Public health is about improving the lives of others by preventing and managing health problems.
On this course, you will learn about the health and well-being of communities and groups. You will analyse the many different determinants that impact on the health of an individual and populations, including biological, social, political and cultural to technological, environmental and global factors.
There are optional work-based placement opportunities available in Years 2 and 3 that allow you to put your learning into practice. You will be supported by a personal tutor who will provide additional support and guidance throughout the course.
Why us?
- Our Social Work courses (which include BSc (Hons) Public Health) are in the top 25% in the UK for Organisation and management, according to the National Student Survey 2018
- Our Social Work courses (which include BSc (Hons) Public Health) were ranked 1st overall in the UK in the 2018 UK Engagement Survey
- Our Social Work courses (which include BSc (Hons) Public Health) were ranked 2nd in the UK for Assessment and Feedback, and 2nd in the UK for Retention and Progression in the 2018 UK Engagement Survey
- 93.4% of our graduates are in employment, further study or training within six months of graduating, according to DLHE 2016/17 (based on full-time, first degree, home leavers)
- As our lecturers continue to work in public health, you will learn from their up-to-date knowledge and practice
- Undertake work-based placements in health and social settings
- Hear from expert speakers in the public health field
Course structure
This course will equip you to make a real difference to the lives of others through better understanding of factors that impact on health.
Teaching methods include lectures, seminars, group work and workshops that support different learning styles. We encourage active student participation and you will have opportunities to present ideas and information to other students in a safe learning environment.
Assessment methods include written coursework, projects, presentations, debates, multiple choice questionnaires and time-constrained examinations.
Employment
As a Public Health graduate, you will have a wide range of employment options and our graduates go on to work in a wide range of settings. These include health care, public health, social care and the voluntary and community sectors.
Destinations
This course develops generic skills of research, analysis and critical thinking that are relevant for a wide range of other job opportunities.
As responsibility for public health shifts away from health authorities to local authorities, there will be new employment opportunities.
These could be in areas such as addressing the wider determinants of health (e.g. education, housing, transport, environment), developing community-based approaches to health development, working with marginalised communities and fulfilling roles in health promotion.
Work-based visits and placement opportunities
In your first year you will be required to undertake work-based visits as part of the Work-based Practice module. In your second and third years there are optional placement modules. These placements can prove beneficial in terms of developing your employment opportunities. You will be supported by a placement supervisor and can choose from a number of settings including health and social care, public health teams, drug and alcohol services, children’s centres, leisure centres and voluntary sector organisations.
As part of the Work-based Partnerships module (Year 2), you will undertake a 20-30 hour placement where partnership working is identified within the context of Public Health. Your placement in Year 3 will see you spend 80-100 hours in an agency or organisation that aims to support people within a health context. This placement will help you to put the skills and knowledge learned throughout your degree into practical use.
