Public Health – MSc

Why study this course?

The Public Health MSc focuses on wider determinants of health and wellbeing, and is ideal for anyone interested in working to improve population health and health promotion, whether within the NHS, community organisations, government or related agencies. Based on the view that public health strategies reach far beyond the healthcare system, it provides a comprehensive coverage of the twenty-first century complexities of both national and international public health.

More about this course

The course will develop your critical understanding of the impact of social determinants of health on populations and the range of political, social, economic, environmental and health interventions that might improve population health.

You’ll evaluate key principles and concepts that underpin public health developments and interpret evidence crucial for decision-making and problem-solving in public health policy and practice. You’ll also understand the ethical dimensions of public health and develop critical reflective abilities and moral responsibility for population health.

A master’s degree in public health will provide you with the multi-disciplinary learning and teaching environment that will help you become effective public health professionals and leaders capable of examining situations from multiple perspectives, participating in pro-social action and improving awareness of your own and other cultures to a high level of global consciousness.

Please note: You will be required to complete all of the core modules and two optional modules, achieving 180 credits in total. A full-time programme of study will consist of 60 credits per semester, normally made up of two core modules and one optional module, followed by the dissertation project. The modules are timetabled to run in the evenings with some optional modules delivered in the afternoons

Accreditation of Prior Learning

Any university-level qualifications or relevant experience you gain prior to starting university could count towards your course.

Modular structure

The modules listed below are for the academic year 2022/23 and represent the course modules at this time. Modules and module details (including, but not limited to, location and time) are subject to change over time.

Year 1 modules include:

Health Improvement (core, 20 credits)

Healthcare Public Health (core, 20 credits)

Introduction to Epidemiology (core, 20 credits)

Public Health Dissertation (core, 60 credits)

Research Methods for Health and Social Care (core, 20 credits)

Ethical Issues in Healthcare (option, 20 credits)

Health Protection: Principles and Practice (option, 20 credits)

Health in the City (option, 20 credits)

Interprofessional Practice (option, 20 credits)

Managing Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace (option, 20 credits)

Strategic Planning and Change Management (option, 20 credits)

Understanding the Policy Process (option, 20 credits)

Wellbeing in Later Life (option, 20 credits)

Where this course can take you

Completion of the course provides a wide career pathway in population health. Graduates have gone on to positions within the National Health Service (NHS organisations, community organisations, government agencies, local authorities, health promotion agencies, human rights agencies, health sectors abroad, international health institutions, academia, the business and voluntary sectors). Some graduates also undertake advanced research studies.