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Programme Outline
Programme
Structure
Module
Abstracts
Prerequisites
Tuition Fees
Aims of the Programme
The aim of our MPH programme is to provide a foundation in the science and art of public health, including an understanding of the concepts of health and disease and the factors that may affect them. The knowledge, skills and attitudes you acquire will enable you to apply public health principles effectively in both research and practical contexts.
As you study, you will develop a thorough understanding of epidemiology, research, management theory and the social, political and economic implications of health – and the practical skills to apply it.
The MPH programme’s core modules cover quantitative and qualitative research methods, including skills in reviewing and critically appraising public health efforts.
You can then personalise your programme to meet your own professional needs by choosing from a wide range of specialist options. These range from Health Impact Assessment to Health Promotion, from Communicable Diseases to Public Health Nutrition.
Whatever elective modules you choose to enhance your existing knowledge, you will develop additional cognitive, communication, teamwork, research, ICT, numeracy and project planning skills that are eminently transferable within the public health field.
Your experience will be greatly enhanced by studying and collaborating with highly motivated colleagues from all over the world. Your classmates will help you acquire the management skills and new perspectives that are essential for today’s public health professionals. Their diverse backgrounds, cultures and experience, along with the academics and public health experts who are your instructors, will expose you to intercultural management skills and global best practices that will help you succeed in any organisation.
You will combine group work with independent study to develop greater confidence and improve your team-building skills. Through ongoing assessment and evaluation you will progressively improve your communication and critical thinking abilities.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the programme you will have acquired the skills to undertake and interpret public health research, both epidemiological and qualitative, and you will have a command of ethical research practice. You will be able to critically appraise health promotion practice in different healthcare systems, evaluate and design Health Impact Assessments and compare and contrast methods of health economic analysis. You will demonstrate a mastery of the issues surrounding communicable diseases, environmental threats, health and social policy and the issues facing low income countries. In doing so, you will gather, analyse and interpret information from a variety of sources and derive and apply insight from a range of disciplines to identify and respond to public health problems. You will thus acquire an excellent basis for a high-level career in public health management.
Programme Structure
The programme comprises four core modules and four electives, culminating in a dissertation. Each module lasts eight weeks and it is possible to take a break between modules, if work or other commitments demand it. You take one module at a time in order to study a specific subject in depth without distractions. The four core modules must be completed prior to undertaking the electives.
Core modules
Epidemiology & Statistics for Public Health Research
Qualitative Methods for Public Health research
Health Promotion
Management of Health systems
Elective Modules
Students must complete two of the following modules:
Health Impact Assessment
Public Health Issues in Low Income Countries
Sociology of Health & Illness
Public Health Nutrition
Health and Social Policy
Students must complete two of the following modules:
Advanced Epidemiology & Statistics for Public Health Research
Health Protection
Health Economics
Dissertation
All students will complete a dissertation
Module
Abstracts
Core modules
Epidemiology & Statistics for Public Health Research
Aim
To provide an understanding of the purpose of quantitative research and a thorough grounding in epidemiology and statistics.
Description
This module provides the context for scientific research and the skills needed to undertake epidemiological studies. Students will be able to design appropriate questions, apply statistical techniques to data and present their findings as a report.
Qualitative Methods for Public Health research
Aim
To introduce the nature and types of qualitative methods and their uses in health research.
Description
This module gives students a thorough grounding in a wide range of qualitative research methods. As a result, they will be equipped to design their own robust qualitative research proposal and analyse and present the results.
Health Promotion
Aim
To provide an understanding of the concepts of health and the principles and practices of health promotion in post-modern society.
Description
This module outlines the history and evolution of health promotion, giving students a clear understanding of its role as the core concept of new public health in post-modern society that will lead to healthy public policy.
They will learn to critically evaluate health promotion strategies, and identify the factors that affect them, as well as the significance of the social determinants on health for people’s health.
Students will gain a contextual understanding of health, well-being and human development which refers to the concepts of Salutogenesis & Quality of Life as two instructive contributions to health promotion theory and practice.
Finally they will learn how to apply project-management-methods to set up and run effective health promotion projects.
Management of Health systems
Aim
To give students a clear understanding of the development and management of health systems.
Description
This module explains the history of public health services around the world and their approaches to the assessment of need and the delivery of healthcare. Students will learn how to evaluate different systems and strategies and to apply management theory to health systems.
