. The programme provides the underpinning knowledge to enable you to pursue UK Public Health Practitioner registration (which requires completion of an assessed portfolio through a recognised development scheme, such as that operated by Public Health Wales – see http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/888/page/49062 for details). We are also working on a project with Public Health Wales to develop and pilot a scheme to enable recognition of Advanced Practice (Public Health), supported by work-based learning.

If you'd like to find out more about career development opportunities in public health, we strongly recommend the PHORCAST website - http://www.phorcast.org.uk/.

Graduates from the programme have progressed to advanced positions in their chosen specialist career areas. Examples of roles our graduates have attained include:
- Project lead for Safeguarding, Public Health Wales
- Director of Business Performance for a large UK voluntary organisation
- Senior Project Co-ordinator, mental health charity
- Public Health Fellow (American India Association) and Project Manager, Tata Steel Rural Development Society
- Senior Public Health Practitioner, Public Health Wales
- Community Health Advocate
- Environmental Health Team Leader, Welsh local authority
- Program Manager, Maternal and Child Health, Pakistan non-profit organisation
- Data and Information Officer, research funding organisation
- Project Co-ordinator, community regeneration charity
- Lecturer in Health, Wellbeing and Sport, Welsh university
- Service Improvement/Change Manager at NHS Wales

Graduates have also progressed to further study on research degrees leading to MPhil and PhD qualifications.

The programme team are currently investigating opportunities for accrediting the programme with the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (http://www.iuhpe.org) and the Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation (http://www.aphea.net/). We will provide further updates on this process as it progresses.

Find information on Scholarships here https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/scholarships

Find out how to apply here https://www.cardiffmet.ac.uk/howtoapply

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Take advantage of one of our 100 Master’s Scholarships to study Public Health and Health Promotion at Swansea University, the Times Good University Guide’s Welsh University of the Year 2017. Postgraduate loans are also available to English and Welsh domiciled students. For more information on fees and funding please visit our website.

The Public Health and Health Promotion course aims to:

• enable students to gain theoretical knowledge in relation to public health and health promotion, research and practice insight
• completion to MSc level further enables the student to complete a primary research study of relevance to public health and health promotion

The Public Health and Health Promotion course is mapped to the National Occupational Standards, Public Health Career Framework and contributes to attainment of practitioner and/ or specialist public health status (UKPHR).

Key Features of Public Health and Health Promotion

Teaching and Employability:

- students will be able to critically evaluate theoretical and philosophical perspectives underpinning public health and health promotion
- develop students’ research knowledge and skills in research methods, utilising evidence and disseminating research findings to inform public health and health promotion practice
- a unique advantage of the programme is its application to practice and the inclusion of practice observation

The Public Health and Health Promotion course focuses on public health and health promotion and is both research-led and practice driven.

The Public Health and Health Promotion course develops students’ skills to provide students with relevant health information and the skills necessary to achieve change and to influence health policy at all levels.

The Public Health and Health Promotion programme covers historical background, current developments and future direction potentials of relevance in health and innovation in public health and health promotion practice.

A particular strength of the Public Health and Health Promotion course is the short observation placement module, enabling students to experience an area of practice interest as part of their development.

Students on the Public Health and Health Promotion course also undertake a primary research study as a requirement for completion to MSc qualification.

Modules

Modules on the Public Health and Health Promotion course typically include:

Developing Programmes and Evaluation
Health Protection
Foundations in Health Promotion
Foundations in Research
Public Health Practice
Public Health Evidence and Epidemiology
Management and Leadership for Public Health Practice
Public Health Ethics

Public Health and Health Promotion Course Structure

Full-time Public Health and Health Promotion students will study two days a week (Wednesdays and Fridays) from October to April and dissertations submitted in September of the same year. Part-time Public Health and Health Promotion students will study one day a week (Wednesdays in the first year, Fridays in the second year) over two years, and dissertations are submitted in September of the third year. All modules are core and therefore required to be successfully passed, there are no optional modules available in the Public Health and Health Promotion programme.

Staff Expertise

Public Health and Health Promotion staff members delivering these different modules and significant contributors and are considered expert in their fields. They include:

Senior Lecturer Rachel Hopkins
Professor Jane Thomas
Dr Gill Spedding
Professor Deb Fitzsimmons
Senior Lecturer Tony Duffy
Dr Pete King
Lecturer Ruth Hopkins
Dr Stephanie Best
Dr Alison Hann
Professor Joy Merrell

Postgraduate Community

The College of Human and Health Sciences has a vibrant postgraduate community with students drawn from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. The College is known for its friendly, welcoming and supportive environment, which combined with its extensive facilities, state-of-the-art technology and superb beachside location, helps to ensure that students benefit from an exceptional student experience.

In addition, students have access to a wide range of excellent facilities and equipment for realistic workplace experiences.

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This stream provides the knowledge and skills necessary to improve the health of populations across high-, middle- and low-income settings. The emphasis is on the use, development and critical evaluation of conceptual models; evidence and methods of analysis; and on practical, effective interventions.

Graduates from this stream work in health care, health policy and public health organisations at local, national and international level in service and academic public health roles.

If your main interest is public health in low-income countries please refer to the MSc Public Health for Development.

Duration: one year full time; part-time or split-study over two years. Modes of study explained.

- Full programme specification (pdf) (http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/edu/qualityassurance/ph_ph_progspec.pdf)

This course is accredited by the Agency for Accreditation of Public Health Education in the European Region (APHEA) which is the accreditation body of the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER).

Visit the website http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/msphph.html

An additional requirement for the MSc Public Health (all streams) is some evidence of ability in mathematics, post-16 year education. Preference will also be given to applicants with relevant work experience.

Any student who does not meet the minimum entry requirement above but who has relevant professional experience may still be eligible for admission. Qualifications and experience will be assessed from the application.

