
MSc Public Health (Online Delivery)
With an expanding population and increased life expectancy, along with factors like climate change and unhealthy lifestyles, there is a need to protect communities and prevent disease and ill health.
Our course in Public Health will help students understand the issues that surround public health and develop the problem solving and leadership skills necessary to tackle them.
This course is suitable for HCPs and graduates with an interest in public health – this could include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, policy makers and those in the public sector, such as police and fire service.
This online course is run with the collaborative partner Diploma MSc. Successful completion of the course will improve the knowledge and skills needed to assess and improve Public Health.
The one year MSc in Public Health is available to those who have successfully completed the Public Health Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits). This can be from Diploma MSc, the University of South Wales or from another UK university (having completed similar modules).
For those who have not completed the Postgraduate Diploma, you can apply for the Public Health MSc as a two year course, consisting of eight modules (180 credits) with the first 120 credits deriving from the Postgraduate Diploma.
The Public Health MSc course starts with an initial 10 week online module that will develop skills in critical appraisal and knowledge of research methodologies. Students then progress to module 2 where they undertake the professional project, which consists of a 1,500 word proposal and 10,500 word professional project (dissertation).
2 year MSc:
Module 1 - Contemporary issues in public health
- To provide an overview of the introduction to public health and explore relevant definitions.
- To critically use relevant data and evidence to understand contemporary issues within the public health arena.
- To develop an understanding of evidence-based interventions, to prevent contemporary issues or to protect the population’s health.
Module 2 - Environmental/geopolitical determinants of health
- To critically use relevant data and evidence to understand the impact of environmental/geopolitical issues and interventions to protect the population’s health.
Module 3 - Data and intelligence
- To critically use relevant data collected by a variety of methods and techniques to survey and assess a population’s health.
Module 4 - Dealing with complexity
- To develop knowledge of a range of effective strategic leadership, organisational and management skills in a variety of complex public health situations and contexts, dealing effectively with uncertainty and the unexpected to achieve public health goals.
Module 5 - Protecting the public's health
- To critically apply the evidence base to address issues within public health care systems.
- To develop an understanding of needs assessment and health impact assessment to support evidence-based interventions.
- To develop skills in pathway development for integrated services.
Module 6 - Public health within health and care systems
- To critically apply the evidence base to address issues within public health care systems.
- To develop an understanding of needs assessment and health impact assessment to support evidence-based interventions.
- To develop skills in pathway development for integrated services.
Module 7 - Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal
- To prepare students for an independent research-based project by developing skills in selecting, appraising, discriminating, using evidence and appropriate research/investigative methods to address relevant topics for investigation.
Module 8 - Professional Project
- To formulate the research question that you seek to answer.
- To develop an ability to critically evaluate areas of professional practice.
- To critically appraise specific areas of clinical, research and organisational practice.
- To develop skills in independent research and study.
- To develop skills relevant to scientific publications.
1 year MSc
Module 1 - Research Methodologies and Critical Appraisal
- To prepare students for an independent research-based project by developing skills in selecting, appraising, discriminating, using evidence and appropriate research/investigative methods to address relevant topics for investigation.
Module 2 - Professional Project
- To formulate the research question that you seek to answer.
- To develop an ability to critically evaluate areas of professional practice.
- To critically appraise specific areas of clinical, research and organisational practice.
- To develop skills in independent research and study.
- To develop skills relevant to scientific publications.
Teaching
Once you have secured your place on the course, you will be invited to our online Orientation and Study Skills week. This will give you the opportunity to participate in study skills workshops on Harvard Referencing, scientific and reflective writings, and levels of evidence in preparation for your studies.
Our courses are conducted entirely online through self-directed distance learning. You’ll receive guidance throughout your course with tutor-stimulated academic discussions, which are based on clinically-rich case scenarios. These usually occur within groups of 10-15 students, allowing you to clearly communicate with both your tutor and fellow students.
You will also participate in a combination of module activities that may be group and/or individual based, dependent on the module. These innovative teaching methods enable you to envisage the translation of your studies into your every day work and practice.
