MA Public Health

Why study this subject?

Are you interested in working with local communities to improve the health and wellbeing of groups, families and individuals within our society? Are you keen to make a difference and work in a role that aims to promote inclusion and reduce health inequalities? This MA course is perfect for anyone wishing to develop the knowledge and skills sought by employers in the expanding market of public health and health improvement.

This programme will appeal to students who wish to consider enhancing an existing career in public health, or within a related field. Specifically, it will equip students with the knowledge to work in a wide range of services such as the NHS, local and national government agencies, non-government agencies, and the public and private sectors, both nationally and internationally.

Why study at Buckinghamshire New University?

Our course is taught by experienced academics who are passionate about public health, having all worked in community public health roles themselves. The course team is in direct contact with public health organisations, sharing knowledge and expertise to ensure you receive the most current and significant information from the global health scene. All our teaching staff participate in national health forums to contribute to the growing conversation nationally and globally.

Lecturers cooperate with local public health teams to increase knowledge of public health initiatives and to understand in real-time what the employment needs are within the sector, both locally and nationally. 

Our degree programme is designed with a comprehensive online distance learning approach, ensuring a dynamic and engaging educational experience. By integrating digital resources and interactive activities, we aim to provide you with a deep understanding of public health and foster collaborative learning among our students, course team and partners.

What will I study?

This course will help you gain a broad and comprehensive understanding of how the society in which we live affects individual and community health. You'll learn about factors that influence health while exploring local, national and global approaches to improving population health.

We will explore how public health has been shaped through history as well as develop understanding of contemporary issues which affect health and wellbeing across the lifespan. Evidenced-based practice, epidemiology, and the determining factors in healthcare will form core themes throughout the course, which will be explored in detail.  

The course has been uniquely designed to promote your entrepreneurial thinking in order to demonstrate innovation and change within the field of public health.

On completion of this course you'll have:

• gained a conceptual and theoretical understanding of the fundamental principles and concepts of public health from a national and global perspective
• critically evaluated health education and health promotion initiatives that support positive change across different platforms
• demonstrated your understanding of contemporary public health research
• developed creative, innovate and entrepreneurial thinking and contributed towards supporting a positive social impact within society

With the guidance of our dedicated lecturers, you will be able to identify your areas of interest and prepare effectively to enter a professional field that you are passionate about.

How will I be taught and assessed?

The course utilises a diverse range of assessment methods, all of which can be completed online through the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) system. Some of the ways you will be assessed include:

• essay
• project
• presentations
• report/case study
• dissertation

Formative assessments will be carried out throughout the course to test your understanding of the module content.