Objectives

By the end of this stream students should be able to demonstrate ability to apply knowledge of the core disciplines of public health, consisting of statistics; epidemiology; health economics; and social research, to real health problems. In addition, they should be able to:

- critically assess key public health functions

- demonstrate knowledge and skills in a range of topics related to public health

- formulate, implement and evaluate appropriate policy responses to public health problems

- show competence in critically evaluating and communicating research evidence

Structure

Term 1:
Students complete the Public Health common core, consisting of four compulsory modules:

Basic Statistics for Public Health & Policy
Basic Epidemiology
Introduction for Health Economics
Principles of Social Research

In addition, students intending to follow this stream must take Issues in Public Health. The remaining module can be selected from:

Environment, Health & Sustainable Development
Health Promotion Theory
Health Policy, Process & Power
Health Services

Terms 2 and 3:
Students take a total of five study modules, one from each timetable slot (Slot 1, Slot 2 etc.). The list below shows recommended modules. There are other modules which may be taken only after consultation with the Course Directors.

- Slot 1:
Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco
Economic Evaluation
Health Care Evaluation
Health Promotion Approaches and Methods
Research Design & Analysis
Study Design: Writing a Study Proposal

- Slot 2:
Conflict and Health
Design & Analysis of Epidemiological Studies
Health Systems
History & Health
Qualitative Methodologies
Statistical Methods in Epidemiology

- Slot 3:
Applied Communicable Disease Control
Economic Analysis for Health Policy
Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases
Medical Anthropology and Public Health
Organisational Management

- Slot 4:
Analytical Models for Decision Making
Design & Evaluation of Mental Health Programmes
Environmental Epidemiology
Epidemiology & Control of Communicable Diseases
Ethics, Public Health & Human Rights
Evaluation of Public Health Interventions
Globalisation & Health
Nutrition Related Chronic Diseases
Reviewing the Literature

- Slot 5:
Principles and Practice of Public Health (compulsory)

By arrangement, students may be able to substitute specified Distance Learning modules for up to two modules in certain timetable slots. Any such substitutions will need to be discussed with the Course Directors. Full details are contained in the MSc Course Handbook.

Further details for the course modules - http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/currentstudents/studentinformation/msc_module_handbook/section2_coursedescriptions/tphe_6.html

Project Report:
Students prepare a project report during the summer months (July - August), for submission by early September.

Intercalating this course

Undergraduate medical students can take a year out either to pursue related studies or work. The School welcomes applications from medical students wishing to intercalate after their third year of study from any recognised university in the world.

Why intercalate with us?:
Reputation: The School has an outstanding international reputation in public health & tropical medicine and is at the forefront of global health research. It is highly rated in a number of world rankings including:

- World’s leading research-focused graduate school (Times Higher Education World Rankings, 2013)
- Third in the world for social science and public health (US News Best Global Universities Ranking, 2014)
- Second in UK for research impact (Research Exercise Framework 2014)
- Top in Europe for impact (Leiden Ranking, 2015)

Highly recognised qualification: possessing a Master's from the School will give you a focused understanding of health and disease, broaden your career prospects and allow you to be immersed in research in a field of your choice.

Valuable skills: you will undertake an independent research project (summer project) in your chosen topic, equipping you with research skills that will distinguish you in a clinical environment. While your medical qualification will give you a breadth of knowledge; undertaking an intercalated degree will allow you to explore your main area of interest in greater depth.

Alumni network: the School has a strong international and diverse alumni community, with more than 20,000 alumni in over 180 countries.

MSc vs. BSc: undertaking an MSc is an excellent opportunity to develop in-depth specialist knowledge in your chosen topic and enhance your skills in scientific research. Postgraduate qualifications are increasingly sought after by clinicians and possessing a Masters qualification can assist you in your future career progression.

Find out how to apply here - http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/masters/msphph.html#sixth

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International public health is concerned with public health in low and middle-income countries. Our staff have extensive international experience working in countries like Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia and Vietnam in Asia, and Ghana, Kenya and Ugandan in sub-Saharan Africa. Our courses cover control of infectious diseases such as malaria and HIV/AIDS , as well as the new epidemic of non-communicable diseases.

Our teaching staff are active within the international public health community and have practical experience working in developing countries. They regularly provide advice on graduate career placement and can facilitate a work attachment in an international environment as part of your degree.

Our strong collegial spirit means that all students have a complete and satisfying experience.

You will be in a global classroom. Our students come from all over the world, giving you the opportunity to share experiences and learn from your peers as well as from your teachers.

To ask a question about this course, visit http://sydney.edu.au/internationaloffice/

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Are you keen to improve public health and develop the knowledge required to reflect on current concerns and practice issues within this field?

Popular with both UK-based and international students, the Master of Public Health course has been specifically designed for those who wish to develop their career within public health, in addition to those looking to promote the health of the public as part of their current professional role.Health -Science

Upon successful graduation you will possess in-depth research and enquiry skills, and a critical understanding of their application in a public health employment context.

The practical application of these academic skills will equip you with the knowledge and approaches necessary to implement a broad range of interventions to improve public health outcomes in different employment contexts. For example, dealing with pandemic flu epidemics, increasing accessibility to health care services, reducing obesity or malaria rates and community development to enable disadvantaged communities.

This course is delivered on a full time basis, across a period of 12 or 18 months.

Learn From The Best

This course is taught by a team of experienced lecturers with a practice background in public health or education. We boast close links with local directors, commissioners and practitioners of public health, some of whom are employed as part of our teaching team to provide you with access to professionals that are actively working within public health.

All of our teaching staff possess the accreditations and academic qualifications required to teach, in addition to professional registrations with the Nursing and Midwifery Council or Health Care Professionals Council.

We also welcome external visiting speakers from a variety of public health contexts to contribute to lectures, enabling you learn about the current issues that are defining the public health sector.

Our team have extensive experience of working with both UK and international students and will provide ongoing guidance to support you throughout every step of this course.

Teaching And Assessment

This course will provide you with the opportunity to explore and develop your skills and knowledge of leadership, engagement and collaborative working, public health intelligence and epidemiology, public health fundamentals and research.

Teaching will be delivered via a mix of lectures and seminars, which will be supported by case studies, enquiry-based learning exercises, skills development sessions and independent study.

