BSc Public Health / Course details

This unit will explore the basic principles of health protection including the prevention and control of common communicable diseases.  We will explore the interventions that are most effective in reducing the burden of communicable diseases.

The unit aims to develop the students' basic understanding of health protection, including the principles of communicable disease control and prevention.

For every 20 course unit credits we expect students to work for around 200 hours. This amount is only a guidance and individual study time will vary.

On-campus students only  

Academic engagement includes lectures, seminars, workshops and other face to face activities. To achieve the intended learning outcomes for this course unit, we have created a range of activities. Your course unit leads and teaching team will support you including access to the Student Development Programme including peer-support (PASS) and the Programme Director Seminar Series. We will consult with students to identify any additional needs and further academic engagement activities will be provided. Assessments, preparation for assessments, reading time and independent study are also included within you timetabled activities.  

Distance/blended learning students only  

Students on this mode of study will have the opportunity to study synchronously with the on-campus students and asynchronously via recorded sessions and online resources.

A1 Understand the basic principles of infection

A2 Understand the causative agents, reservoirs and vectors

A3 Understand the different mechanisms of immunity

A4 Understand how vaccines work

A5 Understand the basis of communicable disease prevention and control

B1 Identify and evaluate the evidence required for health protection policy and practice

C1 Find existing sources of evidence sources of evidence relevant to clinical and non-clinical health questions

C2 Be able to critically appraise common research designs and assess the published literature

C3 Undertake assessments to evaluate communicable disease prevention and control measures

D1 Reflect on health protection principles and applications 

D2 Develop communication skills to implement health protection interventions  

Written feedback will be provided for the presentation.    

Students will also have the opportunity to receive written feedback via formative consolidation exercises on discussion boards.    

Hawker, Jeremy. Communicable Disease Control Handbook. 2nd ed. Malden, Mass: Blackwell Pub., 2005. Web.

Male, David, Stokes Peebles, and Victoria Male. Immunology. 9th edition. Edinburgh: Elsevier, 2021. Print.