MSc Occupational Hygiene

Behaviour change for health, especially public health, has become one of the most prominent topics of discussion within academic and lay circles in recent times. Behaviour change encompasses all aspects of human behaviour and how they are linked to overall health including physical and mental health. Behaviour change has endless applications within and beyond health with research concentrating on how we can change individual behaviours to achieve optimal health outcomes and how to sustain changes in behaviour over a critical amount of time for behaviours to become habits. The need for a specific module in behaviour change for public health arises from the expanding interest and research on behaviour change in public health. This is a relatively new area but has had some major indicative’s which have been taken on not just in public health but across different fields. Major public organizations including the World Health Organization, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and Public Health England have either recently published specific guidelines or are in the process of collating information to form guidelines on the use of behaviour change and behaviour science in public health. Moreover, more and more industry players are focusing on behaviour change creating an ever-increasing demand on this area. Finally, a significant number of behaviour change consultancies (Behaviour Insights Team, Behavioural Architects, The Decision Lab etc.) have appeared in a short period of time outlining the growth potential in this area. 

• Introduce behavioural science within the context of Public Health
• Develop students understanding of how public health interventions can change behaviour (including the potential unintended consequences of this), and the theory behind behaviour change in public health
• Develop students understanding of how individual behaviours can contribute to public health issues

• How individual behaviours can contribute to public health issues
• How public health interventions can change behaviour (and the theory behind this)
• Understand the key methodological considerations around behaviour change/behaviour change interventions (for example the Behaviour Change Wheel)
• Developing a Behaviour change intervention for a public health issue
• Evaluating real world behaviour change interventions in public health 
• Inequalities in health and behaviour change
• The unintended consequences of behaviour change on public health 
• Engaging the public and differing specialities in the design and implementation of behaviour change interventions

This unit will include text provided by the tutors, online videos/podcasts/recorded lectures plus required and additional reading material including articles and relevant literature. Reflective study tasks, and topic-based discussions hosted on Blackboard will also be used alongside reading material and core course content. An alternative way of assessing students is proposed for the final assessment.  The final assessment will include two distinct pieces, this will include a 500 word blog describing and critically discussing a public health issue and the associated behaviours affecting the issue and then one of two options based on the initial work from the blog. This will include either a 2500 word report or a 20 minute presentation which presents the development of a behaviour change intervention. Material provided will be diverse in nature. Peer-reviewed publications will be highlighted (and accessed through the University library). Media articles and videos will also be included to demonstrate the implications and impacts of behaviour change in health both from research carried out and behaviour change implemented in the real world.

There will be regular interaction with the tutors through scheduled webinars (which will be recorded and made available) and through the online 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.

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. 

If you have any questions about the content of this unit, please contact the course unit leaders, Michaela Goodwin (michaela.goodwin@manchester.ac.uk) and Georgios Kitsasas (georgios.kitsaras@manchester.ac.uk), via email. If you have any other queries, please contact the PGT programme administrators via email on shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk.