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Public Health BSc Honours

Develop your understanding of the factors shaping public health and gain valuable industry experience with our partners in the NHS, NGOs and local government
Code
B929
Start
September 2024
Duration
3 years full-time
6 years part-time
Attendance
Full-time
Part-time
Fees
£9,250 (UK)*
£16,600 (INT)*
Course leader
Dr Patrick Tobi

A degree in public health is one that focuses on understanding and supporting people in building a healthy lifestyle, as well as improving and protecting health in the public and private sectors.

Why choose  BSc Public Health at Middlesex?

Our Public Health BSc focuses on understanding and supporting people in building a healthy lifestyle, as well as improving and protecting health in the public and private sectors.

This is the ideal course for you if you're interested in working in hospitals, local authorities and international organisations, or private sector NGOs and insurance companies.

What you will gain

Past graduates have gone on to work in roles such as public health practitioner, health improvement practitioner, epidemiologist, data analyst or health campaign manager.

By the end of your degree, you'll have built a comprehensive skillset that will put you in an excellent position to work in a variety of fields connected to public health.

You will:

  • Learn how to communicate effectively using different methods, collaborate in teams, and use information technology to support your work
  • Develop the skills to retrieve, collate, analyse, critically evaluate and present information drawing on a range of sources and methods
  • Understand how to design health interventions and campaigns using a variety of tools, and make recommendations and identify better strategies for communication aimed to improve the health of the population as well as be able to correctly interpret, design, and apply guidelines and protocols.

What you will learn

Our public health degree focuses on how to tackle major health problems at a global, national and local level, as well as on how to reduce health inequalities through coordinated action.

You’ll work with tutors and lecturers who are on the cutting edge of public health practice. All of our academic staff are experts in a broad range of fields including demography and epidemiology.

You'll hear from experts and specialists from a range of bodies, meaning that the skills you learn will be in line with industry best practice.

On this vital and respected course you will:

  • Develop a far-reaching understanding of public health practice based on up-to-date insights from a range of subjects
  • Learn important research skills such as quantitative methods and how to collate, analyse and evaluate data
  • Gain valuable work experience with one of our industry partners, including NGOs and local NHS trusts
  • Benefit from a variety of teaching methods including lectures, seminars and small group work
  • Develop a strong skill set which will help you find work in fields such as epidemiology, public health campaigns and data analysis.

3 great reasons to pick this course

  • Placement opportunities
    Gain valuable experience with a Local Authority or NGO, which will give you a significant advantage when it comes to finding work.
  • Strong employment prospects
    Graduates are able to find work in a variety of fields including data analysis, public health campaigns, epidemiology or public health science.
  • Expert teaching staff
    You'll learn from experienced academics and researchers in the fields of environmental health, public health epidemiology and the economics of health.

Keep informed

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This course will give you a multidisciplinary understanding of public health practice to support you in multiple disciplines. You will develop your skills and expertise to identify the health priorities of a community and you will have the ability to design, implement and evaluate appropriate interventions to tackle health inequalities. You will also develop your integrated leadership skills in professional practice.

The course will provide you with strong quantitative skills on which to base professional competence using appropriate research methods to support professional practice. Upon graduation, you will be able to evaluate and appraise new information, review evidence and critically analyse conflicting theories and assimilate best professional practice. You will also be prepared for work at postgraduate level and/or for employment in relevant fields.

Modules

  • Year 1 modules

    • Public Health Science and Skills (30 credits) - Compulsory

      This module aims to give you the ability to understand basic mathematical, statistical, economic, and computational concepts as well as the ability to communicate scientific knowledge to both technical and non-technical audience. This module also aims to provide a number of key skills to support your future role as public health practitioners.

    • Physiology and Anatomy (15 credits) - Compulsory

      This module aims to provide you with knowledge of human anatomy and its hierarchical organisation from cell to organ system. An understanding of how the main body systems and mechanisms involved maintaining a "state of health" will be developed along with an introduction to how these systems can malfunction.

