BSc Honours Environmental Health Degree with Foundation Year

Overview & facilities

This course provides you with a balance of scientific, technical, and legislative skills on which to base professional competence in relation to environmental health within your chosen specialism. It trains you to identify and implement appropriate control strategies to reduce harm to health as well as enable you to identify principle stressors and their impact on human health.

Find out more details in Foundation Course Information.

Content & modules

The first year of the programme runs either at College of North West London or at Barnet College with some study at Hendon Campus in term two.

The programme will focus on teaching of underpinning biology and chemistry to support further study on a science award. As well as core biology and chemistry, there will also be specialist modules in anatomy and physiology. Students will explore the inter-relationship of human health, nutrition, the environment and disease.

This programmeis based at our flagship Hendon campus

Students study for 3 days per week and will be supported by dedicated teaching teams at the colleges.

Modules

• Year 1

  Biology Form and Function (15 Credits) - Compulsory

  The module extends the learning in BIO 0150 to explore plants and animals at the functional level. The module allows students to study the structure and function of major systems and understand the importance of homeostasis in regulation. Students are introduced to evolution and its relationship to form and function in organisms.

  Chemical and Physical Sciences for Biologists (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  Aim: To provide students with knowledge in physics and chemistry that will give a foundation to pursue further study in biological sciences. This module allows students to gain awareness of the fundamental structure of matter and to appreciate the significance of atomic structure and electron configuration to the properties of chemical elements and the compounds they form. The module is to provide an introduction to the physics underpinning wave theory, noise and the electromagnetic spectrum as well as radioactivity. Students to become familiar with the importance and relevance of chemistry and physics to their lives including health, medical and the environmental applications.

  Fundamentals of Biology (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module allows students to gain awareness of the fundamental structure and function of biological organisms, their location within the taxonomic hierarchy and their means of survival and reproduction. Students become familiar with the range or organisms currently extant, their energetic requirements and the role of complex molecules as mechanisms of heredity. Implications are examined in terms of organism organization, long terms trends of inheritance and within an anthropocentric context.

  Lifestyle, Environment and Disease (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  Links are explored between individual health, lifestyle and the environment. The module investigates the relationship between human activity, ecosystems biodiversity and climate. Topical issues including obesity and exercise, global warming and carbon footprints are used as case study to explore theoretical material.

  Study Skills 1 (15 Credits) - Compulsory

  To equip students with study skills essential for learning processes.

• Year 2

  Applied Environmental Science (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module provides students with the skill and knowledge that will underpin their future studies in environmental health sciences. Particular emphasis is placed on building a knowledge base on the key academic concepts in chemistry and biochemistry for occupational and environmental health and food chemistry using examples from practice and field-based experience.

  Environmental and Health Stressors (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  Enables the student to develop an understanding of the nature and important of micro-organsims; the cycle of disease transmission and role of immunology, demography and epidemiology in ill-health and appreciate the role of vectors of disease; the physical chemical, biological, social and psycho-social stressors commonly dealt with by environmental health practitioners, and their reporting mechanisms. Practical skills in aseptic technique and micro-biological methods. In addition students will spend part of the module focusing on pests commonly found in the UK.

  Functional Anatomy and Pathology (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module aims to provide the students with a comprehensive understanding of the human anatomical and physiological systems together with an understanding of comparative anatomy of food animals. The module also develops an awareness of the pathological conditions affecting food animals; their causes and preventions. Develops an understanding of the legislative controls relating to unfit and unsafe meat and meat products.

  Law and Professional Practice (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  To develop an appreciation of governance and the legal systems, including legal doctrines applicable to criminal, evidence and civil law. The professional practice element focuses upon the assessment of risk upon which further risk management skills can be developed. Students will gain understanding of the breadth of professional practice, including the processes involved in inspection, audit and compliance. The module aims to develop appropriate administrative, communication and practical skills required for successful academic and professional progress. In addition the module explores concepts issues and policies associated with social policy in contemporary societies and focuses global and national institutions, their ideologies and some of the current policy issues they are currently involved with.

• Year 3

  Approaches to Experimental Research (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  The module aims to provide students with the skills necessary to plan, implement, analyse and report project-based work with focus on preparation for the final year project module. The module also develops core research skills fundamental to a scientific research design, irrespective of discipline. Specific research skills include analytical techniques appropriate to individual programme requirements.

  Enviornmental Pollution (15 Credits) - Compulsory

  To make students aware of the environmental and health impact of pollution. To provide information on the chemicals present in the environment and of the environmental changes resulting from primarily human activities but with reference to natural processes. To provide students with an understanding of the scientific, legislative, technological and economic aspects relating to the sources, effects, assessment and control of pollution.

