- UCAS course code
- B901
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Course unit details:
Introduction to Public Health
| Unit code | POPH10061 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 10 |
| Unit level | Level 1 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
This unit will explore concepts of health and wellbeing from an epidemiological, sociological and the “science and art” perspective of public health practice and discuss the determinants of health and the reasons for health inequalities. We will analyse the approaches that can be used with the aim of improving health and wellbeing of the population and develop team-working and collaboration skills through effective use of modern digital tools. We will explore how to apply evidence to inform professional practice and decision making in modern public health.
Aims
The unit aims to develop the students’ basic understanding of public health practice.
Learning outcomes
| Category of outcome | Students will be able to: |
| Knowledge and understanding | A1 Understand concepts of health and wellbeing from epidemiological, sociological and the “science and art” of public health practice A2 Understand the determinants of health and the reasons for health inequalities A3 Understand of the principles of epidemiology, health promotion and health protection to propose potential approaches for a range of public health problems A4 Understand how to apply evidence to inform professional practice and decision making |
| Intellectual skills | B1 Identify and evaluate the evidence required for public health practice B2 Develop a critically reflective approach to problem solving |
| Practical skills | C1 Find existing sources of evidence relevant to clinical and non-clinical health questions C2 Analyse approaches that can be used with the aim of improving health and wellbeing of the population C3 Develop team-working and collaboration skills through effective use of modern digital tools |
| Transferable skills and personal qualities | D1 Reflect on public health principles and applications D2 Develop communication skills to support evidence-based discussions around the concepts of health and wellbeing |
Syllabus
- What is Public Health?
- Three domains of Public Health
- Determinants of health and health inequalities
- Current and future challenges
Teaching and learning methods
The majority of the course will be through elearning which will include required and additional learning, self-tests and discussion boards. There will be 5 webinars that will be recorded to allow synchronous and asynchronous learning.
Employability skills
- Group/team working
- Innovation/creativity
- Oral communication
- Research
Assessment methods
| Formative assessment task | Length | Feedback method | Weighting within unit |
| Discussion boards | N/A | Written feedback | 0% |
| Summative assessment task | Length | Feedback method | Weighting within unit |
| Recorded presentation of public health topic | 10 minutes | Written feedback | 100% |
Feedback methods
- Students will be provided with personalised feedback on their recorded presentation of a public health topic.
- Further opportunities for formative feedback (on non-assessed work) will also be provided during the course unit.
Recommended reading
Somerville, Margaret, K. Kumaran, and Rob Anderson. Public Health and Epidemiology at a Glance . Second edition. Chichester, [England: Wiley Blackwell, 2016. Print
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 5 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 95 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Gary Clough | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
For every 10 course unit credits we expect students to work for around 100 hours. This time generally includes any contact times (online, recorded and live), but also independent study, work for coursework, and group work. This amount is only a guidance and individual study time will vary.