    • Public Health, Health Promotion and Health Protection (30 credits) - Compulsory

      The module aims to provide you with a clear understanding of the role of public health and increase your awareness of the multiple strategies implemented to improve the health of the population in a variety of settings such as community and national. Health promotion and health protection principles will be explored and applied to practice.

    • Principles of Health Stressors (30 credits) - Compulsory

      This module aims to develop an understanding of the concepts of health and ill-health and factors which influence and contribute to an individual’s “state of health”. You will examine how physical, chemical, biological, social and psycho-stressors impact on human health and the environment.

    • Introduction to Health Economics (15 credits) - Compulsory

      The module aims to provide you with the necessary knowledge of economic techniques and tools in the context of the health care system and to assess the efficacy, value, production and consumption of different public health interventions. The module provides evidence of the role of health and health care for a country successful economy.

  • Year 2 modules

    • Approaches to Experimental Research (30 credits) - Compulsory

      The module aims to provide you 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.

    • Surveillance and Assessment Methods (15 credits) - Compulsory

      Public health surveillance is the continuous, systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of health-related data needed for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health practice and this module aims to introduce the concept and main characteristics of public health surveillance activities, programs and tools.

    • Leadership in Public Health (15 credits) - Compulsory

      This module aims to develop an understanding of leadership in public health organisations both within and across organisations. You will learn about the principles of health and social care, public health governance and their organisational management. Effective leadership styles will be explored with reference to case studies and the theoretical perspective. Skills for implementing policies in public health organisations will be developed and principles for leading more effective change will be explored.

    • Health Policies and Interventions (30 credits) - Compulsory

      The aim of this module is to take a strategic view of public health and to apply relevant policies and strategies to tackle different aspect of population health. You will be provided with the necessary tools and abilities to work towards the improvement of the health of the population. This module supports your future role in the public health sector linking theories to practice and providing transferable knowledge necessary to your career paths and future employment.

    • Health and Society (15 credits) - Compulsory

      This module introduces the relationships between health and society and the factors that affect individual, community and population health. You will learn about health determinants and health inequalities, the socio-economic causes of health and illness arising from poverty and deprivation across the life-course and policies seeking to address these issues.

    • Housing in Public Health (15 credits) - Compulsory

      This module explores the relationship between housing, health and safety and ways in which housing, health and social care organisations can work more effectively together to deliver better health outcomes. You will learn about housing in history and the range of organisations and stakeholders now involved in delivering the housing and public health agenda.

  • Year 3 modules

    • Epidemiology (30 credits) - Compulsory

      This module provides a firm foundation in epidemiological reasoning, data collation, trend analysis at local and national level as well as the identification of current and future risks to individual and national health.

    • Communication, Society, Ethics and Law in Public Health (15 credits) - Compulsory

      This module is aimed at providing a deep understanding of the role of the media in public health and how cultural aspect of public health in today’s society. Through the analysis of different media, you will analyse the multiple way of stimulating the public discussion around public health and improve the health knowledge of the population. Basic understanding of the role of law and legislation in public health and ethics in health research will be provided to support your future role as health practitioners.

    • Introduction to Global Health (15 credits) - Compulsory

      This module focuses on the drivers of the global burden of diseases and issues of inequity surrounding these. The epidemiological, medical, political, social and economic challenges associated with improving Global Health are investigated. This module aims to explore the past, current, and future challenges in the global public health agenda. Time will be spent on responses to emergencies including those derived from natural, economic and political events and examine the necessary short term solutions and the longer term impacts including psychological impacts of those that survive, the potential for disputes, roles of NGOs and their management, and returning the displaced to their homes.

    • Professional Practice Learning (30 credits) - Compulsory

      This module seeks to provide an opportunity to develop professional and practical skills within a workplace situation and to enable academic study to be placed in a workplace context. The module will enable you to evaluate and reflect your current skills and identify areas for your own personal and professional development both for your degree and within the future workplace.

    • Dissertation (30 credits) - Compulsory

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

To find out more about this highly regarded course, please download the Public Health BSc specification (PDF).