  Environmental Health Housing Practice (15 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module aims to provide the students with a basic understanding of the principles, terminology and methods underlying the construction and performance of residential buildings and the practical and cognitive skills to recognise building defects and to be able to specify suitable diagnostic treatments. It also explores the practical legislative remedies available to compel property owners to improve their properties.

  Food Safety (15 Credits) - Compulsory

  The Module will: Explore regulatory practice in relation to food law; Examine the role of national and international food law enforcement agencies, quasi governmental agencies and bodies as well as industry; Explore how organisations achieve regulatory compliance. Explore the relationship of national and international standards and regulatory requirements.

  Health Stressors (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  To develop a deeper understanding of the biological, physical, chemical, social and psycho-social stressors that impact on human health and comprehend disease, illness and well-being trends in terms of human health, through study of epidemiology, demography, health surveillance and public health profiling. To explore and develop a critical appreciation of the nature, significance and control of microbiological stressors .To further develop practical microbiological skills. To explore and evaluate the mechanisms for reporting disease and other information gathering strategies. To appreciate the importance of the above in health promotion, addressing health issues and public health management

  Occupational Health and Safety (15 Credits) - Compulsory

  To explore principles of risk, based on technical knowledge of occupational health, safety and hygiene hazards, that will lead to policies that will introduce safety management and a positive safety culture to a workplace. To develop a knowledge base of the common workplace hazards, and evaluate the influence of human factors on safety. To gain an international perspective on the governance and regulation of workplace safety.

• Year 4

  Applied Environmental and Public Stategy (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  The aim of this module is to take a strategic view of environmental and public health and to apply the strategy to a range of settings. This module provides the means for students to link academic work with a practice situation in order to conceptualise the meaning of theory in the wider world context. This facilitates the embedding of transferable and graduate skills necessary for future career paths and employment. It will provide knowledge, skills and abilities to practice and develop strategies to implement health gain or improvement. This situated learning module will use a variety of case studies, simulations, structured visits and practice learning to embed the theoretical aspects of environmental and public health into a real life setting. It also seeks to provide the student with an understanding of where their practice fits into strategic agendas and how their practice adds value to environmental and public health improvement

  Environmental and Occupational Dissertation (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module aims to synthesise learning from the students undergraduate programme providing an opportunity for students to study independently and investigate a topic in depth. It fosters academic curiosity, an inquiry based approach, the employment and application of research skills thus facilitating the development of a higher level of theorising. Students will select a topic of personal interest they wish to study further and will manage their own learning during this module, with the support of an allocated supervisor for this period of independent study.

  Food Safety Practice (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module aims to: Evaluate managerial competency and performance during the safe production of food at all points in the food chain, and how primary production methods may affect food safety. Develop a detailed knowledge of the composition and properties of processed foodstuffs and their relationship with safety, fitness, and quality within an overarching public health framework. Provide an understanding of how systems and process audit can help achieve compliance with appropriate compositional and legislative requirements. Evaluate the roles of organisations involved in food safety management, and the development of food policies. Explore the responsibilities of food business proprietors, employees, and other persons in ensuring food safety.

  Occupational Health and Safety Practice (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  To evaluate the role of safety legislative, and its application, as an external factor that ensures compliance to clearly stated occupational health, safety hygiene technical standards. To evaluate management systems impact on safety, and the influence of internal and external factors.

  Practical Food Inspection (10 Credits) - Compulsory

  In this module students will be expected to: Identify and evaluate a range of food stuffs, state their condition and recognise unfit food. Explore a range of possible food safety interventions and recommend the most satisfactory course of action in order to achieve public health food safety. Evaluate the relevant statutory provisions and appraise the role of the enforcement officer and other relevant factors in determining the most satisfactory course of action to improve food safety.

The first year of the programme runs either at College of North West London or at Barnet College with some study at Hendon Campus in term two.

Download the course specification

Entry & applying

Taught in partnership with Barnet College Graham Park

Fees & funding

The tuition fee for the 2012/2013 academic year for UK/EU students is £9,000.
The tuition fee for the 2012/2013 academic year for International students is £10,400.

Click here to find out more about fees, funding and our scholarships in 2012.

Careers & placements

Students who are successful on the Foundation Science programme will be guaranteed entry to the 3 year programme.

Students may change programmes at the end of the Foundation year providing there is space. Graduates work in local authorities; central government; environmental consultancies; Army, Navy and RAF; holiday companies; airlines and shipping companies; retailers; NHS and occupational health.