This course will be assessed through written work, group presentations, essays and academic posters.

You will also produce an in-depth dissertation project around a subject area of your choice. Undertaken under the supervision of a dedicated supervisor, this project will form the final stage of the assessment process.

Module Overview
AC0778 - Research: Approaches, Methods and skills (Core, 30 Credits)
AC0780 - Leadership and Collaborative Working in Public Health and Healthcare (Core, 30 Credits)
AC0782 - Public Health Fundamentals: Concepts, Theories and Frameworks (Core, 30 Credits)
AC0783 - Public Health Intelligence and Epidemiology (Core, 30 Credits)
PP0723 - Project Feasibility Study Dissertation (NotDefined, 60 Credits)
PP0727 - Empirical Project (NotDefined, 60 Credits)
PP0728 - Practice Project (NotDefined, 60 Credits)
PP0729 - Systematic Appraisal (NotDefined, 60 Credits)

Learning Environment

This course is based at our Coach Lane campus and our facilities are some of the most advanced in the country and allow us to ensure your learning evolves in-line with the latest developments in the industry.

Technology is embedded throughout all aspects of your degree and you will receive ongoing support through our innovative e-learning platform, Blackboard, where you can access module handbooks, assessment information, lecture presentation slides and reading lists. Key lectures will also be recorded to allow you to listen again.

If English is not your first language you will also have access to the English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) programmes to help you develop your English language, academic writing and study skills.

Research-Rich Learning

Research-rich learning is central to the structure of this course and our research-active staff will use examples from the latest studies and their own research to develop your critical understanding and thinking.

You will be encouraged to critically examine and comment on the philosophical underpinnings, methodologies and methods applied to public health studies and begin to design a research proposal to form the basis for your dissertation - a project of self directed study that requires you to undertake independent enquiry around a subject area of your choice.

Northumbria University is ranked in the top quartile in the UK for its research power in Allied Health Sciences and Nursing.

More than 80% of research activity in Allied Health Sciences and Nursing is rated as world-leading or internationally excellent (REF 2014).

Give Your Career An Edge

The Public Health and Wellbeing department works in partnership with local and national services and organisations to produce independent public health and healthcare professionals who are competent, confident, compassionate and able to meet and exceed the professional, statutory and regulatory body standards required of them.

Our partnership with those actively involved in public health will enable you to interact and network with professionals who are currently working within public health, in addition to allowing you to further understand how the skills taught on this course apply to a real working environment.

The Master of Public Health course provides a good foundation for you to develop a portfolio at the level required for your particular role, if you so wish. For those pursuing the specialty training for registrars / supervisors the learning from the course will inform your portfolio development route (Faculty of Public Health 2015).

This course’s modules have been aligned to reflect the core and defined areas of the UK Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework (2013) and the Faculty of Public Health’s (2015) six domains of public health practice.

Your Future

Upon graduation you will possess the skills required for leadership, management and system-based thinking in public health, all of which will enhance your ability to lead and manage in a variety of public health organisations in the UK and worldwide.

The Master of Public Health qualification is a national and internationally renowned degree that will help you seek employment in public or government services, voluntary organisations, non-governmental organisations and research posts both in the UK and abroad.

Former alumni have gone on to work for non-governmental organisations, hospital management, voluntary and charitable organisations and health improvement posts.

Completion of this course also provides an excellent grounding for progression to PhD or professional doctorate studies.

96% of graduates from Public Health and Wellbeing courses are in work or further study within the first six months of graduation.

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About the course

The overall aim of the MSc in Public Health and Health Promotion is for students to gain advanced skills, principles and knowledge in public health and health promotion whilst also developing a critical and multidisciplinary approach to the complexities of public health and health promotion challenges and possibilities.

The programme reflects the multidisciplinary nature of public health and health promotion and includes:

health promotion
global public health
health policy
politics, sociology
psychology, communication
advanced academic and research skills.

You will develop your knowledge in public health and health promotion as well as build your research skills.The programme has an active learning and research-led approach.

Aims

The MSc programme in Public Health and Health Promotion allows students to:

Investigate the scope and nature of contemporary public health and health promotion at the local, national and global levels, focusing on its development, current priorities and future challenges.

Explore the major determinants of health and explore ways to promote public health and health promotion that address social and economic inequalities, are culturally sensitive, and promote values of social justice.

Build knowledge and skills in reflective practice, research, communication, transferable skills and working in groups.

Develop knowledge and skills in the principles and complexities of using evidence, including researching, analysing and evaluating health information and policy.

Explore a multidisciplinary approach to public health and health promotion.

Examine ethical, political, societal and cultural dilemmas that arise in public health and health promotion.

Provide the opportunity to conduct an empirical research project in a contemporary issue associated with public health and health promotion.

Course Content

The MSc Public Health and Health Promotion has been specially designed to give you up-to-date knowledge and the necessary skills to be able to understand and apply your learning in analysing evidence, assessing need, planning, implementation and the evaluation of public health and health promotion in a range of contexts.

A key focus is the development of a theoretical, conceptual, historical and critical understandings of public health and health promotion.
This understanding will be applied to an analysis of ethical, political and policy debates informing health promotion and public health practice.

You will need to complete eight study blocks that lead to six assessments and a 15,000 - 18,000 word dissertation to achieve the MSc Public Health and Health Promotion.

Compulsory modules:

Global Public Health
Health Promotion
Health and Society
Evidence and Communication
Health Policy, Politics and Social Justice
Implementing Change in Public Health and Health Promotion
Research in Practice
Approaches to Research
Dissertation

Teaching

Experts at the forefront
The programme draws upon lecturers within public health and health promotion, the wider university and external specialist experts. The teaching team are research active and engage in scholarly activity that informs the curriculum. There are interactions between research and teaching and learning throughout the programme.

How you will be taught
Most study and study blocks will be delivered via a combination of lectures, seminars, online resources, peer led learning, group activities and/or practical workshops, with personal study expected throughout. Typically, lecturers set out the key context, which provide underpinning theory, identify issues of debate and point to further evidence, resources and critical debate. Seminars are structured to facilitate discussion, explore further learning and promote critical thinking, including sound, evidence-based reasoning.

