Public Health

Course information

Public Health BSc (Hons) UCAS code: L431 www.coventry.ac.uk/public-health-bsc

Study option: 3 years full-time

Overview

The objective of this course is to enable you to make a contribution to addressing some of the major health challenges facing populations across the world. Upon successful completion of the course you will have an understanding of health disparities and inequalities, and explored some of the tools used to improve health outcomes through the effective planning, execution and evaluation of health interventions to change behaviour at a local, national and international level.

You will explore how detecting and preventing disease, increasing longevity and quality of life and promoting physical and mental health amongst populations can be enhanced through the three pillars of public health: prevention, protection and promotion. The causes and consequences of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease will be explored, and how to tackle the challenges facing disease prevention efforts. Through the protection pillar, you will study communicable diseases such as influenza, tuberculosis and HIV, their surveillance, and the reaction to and control of communicable disease outbreaks. Through the promotion pillar, the theories, techniques and tools used to promote health and wellbeing are examined, drawing on behavioural psychology, sociology, as well as actual health promotion policies in operation, for example from Public Health England and the World Health Organization.

This course has been designed following extensive consultation with healthcare organisations and professionals from various public health disciplines to ensure it reflects the latest thinking in public health and to prepare you for employment in the field.

Indicative course structure

Year 1: ƒ Foundations of Public Health ƒ Personal and Professional Development Skills ƒ Introduction to Research Methods ƒ Health Systems ƒ 21st Century Communication ƒ Foundations for Health Interventions and Evaluation Year 2: ƒ Introduction to Epidemiology ƒ Understanding and Using Health Research ƒ Health Promotion ƒ Health Protection ƒ Public Health Policy and Management ƒ Employability in Public Health Final year: ƒ Leadership and Management for Healthcare Professionals ƒ Contemporary Issues in Public Health ƒ Globalisation and Sustainable Health Financing ƒ Implementing Health Service Interventions and Evaluations ƒ Health Informatics ƒ Dissertation