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:
Evidence Based Practice Y2

Course unit fact file
Unit code POPH20011
Credit rating 20
Unit level Level 5
Teaching period(s) Semester 1
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

This unit will focus on the different study designs used in public health practice and epidemiology. The unit will link the concepts of the hierarchy of evidence to the concepts of generalisability, external and internal validity.

Aims

The unit aims to: build on the students’ basic understanding of evidence based practice, to explore the different study designs.

Learning outcomes

Category of outcomeStudents will be able to:
Knowledge and understanding

A1 Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the different study designs used to inform professional practice and decision making

A2 Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the strengths and limitations of each study design and how these relate to their own work or profession

A3 Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the strengths and limitations of traditional concepts of evidence-based practice and how these relate to their own work or profession

A4 Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of the interpretation of biostatistical analyses

Intellectual skills

B1 Identify and evaluate the different study designs

B2 Understand when to use each study design

Practical skills

C1 Find existing sources of evidence relevant to clinical and non-clinical health questions from the different study designs

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

Transferable skills and personal qualities

D1 Reflect on EBP principles and applications

D2 Develop communication skills to implement EBP

 

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.
 

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Oral assessment/presentation 100%

Feedback methods

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. 

Recommended reading

Coggon, D, Rose, G, Barker, DJP. Epidemiology for the uninitiated. BMJ. (Book Chapters)

Muir Gray, J.A. (2000). Evidence‐based Public Health. In Evidence-based Practice: A Critical Appraisal. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science Ltd, pp. 89–110. (Book Chapter)

Rychetnik, L. et al. (2004). A glossary for evidence based public health. Journal of epidemiology and community health (1979), 58(7), pp.538–545.

NICE (2018). Principles for putting evidence-based guidance into practice.

Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) 

Titler MG. (2008). The Evidence for Evidence-Based Practice Implementation. In: Hughes RG, editor. Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); Chapter 7. 
 

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
Jennifer Day Unit coordinator
Arpana Verma 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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