Self-study component
You will be expected to increasingly become self-directed in researching topics. This combination ensures that learning requires active engagement from you, in which debates are often illustrated and explored with examples from policy and practice, so that theory is clearly linked in a relevant and meaningful way to learning goals.

Active learning is recognised as essential to the development of understanding, the ability to apply theory to practice, and to the development of reflective skills. The programme incorporates online teaching and learning tools such as Blackboard Learn.

Assessment

A variety of assessment modes are employed, such as case studies, essays, presentations, written examinations and a research dissertation. Assessment techniques match the intended learning outcomes. At the start of the programme students are provided with the assessment schedule including assessment and feedback dates.

Special Features

Links between research and teaching throughout the programme.

The opportunity to undertake an empirical piece of research.

The course is one of the longest established in the UK.

The programme is highly rated for its excellence in teaching and learning.

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Public health aims to promote health, prevent disease, reduce inequalities in health, and prolong life. The population perspective of public health ensures that its practitioners are well placed to improve health wherever they are. Our Master of Public Health degree reflects the multidisciplinary nature of public health through its flexible and innovative curriculum. Our programme enjoys strong links with the NHS, its public health practitioners and other regional and national bodies, ensuring student access to some of the country's leading authorities in public health.

Why this programme

◾The University of Glasgow has provided education in public health since 1839 and has offered a diploma in public health since the early 20th century. The Master of Public Health (MPH) programme has been offered here since 1981.
◾The Master of Public Health programme is taught by academics and practitioners from a wide variety of organisations and disciplines including; Health Protection Scotland, environmental health, environmental protection, public health medicine, health economics and business/management.
◾The programme is multidiscplinary in focus attracting students with undergraduate degrees in nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and other health related specialisms.
◾Public health has a central role in guiding health care practice, influencing health policy, protecting the public, and improving population health. If you work or intend to work in an organisation which has public health responsibilities or aims to improve population health then this Master of Public Health Degree will be suited to you.
◾Public Health at the University was among the earliest academic fields to move towards a multidisciplinary range of programmes involving staff from a number of areas. Current disciplines represented include: Health promotion, health protection, sociology, psychology, epidemiology, statistics, and health economics.
◾Public health practitioners are employed in health services, academia, national and local government, the voluntary sector, as well as in international humanitarian relief. The MPH degree is recognised in most countries as an essential qualification for a career in public health.

Programme structure

You will attend interactive lectures, seminars and individual tutorials and take part in project and team work.
You will attend interactive lectures, seminars and individual tutorials and take part in project and team work.

Core courses
◾Principles of public health
◾Introduction to statistical methods
◾Introduction to epidemiology

Optional courses (three courses chosen)
◾Communicable diseases
◾Environmental health
◾Further epidemiology and statistics
◾Globalisation and public health
◾Health economics
◾Health promotion: principles and practice
◾Managing healthcare organisations
◾Oral health (this course is offered every second year)
◾Psychosocial approaches to public health
◾Qualitative research methods.
◾Research methods

If you are studying for the MPH, you will also undertake a research project of 15,000–20,000 words and your project studies here will incorporate a series of research methods lectures.

Career prospects

Career opportunities include: lecturer, health development manager, public health advisor, health programme specialists, epidemiologist, medical practitioner positions in public health, clinical university teacher, research positions.

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Public health aims to promote health, prevent disease, reduce inequalities in health, and prolong life. The population perspective of public health ensures that its practitioners are well placed to improve health wherever they are. Our Master of Public Health degree has been offered by the University for 35 years and we are now offering for the first time an online Masters in Public Health beginning in September 2016.

Why this programme

◾The University of Glasgow has provided education in public health since 1839 and has offered a diploma in public health since the early 20th century. The Master of Public Health programme has been offered here continuously since 1981.
◾The Master of Public Health programme will be taught by academics from a wide variety of organisations and disciplines including: Environmental protection, public health medicine, sociology, and health economics.
◾Public health has a central role in guiding health care practice, influencing health policy, protecting the public, and improving population health. If you work or intend to work in an organisation which has public health responsibilities or aims to improve population health then this programme will be suited to you.
◾The programme will be multidisciplinary in focus and it is envisaged will attract students with undergraduate degrees in nursing, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and other health related specialisms.
◾During each course, you will interact with your teachers and fellow students each week using online discussion boards. Your teachers will direct and observe the discussion, and respond to student questions about the course content.
◾The Master of Public Health programme will be useful to practitioners of public health and those seeking to enter this field.
◾Public Health at the University was among the earliest academic fields to move towards a multidisciplinary range of programmes involving staff from a number of areas. Current disciplines represented include: Health promotion, health protection, sociology, psychology, epidemiology, statistics, and health economics.
◾Public health practitioners are employed in health services, academia, national and local government, the voluntary sector, as well as in international humanitarian relief.

Programme structure

You will attend interactive lectures, seminars and individual tutorials and take part in project and team work.

Core courses
◾Principles of public health
◾Introduction to Statistical Methods
◾Introduction to epidemiology

Optional courses (one course chosen)
◾Communicable Diseases
◾Further Epidemiology and Statistics
◾Globalisation and public health
◾Health Economics
◾Health Promotion: Principles and Practice
◾Psychosocial Approaches to Public Health
◾Qualitative Research Methods
◾Research Methods

If you are studying for the MPH, you will also undertake a research project of 15,000–20,000 words and your project studies here will incorporate a series of research methods lectures.

Career prospects

The Masters will evidence the start of post graduate study in public health and a commitment to the field of public health. Holders of our campus based Masters in Public Health have been employed in a public health capacity prior to study. Career opportunities for those holding the MPH degree include: lecturer, health development manager, public health advisor, health programme specialists, epidemiologist, medical practitioner positions in public health, clinical university teacher, research positions.

