Module Aims

This core module aims to provide students with an understanding of some core principles in public health relevant to all themes of the MPhil. It provides brief introductory sessions on a number of areas covered in more depth in student-selected modules in terms 2 and 3. This will provide those students who do not take these student-selected modules with some knowledge of those topics, whilst acting as ‘tasters’ for those who are considering taking these later modules. The module will explore the scope of public health, planetary health, wider social and environmental influences on health and illness, approaches to prevention and improving population health, assessing the population impact of influences on health, economic and organisational aspects of healthcare and public health, ethical aspects of public health approaches, and how we can use population health research findings to make an impact on society.

Module Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to: 

1. Critically discuss the nature and scope of a public health approach 

2. Describe the influence that social and environmental factors can have on health and disease 

3. Distinguish a number of different approaches to management of public health problems and determine when each might be most appropriate 

4. Calculate measures of population impact and understand the strengths and limitations of these measures 

5. Assess a proposed early detection or screening programme against appropriate criteria 

6. Understand the principles of health care, public health financing and healthcare organisation 

7. Demonstrate an understanding of the core influences on public health and health care policy 

8. Discuss the ethical implications of different public health approaches 

Pre-requisites

• Principles of Epidemiology

Teaching Strategy

The module will be delivered using a combination of lectures, workshops, small-group exercises, and class discussions. Some reading may be required prior to some sessions. 

 Assessment

The module will be assessed in two ways:
1. a one-hour in-person assessment, with short questions designed to test understanding of population health approaches to solving health problems, and
2. a 1500-word collaborative essay in course supervision groups

Module Length

5 days over 5 weeks