Elective Modules (students choose two from each group)
Group A
Health Impact Assessment
Aim
To develop an understanding of the concepts, processes and tools of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) and to value its impact on policy and decision making.
Description
This module introduces students to HIA so that they are able critically to appraise its procedures. They will learn how to apply HIA to a case study and integrate it with other forms of impact assessment.
Public Health Issues in Low Income Countries
Aim
Description: To provide a broad understanding of the major public health issues, programmes and strategies in low income countries.
Description
Through an appreciation of history, epidemiology and the delivery of the major public health programmes and strategies in low income countries, students will gain a firm understanding of the relevant public health issues.
Sociology of Health & Illness
Aim
To promote an understanding of the relationships between health, illness, healthcare and society.
Description
This module explores concepts in medical sociology and enables students to apply sociological concepts to public health problems. They will examine the social implications of illness and learn how to take into account the impact of social factors on patterns of illness.
Public Health Nutrition
Aim
To explore the role of food and nutrition in the promotion and maintenance of public health and the prevention of diet-related disease globally
Description
This module will equip students with the knowledge and skill base underpinning public health and apply this to the solution of nutrition-related problems at the community, region and international levels.
Health and Social Policy
Aim
To provide a clear understanding of different health and social policies around the world and the influences on them
Description
This module examines the widely differing policies of different countries, encouraging students to appraise them critically within a global perspective. They will learn to apply current policy formulation and approaches to a specific public health issue.
Group B
Advanced Epidemiology & Statistics for Public Health Research
Aim
To enable students to develop further knowledge and skills in the use of advanced epidemiological statistical techniques and methods of analysis in health research.
Description
This module provides students with a deeper and broader understanding of quantitative research techniques. It will equip them to interpret the findings of research studies using advanced analytical skills.
Health protection
Aim
To provide an understanding of the impact of communicable diseases and environmental hazards on the health of a population.
Description
During this module students will learn about the impact on public health of communicable diseases and environmental hazards. They will study the epidemiology of such diseases and principles of prevention and control, including their application. Students will also learn how to apply epidemiological and health protection principles to the investigation of hazards to health and how to plan for public health emergencies.
Health Economics
Aim
To promote an understanding of the context, relevance, uses and limitations of health economics.
Description
This module provides a foundation in health economics. It will enable students to identify, interpret and evaluate health care in the economic context, with particular attention to its application in practice.
Dissertation
Aim
To undertake a piece of
original public health research to
demonstrate your mastery and
integration of knowledge you have
acquired during the programme.
Description
At the culmination of the
programme students undertake an
original, research project in an area
of public health that applies the new
knowledge and experience gained
during the taught programme, including
your understanding of quantitative or
qualitative research methods.
Prerequisites
The programme is available to any University graduate in a health or health-related profession, and also to non-health graduates and others approved by the University.
This will normally include:
Graduates in medicine of an approved university who have not less than
one year (and preferably longer) post-registration professional experience
Other health-related graduates of an approved university or other institution who have not less than two years of professional experience
Non-health-related graduates, and others who have satisfied the requirements of approved exam boards, or have satisfied the University that they are suitably qualified to undertake a postgraduate programme. They must have at least two years approved professional experience in a health related field, and either completed the final examination of an approved professional institution, or obtained some other qualification approved for this purpose by the University
In addition, applicants require a GCSE Grade C or GCE O Level pass in Mathematics and English, or an equivalent qualification.
Applicants from outside the UK will also normally be required to have passed the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) examination or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test before commencing the programme.
The following standard is required:
an overall score of at least 6.5 for IELTS and 550-575 (paper-based), 213-232 (computer-based), 84 (Internet-based) for TOEFL
both the reading and writing elements of IELTS must be scored at least at the level of 6.5 and of the TOEFL Internet based test must be scored at least at 22. Paper based and computer based TOEFL results that are in the above overall minimum ranges will be assessed on an individual basis.
the IELTS reading and writing tests taken by candidates must be the Academic Reading and Academic Writing tests.
Please refer to these websites if you need to arrange a test: http://www.ielts.org/default.aspx or http://www.ets.org/toefl
* Applicants that do not directly meet the educational
requirements will be evaluated on an individual basis.
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