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Programme description

Public Health is about preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the efforts of society. Whether you are already a working professional in this area, or new to the subject, this Master of Public Health (MPH) is the ideal programme for those wishing to address today’s problems in public health.

Our MPH programme provides students with an understanding of how different scientific disciplines can be used to investigate and then develop the best professional practice in epidemiology, public health and the social science of health.

After successful completion of year one, you can choose to follow a general Public Health programme or a programme specialising in the important global health area of Noncommunicable Diseases.

This programme is taught by lecturers based at the University of Edinburgh's Usher Institute, which is part of the Edinburgh Medical School. The Usher Institute is an interdisciplinary research and teaching hub which draws together researchers, clinicians and practitioners from public health, primary care and biomedical and social sciences. The Centre for Population Health Sciences, within the Usher Institute, is also a WHO Collaborating Centre for Population Health Research and Training.

This programme is affiliated with the University's Global Health Academy, an interdisciplinary network which aims to improve global health through collaborative, interdisciplinary research, education and resource development.

Programme structure

You can study to Masters, Diploma, or Certificate level. All students follow the same compulsory Year One Certificate-level courses, which provide a solid foundation in the fundamentals of public health, whilst a suite of elective courses and a specialist strand in noncommunicable diseases offer students the opportunity to explore areas of interest in more depth and to tailor the programme to their own learning needs and career goals.

Year One (Certificate)

All students take the following compulsory courses:

Epidemiology for Health Professionals (20 credits)
Health Systems Analysis (20 credits)
Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (10 credits)
Introduction to Health Promotion (10 credits)

Year Two (Diploma)

If you have satisfactorily completed the Certificate level, you can decide whether you want to follow a general Public Health programme or a more specialist programme in Public Health (Noncommunicable Diseases). Regardless of which path you decide to follow, if you would like to do a dissertation, the following courses are compulsory:
•Research Skills for Public and Global Health (10 credits)
•Introduction to Systematic Reviews (10 credits)

Year Two: Postgraduate Diploma Public Health

Students planning to do a dissertation in Year Three should choose elective courses totalling exactly 40 credits. At least 20 credits must be chosen from the elective courses list A (see below). Students not planning to do a dissertation should choose elective courses totalling exactly 60 credits. At least 40 credits must be chosen from the elective courses list A (see below).

Year Two: Postgraduate Diploma Public Health (Noncommunicable Diseases)

The following courses are compulsory for all students following the Public Health (Noncommunicable Diseases) programme:
•Introduction to Global Health (10 credits)
•Globalisation and Non-Communicable Diseases (10 credits)

Students following the Public Health (Noncommunicable Diseases) programme and not planning to do a dissertation should choose exactly 20 credits from either list A or list B of elective courses below.

Year Three (Masters)

Students who have completed the Diploma level and are eligible to progress to Year Three can choose either to take a further 60 credits of elective courses (at least 40 of which must be chosen from the elective courses list A) or to do a dissertation project (if agreed by the programme directors), worth 60 credits. The dissertation option will only be available to students who have met the stipulated academic requirements.

Students who complete the Masters degree successfully will graduate with one of the following degree titles, depending on which strand they have selected:
•Master Public Health
•Master Public Health (Noncommunicable Diseases)

Elective courses

List A:
•Project Management for Effective Global Public Health Programmes (10 credits)
•Introduction to Global Health (10 credits)
•Globalisation and Non-Communicable Diseases (10 credits)
•Public Health Epidemiology (10 credits)
•Intermediate Epidemiology (10 credits)
•Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (10 credits)
•The Global Burden of Mental Illness (10 credits)
•Palliative and End of Life Care in an International Context (10 credits)
•The Burden of Diabetes in the Developing World - Epidemiology to Strategic Management (10 credits)
•Family Medicine in Developing and Emerging Economy Health Care and its Role in Non-Communicable Disease Management (10 credits)
•HIV and Non Communicable Diseases (10 credits)
•Cultivating communities of practice: leadership and management within multi-disciplinary teams (20 credits)
•Investing in Global Health and Development (10 credits)
•Research Skills for Public and Global Health (10 credits)
•Introduction to Systematic Reviews (10 credits)
•Data Analysis (10 credits)
•Statistical Modelling (10 credits)
•Societies, Reproduction and Health (10 credits)

List B:
•Maternal Health (10 credits)
•Global Health Challenges: An Introduction (20 credits)
•Child Development and Wellbeing in a Global Context (10 credits)
•Neglected Tropical Diseases (10 credits)
•Emerging Infectious Diseases (10 credits)
•The Communication of Disease Control (10 credits)
•Water and Sanitation (10 credits)
•Principles and Practice in Public Engagement with Science (10 credits)
•Introduction to Clinical Trials (20 credits)
•An introduction to One Health (20 credits)
•Physical Activity for Health (20 credits)
•Introduction to Global eHealth (10 credits)
•Public Health Informatics (10 credits)
•mHealth in High and Low Resource Settings (10 credits)

Career opportunities

The programme will prepare you for a career in research or academia, professional public health service, clinical epidemiology, health technology assessment, public-health protection and a wide range of national and international organisations concerned with preventing disease and improving the health of populations.

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City's MSc in Health Policy helps you understand, navigate and influence the 21st century health and health care environment.

Who is it for?

City’s MSc Health Policy is the ideal route for graduates looking to start, change or develop their career within the health policy field. It combines an international focus and academic rigour with the development of practical, transferable skills that can be applied in a wide range of real-world health policy, planning and management settings.

We welcome applications from graduates (UK or international) from any academic discipline. The course is also suitable for established professionals from a wide range of backgrounds, including:
-Medical, nursing and allied health professions
-Health management and administration
-Public health
-National and local government
-National NGOs
-International agencies
-Research institutions and consultancies
-Pharmaceutical, insurance and other health-related industries.

Objectives

Health and health care policy are at the top of the political agenda around the world. People are living longer, consumers are expecting more from their health services and chronic illnesses are becoming prevalent. Medical technology is advancing rapidly, creating ever-increasing demand for the latest treatments.

