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Master of Public Health

2024-25 (also available for 2025-26)

This course is eligible for Master's loan funding. Find out more.

Start date

16 September 2024

6 January 2025

Duration

1 year full-time
2 years part-time

Places available (subject to change)

20

About the course

Reasons to study

  1. This course is not just focused on academia, but also on developing a Public Health workforce of the future. Our teaching team is motivated and committed to ensuring you achieve your full potential.
  2. It aims to develop and enhance your current knowledge of public health, strategic thinking and leadership skills.
  3. Our international team are actively involved in public health research, ensuring you develop the skills required to become a public health professional who can deliver at local, national and international level.

This specialist course was designed in response to the demands presented by international and UK government policy and practice, public health and health promotion. It is aimed at both UK and international students and provides a truly global public health perspective. It will be of particular interest to those individuals and professionals who aspire to become leaders in and influence the public health agenda in the UK and overseas.

  • The course offers you the opportunity to develop and enhance your current knowledge of public health, strategic thinking and leadership skills, whilst examining the changing political landscape of public health environments both in the UK and internationally.
  • You will study alongside a diverse range of students from both clinical and non-clinical backgrounds from the UK and overseas, bringing a richness to the course which will enhance your learning.
  • A range of innovative assessment approaches will be used which have been designed to prepare you to work in leadership roles within the public health field, using evidence-based practice.
  • You will be taught by a team of passionate academics who have a wealth of skills, expertise and professional credibility related to contemporary public health both in the UK and overseas. The course benefits from regular speakers from local and central UK government agencies such as Public Health England and the Department of Health.
  • Additional support will be provided for the enhancement of academic and curriculum skills such as academic writing skills, presentation skills and personal journal development.

Not only do future Public Health professionals graduate from this course, but it also provides a clear platform for those wishing to commence doctoral studies. Upon successful completion of this course you could undertake work experience within Public Health through the Master of Public Health (Advanced Practitioner) route.

Course detail

Introduction to Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods

This module provides the theoretical and conceptual foundation for Master’s level research study within Public Health. The module provides the opportunity for you to develop key skills to understand and critically evaluate quantitative and qualitative research, including data collection and analysis methods. You‘ll be assessed through coursework.

Introductory Statistics for Public Health

This module introduces you to a range of statistical techniques used for the analysis of quantitative data used in public health. You’ll learn about the treatment of regression in settings where several independent variables may be assessed or where the outcome is binary. You’ll also study treatments applicable to the analysis of multivariate data sets. The emphasis will be placed on the practical application of such techniques through the use of the statistical software SPSS.

Principles of Public Health

Public Health has a pivotal role in promoting and protecting the health and wellbeing of the public. It aims to prevent poor health, eradicate disease and increase longevity through population based interventions and activities. Through an exploration of public health concepts, approaches to protect and promote health and examination of the broader influences on health and healthcare provision, you’ll be encouraged to think strategically, whilst developing a broad understanding of public health.

Health Promotion and Health Improvement

Health promotion aims to promote the health and wellbeing of individuals and groups within the community and the wider population. It includes a wide spectrum of social and environmental practices and interventions that are directed at protecting individual people’s health and improving their quality of life. Through an exploration of health promotion theories, concepts, models and approaches you will develop a critical understanding of leadership and management in health promotion within the wider public health sector. Whilst focusing on the efficacy of health promotion practice, you will be encouraged to critique contemporary health promotion interventions.

Epidemiology

This module provides the opportunity to learn about the definition, scope and history of epidemiology and the fundamental strategies of epidemiological research. You’ll cover different types of epidemiological studies, and how to measure them. This will include approaches for assessing the validity of statistical associations and making judgements about causality; as well as exploring measures of disease frequency and association. You’ll study the strengths and limitations of different study types and the methods used to analyse them. You’ll also learn about the principles of screening and diagnostic testing and the analysis of survival data in the context of an epidemiological study.

Communicable Disease

Communicable diseases are a major threat to public health. This module provides the opportunity for you to develop an understanding of the principles of epidemiology, health surveillance, outbreak and incident management, common infectious diseases (global and local), the role of public health bodies and infection prevention and control teams in the prevention and management of communicable diseases. The module also explores the prevention of healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the context of public/patient safety.