We review our courses regularly to improve your experience and graduate prospects so modules may be subject to change.

  1. Teaching and independent learning
  2. Coursework and assessment

We offer lots of support to help you while you're studying including financial advice, wellbeing, mental health and disability support.

Additional needs

We'll support you if you have additional needs such as sensory impairment or dyslexia. And if you want to find out whether Middlesex is the right place for you before you apply, get in touch with our Disability and Dyslexia team.

Wellness

Our specialist teams will support your mental health. We have free individual counselling sessions, workshops, support groups and useful guides.

Work while you study

Our Middlesex Unitemps branch will help you find work that fits around uni and your other commitments. We have hundreds of student jobs on campus that pay the London Living Wage and above. Visit the Middlesex Unitemps page.

Financial support

You can apply for scholarships and bursaries and our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.

We have also reduced the costs of studying with free laptop loans, free learning resources and discounts to save money on everyday things. Check out our guide to student life on a budget.

How can the BSc Public Health support your career?

Upon graduation, you will be ideally placed to begin a career in a wide variety of public and private sectors such as the NHS, local and national government agencies, health insurance companies, NGOs and international organisations.

The skills and knowledge you will have developed will leave you well equipped for varied roles such as Public Health Practitioner, Health Improvement Practitioner, Epidemiologist, Data Analyst, Public Health Scientist or Health Campaign Manager.

You could also pursue further study.

MDXworks

Our Careers & Employability Service, MDXworks will launch you into the world of work from the beginning of your course, with placements, projects and networking opportunities through our 1000+ links with industry and big-name employers in London and globally.

Our dedicated lifetime career support, like our business start-up support programme and funding for entrepreneurs, has put us in the top 10 UK universities for students who want to be CEOs and entrepreneurs (Hitachi, 2021).

Global network

Our location in London helps us connect you with over 1,000 industry partners to develop your future employment prospects. And we have unique work and study opportunities at our campuses in Dubai and Mauritius. You’ll study with students from 122 countries who’ll hopefully become part of your global network. And after you graduate, we'll still support you through our alumni network to help you progress in your chosen career.

  1. UK entry
  2. International entry
  3. How to apply

The fees below are for the 2024/25 academic year:

UK students1

Full-time: £9,250

Part-time: £77 per taught credit

International students2

Full-time students: £16,600

Part-time students: £138 per taught credit

Additional costs

The following study tools are included in your fees:

  • Free access to resources, learning materials and software you need to succeed on your course
  • Free laptop loans for up to 24 hours
  • Free specialist software for your course
  • Free printing for academic paperwork
  • Free online training with LinkedIn Learning.

Scholarships and bursaries

To help make uni affordable, we do everything we can to support you including our:

  • MDX Excellence Scholarship offers grants of up to £2,000 per year for UK students
  • Regional or International Merit Awards which reward International students with up to £2,000 towards course fees
  • Our MDX Student Starter Kit to help with up to £1,000 of goods, including a new laptop or iPad.

Find out more about undergraduate funding and all of our scholarships and bursaries.

Fees disclaimers

1. UK fees: The university reserves the right to increase undergraduate tuition fees in line with changes to legislation, regulation and any government guidance or decisions. The tuition fees for part-time UK study are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

2. International fees: Tuition fees are subject to annual review and we reserve the right to increase the fees each academic year by no more than the level of inflation.

Any annual increase in tuition fees as provided for above will be notified to students at the earliest opportunity in advance of the academic year to which any applicable inflationary rise may apply.

Dr Carmen Aceijas

Dr Aceijas has worked in research and academia in Public Health since 1998 for institutions such the University of East London, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Imperial College and Andalusian School of Public Health. She has been working in Public Health research on drug dependences, HIV, and healthy behaviours among university students.


We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

Other courses

Environmental Health BSc Honours

Start: September 2024

Duration: 3 years full-time, 5 - 6 years part-time

Code: B910

Biomedical Science BSc

Start: September 2024

Duration: 3 years full-time

Code: C700

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