Health policy affects and is affected by all of these factors. It aims to meet the growing challenges facing health systems by providing answers to such questions as:
-How can we best meet people’s changing health needs?
-How can we control spiralling health costs, while maintaining high quality and comprehensive health services?
-What is the most effective way of organising and paying for health care?
-How can we tackle inequalities in health and access to care?
-How can we measure and improve the performance of health systems?

City’s MSc in Health Policy gives you the knowledge and tools you need to understand, analyse and influence the health policy process, and to operate within an increasingly complex policy environment.

You will analyse the social, political and economic factors that affect policy at a local, national and international level. You will explore how and where policy is made, and who the key players are; and learn how to present your ideas clearly and persuasively to a range of influential stakeholders to bring about change.

Placements

You have the opportunity to do a placement, but it is not a formal requirement of the course. We encourage you to create your own. One recent student worked within the refugee camp in Calais alongside the NGO Doctors of the World as part of her dissertation research on refugee access to health care.

Academic facilities

As part of the University of London you can also become a member of Senate House Library for free with your student ID card.

Teaching and learning

You will learn through a mix of lectures, class discussions and seminars, student presentations, case study analysis, interactive computer-based exercises, a virtual learning environment (Moodle) and self-directed reading.

Lecturers are drawn from City's Schools of Health Sciences and Arts and Social Sciences. A number of distinguished external honorary and guest lecturers have also taught on the programme, including:
-Professor David Oliver (President of the British Geriatrics Society, former National Clinical Director for Older People at the Department of Health, and Visiting Fellow at the King's Fund)
-Professor Paul Burstow (Chair of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, and Minister of State for Care Services in the Coalition Government, 2010-12)
-Brigadier Tim Hodgetts CBE (Medical Director, Defence Medical Services, and former Medical Director, NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps)
-Beccy Baird (Fellow in Health Policy, the King's Fund)

City has an international reputation for academic excellence in the areas of health and food policy, health services research, health management, health economics and executive leadership across a broad range of professional disciplines. You will learn from and alongside colleagues who aim to influence health policy and lead health-related initiatives.

Modules are assessed through a combination of written coursework, group work and examination. The assessments reflect the learning objectives of the modules.

Modules

You will take five core taught modules, which cover the main topics and issues within health policy, the health policy process, the principles of policy analysis, and research methods.

You will also choose two or three further elective modules covering a range of related areas, including public health, global health and health management and leadership.

Core modules
-HPM001 The health policy process, politics and power
-PHM004 Social determinants of health
-HPM004 International health systems
-HPM006 Health economics
-HRM020 Foundations in research methods and data analysis*

Elective modules
-HRM001 Introduction to research methods and applied data analysis*
-HPM003 Health policy in Britain
-PHM001 Public health**
-PHM003 Global health**
-HMM002 Strategic management in healthcare†
-HMM008 Health innovation and change†
-HMM026 Finance and enterprise performance†
-HMM022 Management and leadership in healthcare†
-HMM025 Economic evaluation and pharma†
-APM006 Contemporary issues in mental health
-APM017 Engaging technology
-FPM001 Food and public policy

*The core module HRM020 covers basic research skills and enables you to perform entry-level statistics. It forms the first part of the 30-credit module HRM001 Introduction to research methods and applied data analysis, which goes on to cover more advanced research skills. If you choose to take HRM001, this will replace the core module HRM020.

**A maximum of one public health module (PHM001 or PHM003) may be chosen as an elective.

†A maximum of two health management (HMM) modules may be chosen as electives. Depending on module capacity, it may only be possible to take one HMM module.

Dissertation - you will also write a final health policy-related dissertation, on a topic of your choice, of between 12,000 and 15,000 words.

Career prospects

Because health and health care are such high priorities for both the public and policy makers, health policy specialists will continue to be in high demand. Therefore, if you are working or want to work within any health-related organisation in the public, private or third sectors, this course will help you develop the key transferable skills you need to succeed.

Graduates of the MSc Health Policy have gone on to a variety of policy, campaigning/advocacy and research roles within the public sector such as:
-The NHS and international ministries of health.
-NGOs and third-sector organisations including the Patients Association and a number of professional associations.
-The private sector such as consultancy, corporate communications and pharmaceutical companies.

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Overview

Taught by internationally renowned epidemiologists, experts in tobacco control, public health and health protection, the Masters in Public Health provides students with the theoretical knowledge of public health as well as the skills required for public health practice, including skills to manage, initiate, implement and assess changes.

Based in the Division of Epidemiology and Public Health, the School of Community Health Sciences has a strong record of supporting and developing professional careers through our postgraduate taught courses, and in helping our students to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to take up new opportunities in fields related to their previous qualifications.

Who is it suitable for?

The Masters in Public Health is ideal for those who work in public health related fields including health services, local authorities, voluntary sector, health service research, health information, health protection and public health specialty training.

You will gain skills that are highly valued by a range of employers. Our graduates are highly sought after for careers in national health services, government and non-government organisations, academic institutions and industry. Our former students have gone on to work in a range of careers including Directors of Public Health, Consultants in Public Health, Environmental Health, Health improvement, Mental Health and Academic public health.

What skills will you gain?

You will gain skills that are highly valued by a range of employers. Our graduates are highly sought after for careers in national health services, government and non-government organisations, academic institutions and industry. Our former students have gone on to work in a range of careers including Directors of Public Health, Consultants in Public Health, Health improvement and Academic public health.

How it works

The course is modular and can be studied over one year full-time or two years part-time.

The course has three main components, core modules relating to essential public health disciplines; optional modules, allowing you to explore your individual interests; and a dissertation, integrating the knowledge gained throughout the course.

We also offer optional in-depth courses in epidemiology, biostatistics and statistics.

Why else should I choose Nottingham?

With 20 years’ experience of public health education we offer:

- a multidisciplinary education environment
- a flexible structure to allow different pathways through the programme to masters, diploma or certificate level
- opportunities for close collaboration with the National Health Service, local authorities, Health Protection Agency (Public Health England from April 2013), and the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies
- opportunities to study with students from different countries

Be taught by national and international multidisciplinary experts, committed to research and training in investigating the occurrence, causes and prevention of disease in populations.

