BSc Honours Environmental and Public Health Degree

Overview & facilities

The Environmental and Public Health award examines health stressors, health gain and improvement of public and community health through the interventions by environmental health and public health practitioners. This recognises the importance of the practitioner in the delivery of the health improvement agenda as advocated by the CIEH-Health Development Agency model entitled 2012 and by the Department of Health and the key areas of public health practice.

The programme is designed to create practitioners that meet the core competencies of public health. The BSc Environmental and Public Health is a professionally accredited award but aims to set you on your journey to meeting the 10 Key Areas of Public Health Practice and to meeting the practice benchmarks.

The purpose of public health is to improve health and wellbeing as well as preventing diseases which ultimately prolong life and so reduce inequalities. The course provides you with key skills and competences necessary to meet these stated objectives as well as enabling you to ultimately apply for registration as a public health practitionerwith either the CIEH or the Faculty of Public health.

The first year of this three year programme provides you with underpinning knowledge with year two focussing on practical competences. The final year takes you through the concepts of health promotion and education to improve health.

Students on the award follow a common first year with an emphasis on grounding skills in risk assessment and legal interpretation together with core sciences to underpin your scientific knowledge.On successful completion of all the first year modules students may wish to exit the University and in that regard will be awarded the Certificate in Environmental Health.

There is increasing interest in public health internationally and the BSc Environmental and Public Health is designed to provide education and training in this area. In particular looking at the issues of global health and how localised health issues can impact on the global community and how pandemics can impact more specifically on local communities facing their own political environmental and social issues.

Why study Environmental and Public at Middlesex

• Dedicated teaching and learning spaces for Environmental and Public Health, including a food inspection laboratory  
• Grade 2 microbiology laboratory
• Accredited by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)
  

Content & modules

This programmeis based at our flagship Hendon campus. Between 1 and 2 days per week full time and 1 day a week part time

Modules

• Year 1

  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 2

  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.

  Epidemiology and Global Public Health (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  This module provides a firm foundation in epidemiological reasoning, data collation, trend analysis at local, regional and national levels and identification of current and future risks to individual and national health. It also aims to provide the skills to explore health in a global context including global and in country health inequalities, construction and support systems for international health and its governance, role of socio-economic development in health status of a country, their health system and individual health. Concepts for the measurement of health will be explored including Life Expectancy, Healthy Life Expectancy and Disability Life Adjusted Years.

  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 3

  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

  Educating for Health: Evidence and Practice (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  The module aims to enable students to examine the principles and concepts of health education and relate this to practice through managing a health fair on campus. The health of individuals and communities can be influenced by planned strategies using theories and concepts of health education. In enabling individuals and communities to make choices about lifestyle and health behaviour, the health educator needs to understand the influences, perceptions and motivation for health. Skills in teaching are needed by the educators to enable them to empower individuals, groups and communities so that they can make informed choices about their health.

  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.

  Health Promotion: Targets and Evidence (30 Credits) - Compulsory

  The module aims to explore the core issues in contemporary health promotion theory and practice. Its main focus is on the range of health promotion principles and skills for practice; policy setting, prevention methods, national strategic planning and local initiative work, although health education is featured in another core module which explores this in greater depth. This module enables students to develop analytical and creative skills for future practice with an emphasis on the politics and socio-economics of health promotion. Evidence for effective health promotion is a strong theme in the module. How Government targets health is debated. Students develop a personal, professional portfolio during the module.

Download the course specification

Entry & applying

We normally make offers on a minimum of 240 UCAS tariff points, plus GCSE Maths and English Language at grade C. BTEC National Diploma/International Baccalaureate/Advanced Progression Diplomas at equivalent tariff. Access to HE - Pass. Applications from candidates without formal qualifications are welcomed. Additionally overseas students whose first language is not English will need a qualification that demonstrates competence in English, eg IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL 550 paper-based or 213 computer based.

Entry requirements

Apply now

Qualifications accepted

For a comprehensive list of qualifications accepted by Middlesex, see further information under entry requirements

English language requirements

You must have competence in English language and we normally require Grade C GCSE or an equivalent qualification. The most common English Language requirements for international students are IELTS 6.0 (with minimum 5.5 in all four components) or TOEFL internet based 72 (with at least 17 in listening & writing, 20 in speaking and 18 in reading).

Middlesex also offers an Intensive Academic English course (Pre-Sessional) that ranges from 5-17 weeks depending on your level of English. Successful completion of this course would meet English language entry requirements. For more information on applying for the pre-sessional please email english@mdx.ac.uk.

Entry into year two or three (transfer students)

If you have achieved a qualification such as a foundation degree or HND, or have gained credit at another university, you may be able to enter a Middlesex course in year two or three. For full details of how this works see transfer students

UK/EU applicants with existing higher education qualifications

If you have already been awarded a qualification at the same level as the course you are applying for, you may not be eligible for a tuition fee loan, see fees and funding for more information.

Applying

Applications for UK and EU students should be made to UCAS – the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. The institution code for Middlesex is M80, and the code name is MIDDX. You also need the code for the course you wish to apply for – this is found in the 'at a glance' box above.

International students from outside the EU can make a direct application.  We have a network of regional offices across the world to assist you with your application.  They have worked with people from your region coming to Middlesex before and can help. Read more on international applications

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

Graduates of the BSc (Hons) Environmental  and  Public Health at Middlesex University can go on to become a Specialist Environmental Health Practitioner (in Environmental & Public Health)  if they meet the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)  professional requirements (completion of the related Experiential Learning Portfolio (ELP) plus professional exams & professional interview).

Career options include:

• Environmental and  Public Health Practitioners in public and private sector.
• Government agencies such as DEFRA, DOH, HPA and first step agencies including LBRO etc
• Consultancies
• National and international employment opportunities
• Non governmental organisation including WHO, World Bank, aid agencies, children’s welfare groups.