Personal Professional Development (Public Health and Primary Care) / Course details

Year of entry: 2025

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Course unit details:
Health Improvement

Course unit fact file
Unit code	POPH65012
Credit rating	15
Unit level	FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s)	Semester 1
Available as a free choice unit?	No

Overview

This course unit is one of the blended options we provide. Health Improvement is the new pillar of public health that brings together the scientific and the artistic elements that are increasingly seen as part of the public health toolkit. This course unit will equip students to design, deliver, evaluate and commission services to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of patients, service-users and communities. Students will learn health promotion, epidemiology, qualitative research methods, needs assessments, equity audits, programme development, partnership working, community development, advocacy, sustainability and evaluation. Students will learn how to analyse and apply the evidence-base to improve public health in real world settings through use of a wide range of public health practices.

This blended course unit aims to enable students to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to improve health and wellbeing and to reduce health inequalities.

Aims

The unit aims to: develop the students’ understanding of health improvement, including how to find the evidence, how to appraise the evidence and how to use the evidence.

Learning outcomes

Category of outcome	Students will be able to:
Knowledge and understanding	Systematically define and critically analyse the role of health improvement activities including health promotion in the public health setting Systematically define epidemiological, qualitative and mixed research methods for public health practice including evaluation, health needs assessments, health equity audits and impact assessments Comprehensively define and critically assess the use of the Public, Patient, Professional Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) and community development with application to real life situations building advocacy Systematically define and utilise programme development and partnership working in public health interventions.
Intellectual skills	Critically analyse and evaluate the impact of health improvement on health and wellbeing Appraise and evaluate research using examples from health improvement programmes used in health both locally and globally. Apply principles of evidence based practice
Practical skills	Develop critical appraisal and competency skills in the scientific and arts applications Apply the potential for health improvement inclusion in their practice Work collaboratively on a range of activities for health improvement
Transferable skills and personal qualities	Work collaboratively to research and evaluate the impact of health improvement intervention on public health outcomes Apply knowledge in the development of innovative solutions to public health challenges

Syllabus

Introduction and definitions of Arts and Health
Introduction to epidemiology and qualitative research methods
Assessing the evidence for health improvement
Evaluating health improvement interventions
Conducting health needs assessments including epidemiological, comparative and corporate approaches
Conducting health equity audits and impact assessments

Teaching and learning methods

This blended course involves working through the course notes provided online, linked references and other online sources of information. It also involves attending a 3 day teaching residential component. You will be use self-reflection to help you think about the ideas discussed and the relevance to their everyday practice. You should work through the unit in a logical sequence using the calendar in Blackboard. It is essential you follow this guidance so that you are doing the same topic at the same time as your fellow students.

This is a mandatory course unit for students studying on the on-campus programme, or an optional course unit for students on the web-based learning programme. There will be written materials by the tutors guiding students through the course, illustrated with photographs and figures to illustrate the rich topic areas. Much of the content will be presented through reading, including peer reviewed journals (accessible through the University library), and multimedia, including videos. Students will be directed to a variety of relevant literature each week, but also encouraged to research and explore and find their own sources.

There will be regular interaction with the tutors through scheduled seminars (which will be recorded for those on the web-based option) and online through the discussion boards. Students will be encouraged to use self-reflection to think about the ideas discussed, and take part in discussion board activities. Students should work through the unit in a logical sequence. The individual course unit timetables will guide what should be done and when. Participation in the discussion boards is greatly encouraged, and can help enhance your learning experience and prepare you for your assessment.

For all students - The majority of the course will be delivered through the virtual learning platform, which will include required and additional reading, self-tests and discussion boards.

Web-based students - There will be webinars that will be recorded to allow synchronous and asynchronous learning. Web-based students may join webinars live, but it is not mandatory. Recordings will be made of all face-to-face activities and will be made available.

For on campus students - All face-to-face activities are mandatory for all students. Attendance is monitored and an escalation policy is in place for non-attendance. The tutor-led sessions will be recorded and made available for all students as part of good pedagogic practice for accessibility, revision and consolidation. We also have weekly peer-led team study sessions where you will be asked to undertake tasks linked to the course unit materials using the discussion boards.

For all students - In line with guidance from the Office for Students and Quality Assurance Agency, the programme will be augmented by the Programme Director Seminar Series to deliver study skills, written English, academic writing, research skills, critical thinking and understanding arguments, careers and employability skills, revision/assessment/examination skills including time management.

Employability skills

Analytical skills: Students will critically analyse approaches to health improvement and the resulting interventions using the principles of evidence-based practice.
Group/team working: Students are expected to play an active role collaborating with experienced trainers and other students to examine the use of health improvement in their work and setting and exit the course with a greater understanding of the issues involved as well as ideas for potential applications.
Innovation/creativity: We envisage that students who have taken this unit will become ambassadors for health improvement within their own workplace.

Assessment methods

Method	Weight
Written assignment (inc essay)	100%

Feedback methods

Students will be provided with personalised feedback for their presentation within 20 working days.

Further opportunities for formative feedback (on non-assessed work) will also be provided during a course unit.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures	35
Supervised time in studio/wksp	20

Independent study hours
Independent study	95

Teaching staff

Staff member	Role
Arpana Verma	Unit coordinator

Additional notes

If you have any questions about the content of this unit, please contact the course unit leader, Anrpana Verma, via email on arpana.verma@manchester.ac.uk. If you have any other queries, please contact the PGT programme administrators via email on shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk.

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