The Division of Epidemiology and Public Health acts as the hub of the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies (UKCTCS), a network of nine universities in the UK. The UKCTCS was established in June 2008 and includes world renowned epidemiologists in tobacco control.

What our students say

“I feel I’ve gained a huge amount from coming to The University of Nottingham. I’ve met people from all over the world who work in public health, I’ve developed my critical thinking skills, I’m completing my dissertation and I just feel overall I’ve developed my confidence and education and knowledge around public health.” Masters in Public Health

In a recent survey of students on the Masters in Public Health as well as the Masters in Public Health (International) and our MSc Applied Epidemiology, 100 % of respondents praised the enthusiasm of the lecturers, whilst 96% said the course was well-organised and that students were actively encouraged to take part in class discussion.

Key facts

- 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of the Masters in Public Health
- Our flexible modular structure allows for different pathways through the course
- We offer a wide range of optional modules
- Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and countries
- We have over 400 graduates working throughout the world
- We also offer a Postgraduate Diploma and Certificate

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Global health at Queen Mary

The MSc Global Public Health and Policy builds on models of social determinants of health and international health concepts of policy-making at the extra-territorial level. Students can specialise in areas as diverse as trade in health, global burden of disease, evidence-based policy making, pharmaceuticals, clinical trials, and ethics. Through these they will gain an understanding of the local and global policy issues impacting on public health and global health, so that they will be able to advocate more effectively on behalf of public health and public services.

This global health policy masters is part of a wider programme of study in international and global health. Underpinned by a commitment to the principles of social justice and fairness, these programmes will provide students with an understanding of the significance of the current global challenges for health care and public health, and will offer a multidisciplinary focus on global health in a time of increasing health inequalities.

Queen Mary is committed to teaching and researching global health, and has assembled for this initiative an experienced team from across the university, led by professors who have previously established and run successful and highly prestigious programmes both online and on campus. Prof Allyson Pollock is one of the UK's leading public intellectuals in medicine, and is a world authority on global health and public health policy. Prof Trish Greenhalgh is one of the international stars of general practice, a leading educationalist in international primary health and enormously influential in primary health research. The programmes are based in the Centre for Primary Care and Public Health, which is responsible for leading global health teaching in the Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, the leading UK medical school for global health in the undergraduate medical curriculum.

Who is this programme for?

The global public health and policy programme is of particular interest to public health doctors and other health practitioners in public and primary health care, but will also attract policy makers and NGO workers as well as social and laboratory scientists. Dealing with global health and policy, the programme is concerned with underlying principles, and so is of relevance to those working or planning to work locally in London, in the UK, or anywhere in the world where these principles apply, and at the local, national, or international level.

Programme outline

In the first semester modules develop the key concepts and research methods and analysis for studying global health and health systems. These present students with relevant methodological issues and challenges while providing interdisciplinary foundations. In the second semester students gain a more detailed understanding of areas of special relevance to global public health policy through the specialist module, Social Determinants of Health: Ecological Approaches, and through elective modules that allow them to focus on the aspects of public policy or global health of most interest to them.

Core modules

• Epidemiology and Statistics
• Health, Illness and Society
• Health Inequalities and Social Determinants of Health
• Health Systems, Economics, and Policy

Specialist module

• Migration, Culture and Advanced Social Determinants of Health

Elective modules

• Globalisation and Health Systems
• Public Health, International Law and Governance
• Primary Health Care: Theory and Practice
• Globalisation and Contemporary Medical Ethics
• Human Rights and Public Health
• Intellectual Property, Medicine, and Health
• Knowledge Innovation and Management

15,000 word dissertation

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Study for a Masters-level qualification at Liverpool John Moores University’s renowned Centre for Public Health. International Public Health offers a broad-based understanding of health and its social and environmental determinants.

•Masters degree available to study full time (one year) and part time (two years)
•Study at LJMU's world renowned Centre for Public Health
•Develop a broad-based understanding of health and its social and environmental determinants
•Follow a curriculum informed by key international strategies, the Sustainable Development Goals and Social Determinants of Health
•Support and guidance for placement learning opportunities
•This course will only run subject to minimum numbers

Course content focuses on public health issues in low and middle income countries although you will also, of course, gain a valuable insight into public health issues in the UK and the rest of Europe.

The course will enhance your capacity to improve the health of the populations you serve and reduce health inequality. It will also develop your critical, analytical, research, collaborative working and evaluation skills - all key requirements in the dynamic public health sector.
The Centre for Public Health offers a flexible approach to learning with full and part time study options available. Many modules are stand-alone CPD courses, helping you to plan your education around your work and family life.

With an emphasis on guided independent learning, you can expect to attend University two days a week (full time) or one day a week (part time). You can, however, spread your learning over a longer period if you prefer.

Please see guidance below on core and option modules for further information on what you will study.
Core Modules:

Intercultural Learning

Aims to introduce and enhance core learning skills within an intercultural environment. Learning to learn, study, read, write and reflect within a new environment can be challenging and particularly in a new country. Learning how to learn together, share ideas, develop key learning skills and support others are key facets of this module. The module is underpinned by thinking around the internationalisation of higher education.

International Health

Explores the idea of international health and human development. It examines both the determinants of health, and aspects of health system development. It evaluates a number of international strategies aimed at health for all and explores the role of primary health care in local level health improvement.

Global Health

Aims to examine the key processes of globalization and how they impact on the health of populations and their environments. Key public health risks are identified and their strategic response at the global level evaluated. Issues explored include: global disease, risk and surveillance; alcohol and tobacco control; globesity and non-communicable disease; HIV/AIDS; pollution and climate change.

Epidemiology

Examines the principles and tools of epidemiology and disease surveillance. These principles are then applied to an understanding of communicable and non-communicable diseases and assessment of health inequalities through tools such as health needs assessment and their role in protecting and improving population health.