Due to the online nature of the course, you will be expected to regularly login and participate in the course - ideally on a daily basis. Students are recommended to spend around two hours per day on their studies.
Support
Our dedicated Student Support Team are available to help with any problems you may face. From navigating our online platform to advising you on deadlines, our team can assist with any questions or challenges you may have along the way.
Assessment
Each of the six modules have the same assessment format:
- Academic Forum - 40%
- Reflective Journal - 10%
- Module activity - 20%
- Case based examination - 30%
Facilities
As part of your online studies you will have access to the Learning Resources Centre materials at the University of South Wales. FINDit is the University’s portal which allows you to search for over 13,000 full-text journal articles, news articles, conference proceedings and approximately 160 databases via one search box- the majority of these materials are accessible online. Interactive study skills modules are available to study via Blackboard to enable you to utilise the library services fully.
Lecturers
- Dr Karl New, course lead
- Dr Anthony Hill MBE, programme lead
We regularly revalidate courses for quality assurance and enhancement
At USW, we regularly review our courses in response to changing patterns of employment and skills demand to ensure we offer learning designed to reflect today’s student needs and tomorrow’s employer demands.
If during a review process course content is significantly changed, we’ll write to inform you and talk you through the changes for the coming year. But whatever the outcome, we aim to equip our students with the skillset and the mindset to succeed whatever tomorrow may bring. Your future, future-proofed.
Entry requirements for the two-year course (180 credits) are as follows:
Applicants should be working within a public health setting, either in the UK or overseas, have a science-based degree, and have some evidence of public health study including epidemiology and/or statistics.
Entry to the one year Public Health MSc will require successful completion of a Public Health Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits).
English Language Requirements
Proficiency in the English language is also essential to completing our courses. If English is NOT your first language, we ask for proof of competency during the application process. We are able to accept an IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 for each band) or an equivalent qualification.
Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.
August 2022 - July 2023 Fees
Part-time UK: TBC
August 2023 - July 2024 Fees
Part-time UK: TBC
August 2024 - July 2025 Fees
Part-time UK: TBC
Student Perks
At the University of South Wales, you’re investing in so much more than a degree. We strive to provide our students with the best possible experience, no matter what you chose to study. Whether it’s access to top of the range mac books and PCs, state-of-the-art facilities packed with industry-leading equipment and software, masterclasses and events led by industry experts, or a wide range of clubs and societies to meet likeminded people, better tomorrows start with extra perks.
Each course also has their own unique student benefits to prepare you for the real word, and details of these can be found on our course pages. From global field trips, integrated work experience and free course-related resources, to funded initiatives, projects working with real employers, and opportunities for extra qualifications and accreditations - at USW your future, is future-proofed.
Click here to learn more about student perks at USW.
Additional Costs
As a student of USW, you’ll have access to lots of free resources to support your study and learning, such as textbooks, publications, online journals, laptops, and plenty of remote-access resources. Whilst in most cases these resources are more than sufficient in supporting you with completing your course, additional costs, both obligatory and optional, may be required or requested for the likes of travel, memberships, experience days, stationery, printing, or equipment.
This course is run in partnership with Diploma MSC who have over 10 years` experience in delivering award-winning, online, Postgraduate Diploma, MSc and MBA distance education courses.
We believe there is an opportunity and demand for a postgraduate course in Public Health designed for people including healthcare professionals (HCPs), with an interest in public health:
- Policymakers
- Public health professionals
- Geographers
- Exercise scientists
- Sociologists
- Environmental scientists
- Police
- Fire service
- Local authority
- Local and national government
- Health service
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- Environmental health workers
- Public protection
- Emergency planners
- Occupational health
- Community development workers
- Vets
How does this course prepare me for employment?
The course has direct relevance to the demands of working roles and will assist in career enhancement and support specialisation. It is envisaged that most students will be accepting expedition-related roles or aspiring to such positions.
A postgraduate qualification gives you a competitive advantage that will set you apart from other applicants.