Course description

• Develop the skills and knowledge needed to become a Public Health Practitioner who can lead, develop and evaluate public health projects
• Critically explore health organisations and health care provision
• You will investigate public health approaches used toward health protection and promotion for individual, community and population health
• Gain a deep, conceptual understanding that enables evaluation of current research in order to use the best evidence base
• Develop a critical understanding of the wider determinants of health and interventions aimed at reducing health inequalities

If you’re a public health worker, such as a community nurse, environmental health practitioner, health promotion officer, community health worker, or if you have a medical or health background, this course will help you to develop the skills and knowledge needed to become a public health practitioner who can lead, develop, and evaluate public health projects in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Global perspectives

The course is structured to allow knowledge transfer between home and overseas students, enabling you to benefit from best practice from all over the world. You’ll study the underlying causes, mechanisms and potential public health intervention strategies aimed at reducing health inequalities.

Elements of the course have a global perspective, so you’ll get to study global, environmental and public health issues to gain an international perspective. If you’re an international student you’ll be able to study topics that are directly relevant to your native country, as well as looking at UK specific issues.

Experienced teaching team

Our teaching team are friendly, approachable, and include public health specialists, environmental health practitioners, biomedical scientists, and psychologists. They will provide you with a broad perspective on public health issues that is firmly based in practice through case studies.

Public health specialists may mentor and support you throughout the course and research opportunities with the public health team may be available.

Practical course

This is a practical course with a focus on case studies, scenarios and practice in the community run in partnership with the public health team at Derby City Council.

You will have the opportunity to learn using our state of the art facilities including our Interactive Immersive Simulation Suite that creates a real life environment for students allowing the application of theory to practice in a safe space forging critical discussion as a way to move forward.

Note that it does not provide readiness for the Faculty of Public Health examination (Part A).

Accreditations

The Master of Public Health programme has been mapped to the Public Health England Skills and Knowledge Framework, the Practitioner Competencies of the United Kingdom Public Health Register (UKPHR) and the overarching nine key competency areas of the Functions of the Local Public Health System. On successful completion of the course, graduates are able to apply for registration with UKPHR.

Who you'll meet

You will meet a multi-professional team of lecturers that are experts in their field from Public Health, Health, Environmental Health and Psychology. The programme team have good employer links especially Derby City Council Public Health Department who will be part of the Programme delivery team. An academic personal tutor will be allocated to each MPH student, from within the programme team, at the beginning of the programme.

How you will learn

The overall approach to teaching, learning and assessment is influenced and determined by the following key areas:

• Flexibility of study via on-campus and online delivery, with dedicated on campus and online tutors
• Attainment of a holistic overview of public health
• Practitioner-based approach
• Research and evidence-based approach
• Technology-based support, instruction and assessment
• Integrated course delivery across the breadth of public health
• Multidisciplinary practitioner team approach

Depending on the chosen mode of delivery you will learn online or face to face. There will be opportunities to discuss Public Health issues, thoughts and ideas with your peers within a constructive environment.

In accordance with the educational philosophy of our programme and the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy of the University, the delivery of the programme offers variety and ensures that the learning and assessment activities are relevant and of value to future professional practice. The programme recognises the importance of integrating practice experience and formal theory through the use of real-life case studies, simulation and scenarios.

• The use of virtual scenario tools
• The use of the virtual classroom for tutorials, seminars and discussion forums
• The use of wikis and blogs to facilitate interactive discussion between students and tutors
• The use of podcasts to provide guidance on key elements
• The use of pre-recorded narratives to accompany presentation slides

Students will be given guidance to facilitate arranging their own public health experience and insight visits.

This course can also be studied as an online route via UDOL.