Public Health: Policy and Practice

Introduces students to the concepts and underpinning theories associated with the public health approach and practices associated with the promotion and protection of population health. The module reviews historical as well as contemporary public health approaches, policies and strategies. There is a particular focus on examining health inequalities and measures to reduce them. The aim is to identify local, national and international strategic responses to both improving health and reducing health inequalities.

Research Methods

Encourages students to develop their skills as a potential producer of research, as well as their ability to systematically evaluate research outcomes from a variety of sources. In addition, students engage in a variety of data analysis techniques. The module covers quantitative, qualitative, mixed, creative and participatory methodologies.​

Option Modules:

Violence

Violence is now regarded as a critical public health concern. The impact of violence on the health of individuals, families and the wider society adds to an increasing burden of ill-health and cost to health and other welfare services. This module critically examines a range of key issues related to violence and health from international, national and local perspectives. It demonstrates the need for an interdisciplinary public health approach when addressing the causes of violence, building prevention control strategies, and promoting safety. The Public Health Institute is a World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Violence Prevention http://www.cph.org.uk/expertise/violence .

Health Improvement

Encourages students to develop knowledge and competence in the area of health improvement. The module covers a number of core health improvement approaches: health promotion, prevention, health behaviour change and community participation. It considers the relevancy and value of these approaches to different population groups from a global perspective.

Health Protection

Examines the components and structure of health protection activity. The risks to public health from both communicable and non-infectious environmental hazards are explored in detail. The infrastructure of health emergency planning is critically analysed.

Systematic Review

This module provides a complete guide and hands on approach to developing a research question and learning the methods and key processes involved in completing a systematic review. Systematic review is a cross cutting methodology which can be used in a variety of disciplines and through interdisciplinary collaboration. The module can be taken by anybody from any discipline who wants to increase their skill set in the methodology. The focus will be on application of the systematic review methods to a chosen field of investigation.​

Further guidance on modules

The information listed in the section entitled ‘What you will study’ is an overview of the academic content of the programme that will take the form of either core or option modules. Modules are designated as core or option in accordance with professional body requirements and internal Academic Framework review, so may be subject to change.

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EUCLID (Pôle Universitaire Euclide | Euclid University), an international intergovernmental organization with university mandate, offers to select students from the general public its high-level external (distance or online) degree program called the EUCLID Master in International Public Health (MIPH).

It is to date the only Master's degree program in this field by an international intergovernmental organization. Its purpose is to prepare highly qualified public health professionals able to serve in civil service, international organizations, health care institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations globally. It has a strong focus on public health in the developing world / "global south."

The program is extensive and boasts a remarkably international faculty team.

Enrollment is limited to 30 students for the 2013-2014 cycle, and begins on October 25, 2013, on a continuing basis.

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When you join this MSc course you will join a supportive and nurturing ‘community of inquiry’.

Along with your peers you will develop a critical awareness of how research processes can be applied to the study of public health, an insight into the global drivers behind health system reform, and an appreciation of policy development and implementation in developed and developing nations.

This course is for you if you seek a career in public health. There are a range of career opportunities within public health, including public health analyst, public health programme manager and public health specialist. The course can also act as a platform for postgraduate research (MPhil/PhD) study in public health and provides you with sufficient grounding for the UK Faculty of Public Health Part I examination. Upon completion of this course, all students become eligible to apply for fellow membership of the UK Royal Society for Public Health.

Intermediate qualifications available:

• Postgraduate certificate – 60 credits at Masters level
• Postgraduate diploma – 120 credits at Masters level

Visit the website: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/courses/postgraduate/next-year/public-health2#about

Course detail

• Study the principles of public health that are relevant to students from around the world, and boost your practical, critical and theoretical skills
• Explore your potential on a course that commences with two foundation units before moving onto specialist units that enable you to explore contemporary issues relating to public health policy. A final unit enables you to undertake a research project
• Develop an understanding of issues in public health principles and practice from local, national and international perspectives
• Gain an insight into the global drivers of reform in health systems and their potential impacts on future public health policy
• Benefit from a course that uses case-studies from around the world, and is based on the principle that medical professionals should improve health and prevent disease, not just provide treatment for those who are ill.

Modules

• Epidemiology in Public Health
• Ethical and Legal Issues in Healthcare
• Health and Social Care Inequalities
• Healthcare Commissioning
• Principles, Policies and Issues in Public Health
• Public Health Intelligence
• Public Health Protection
• Public Health Research Methods
• Research Project – Dissertation

Format

Teaching for each of the eight core unit is based on a series of weekly lectures and workshops. Between lectures, your learning will be underpinned by the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (BREO) which is used to provide access to additional guided learning materials and e-learning resources. After you have completed the eight core units, the dissertation unit will provide an opportunity to develop your public health research skills.

Assessment

Each unit is designed to develop your public health skills in ways which are directly relevant to the workplace. This is designed to help you in identifying, reflecting on and meeting your own learning needs.

In order to assist your future professional and career development, each assignment will require you to identify and develop a competency from the UK Faculty of Public Health framework which forms the basis of your learning and underpins your assessment. As you undertake each unit, you will be given the opportunity to develop your skills in a range of public health techniques via the assessments
.
• Formal examination (8%)
• Course work, essays (57%)
• Presentation, posters (2%)
• Dissertation (33%)

Careers

Students completing the programme will have the skills and the knowledge to enter any field of public health practice. Throughout the course the teaching, learning and assessment methods are designed to encourage you to make strong connections between your studies and your future public health practice. Case studies, healthcare datasets and exemplars from practice help you to develop and practise a broad range of skills.

Throughout the course the teaching staff will share examples from their own professional practice and/or research activity and external speakers such as public health leaders, practitioners, policy makers, researchers are invited to share their expertise.

Opportunities for shared learning with other students on the MSc in Public Health offer insights into current healthcare practices in the UK and internationally, and opportunities for peer discussion and debate.

The course can also act as a platform for postgraduate research (MPhil/PhD) study in public health.

Funding

For information on available funding, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/money/scholarships/pg

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/course/applicationform

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