Global Public Health

This module provides the opportunity to critically explore the place of public health and leadership in a global context. You’ll address the ways in which the contemporary processes of globalisation impact upon public health policy. An exploration of key global health organisations (eg Government, Non-Government, World Health Organization, and United Nations) will be used to illustrate how health inequity, social justice and social determinants of health impact different populations at a global level. You’ll also reflect on and debate key global public health issues.

Humanitarian; Disasters & Emergencies: Response and Recovery

This module presents a theoretical framework for understanding the impact of natural and man-made disasters which may cause a humanitarian disaster. It draws on the history of humanitarian aid, disaster risk and management and real life scenarios to build a comprehensive picture of the skills and knowledge required for an effective humanitarian response.

Public Health Project

This module provides the opportunity to develop the theoretical knowledge of systematic searching, critical appraisal and synthesis of published research which you will apply to the final project on a public health topic of your choice. You’ll study topics in relation to search strategies, online sources of knowledge, critical analysis and appraisal, policy evaluation, publication planning as well as quantitative and qualitative data collection and synthesis methods. Your project will be either a literature review using a systematic approach, empirical study or practice/service audit or service evaluation. You’ll also critically review the literature and synthesise the work of different authors in order to draw new conclusions, taking into account your judgement of the strength of the evidence they produce.

Entry requirements

An honours degree (2:1 or above) or equivalent in a subject relevant to public health, such as health professional qualifications, social science subjects, applied sciences, business, leadership, management or administration. Applicants with an honours degree at 2:2 may be considered where the applicant has at least 1 year public health working experience, such as health education, health promotion and improvement, clinical health experience, government or non-governmental organisations, policy development and other health-related fields.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.5 overall with no element lower than 6.0, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our Where are you from information pages.

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Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you'll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you'll soon discover that you're never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey. Find out more about all our support services.

Important information

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

When you enrol as a student of the University, your study and time with us will be governed by our terms and conditions, Handbook of Regulations and associated policies. It is important that you familiarise yourself with these as you will be asked to agree to them when you join us as a student. You will find a guide to the key terms here, along with the Student Protection Plan.

Although we always try and ensure we deliver our courses as described, sometimes we may have to make changes for the following reasons

Changes to a course you have applied for but are not yet enrolled on

If we propose to make a major change to a course that you are holding an offer for, then we will tell you as soon as possible so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application prior to enrolment. We may occasionally have to withdraw a course you have applied for or combine your programme with another programme if we consider this reasonably necessary to ensure a good student experience, for example if there are not enough applicants. Where this is the case we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible and we will discuss with you other suitable courses we can transfer your application to. If you do not wish to transfer to another course with us, you may cancel your application and we will refund you any deposits or fees you have paid to us.

Changes to your course after you enrol as a student

Changes to option modules:

Where your course allows you to choose modules from a range of options, we will review these each year and change them to reflect the expertise of our staff, current trends in research and as a result of student feedback or demand for certain modules. We will always ensure that you have an equivalent range of options to that advertised for the course. We will let you know in good time the options available for you to choose for the following year.

Major changes:

We will only make major changes to non-optional modules on a course if it is necessary for us to do so and provided such changes are reasonable. A major change is a change that substantially changes the outcomes, or a significant part of your course, such as the nature of the award or a substantial change to module content, teaching days (part time provision), type of delivery or assessment of the core curriculum. For example, it may be necessary to make a major change to reflect changes in the law or the requirements of the University’s regulators or a commissioning or accrediting body. We may also make changes to improve the course in response to student, examiners’ or other course evaluators’ feedback or to ensure you are being taught current best practice. Major changes may also be necessary because of circumstances outside our reasonable control, such as a key member of staff leaving the University or being unable to teach, where they have a particular specialism that can’t be adequately covered by other members of staff; or due to damage or interruption to buildings, facilities or equipment, or pandemics.

Major changes would usually be made with effect from the next academic year, but may happen sooner in an emergency. We will notify you as soon as possible should we need to make a major change and will carry out suitable consultation. If you reasonably believe that the proposed change will cause you detriment or hardship we will, if appropriate, work with you to try to reduce the adverse effect on you or find an appropriate solution. Where an appropriate solution cannot be found and you contact us in writing before the change takes effect you can cancel your registration and withdraw from the University without liability to the University for future tuition fees. We will provide reasonable support to assist you with transferring to another university if you wish to do so.

In exceptional circumstances, we may, for reasons outside of our control, be forced to discontinue or suspend your course. Where this is the case, a formal exit strategy will be followed in accordance with the student protection plan.

The Office for Students (OfS) is the principal regulator for the University.

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