Bachelor of Science (BSc)

BSc Public Health (on campus)

Has the pandemic made you want to learn more about public health? Our course is flexible with on-and off-campus options for UK and overseas students.
  • Duration: 3 years FT
  • Year of entry: 2025
  • UCAS course code: B902 / Institution code: M20
  • Key features:
  • Scholarships available
  • Accredited course
  • Typical A-level offer: BBB including specific subjects
  • Typical contextual A-level offer: Course not eligible for contextual offer
  • Refugee/care-experienced offer: Course not eligible for contextual offer
  • Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 32 points overall with 5,5,5 at HL, including specific requirements

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Course unit details:
Health Protection Y1

Course unit fact file
Unit code POPH10042
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 4
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This unit will explore the basic principles of health protection including infection including causative agents, vectors and reservoirs. We will also go through basic mechanisms of immunity and vaccinations.

Aims

The unit aims to: develop the students’ basic understanding of health protection, including the principles of infection and immunity.

Learning outcomes

Category of outcomeStudents will be able to:
Knowledge and understanding

A1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of infection including the determinants of infectious disease.

A2 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the causative agents, reservoirs and vectors

A3 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the different mechanisms of immunity

A4 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how vaccines work

Intellectual skillsB1 Identify and evaluate the evidence required for health protection policy and practice
Practical skills

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

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

Transferable skills and personal qualities

D1 Reflect on health protection principles and applications

D2 Develop communication skills to implement health protection interventions

 

Syllabus

Understanding bugs

  • Viruses
  • Bacteria 
  • Protozoa 
  • Other

Immunology of Communicative Diseases

  • Innate 
  • Acquired
  • Individual v Population

Vaccines 

  • Development of vaccines 
  • Surveillance of impact of vaccines on populations 
  • New innovations in vaccinations

Teaching and learning methods

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. 

Employability skills

Analytical skills
Oral communication
Written communication

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Oral assessment/presentation 100%

Feedback methods

  • Students will be provided with personalised feedback on their presentation of a health protection topic. 
  • Further opportunities for formative feedback (on non-assessed work) will also be provided during the course unit. 

Recommended reading

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.

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Assessment written exam 60
Practical classes & workshops 36
Seminars 15
Independent study hours
Independent study 89

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Steph Mitchell Unit coordinator
Gary Clough Unit coordinator

Additional notes

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.

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