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?

The Covid-19 pandemic has increased media and political attention on public health, elevating the significance and importance of this subject area. There is now an increased focus on supporting individuals and communities in their health and wellbeing, and we're already seeing a huge expansion of employment opportunities in the public health sector.

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 current practitioners, sharing knowledge and expertise to ensure you receive the most current and significant information from the global health scene. All our teaching staff also actively participate in national health forums.

Lecturers regularly liaise with local public health teams to deepen their knowledge of current public health promoting initiatives and to understand in real-time what the developmental needs are for securing employment within the sector. At BNU, our master’s degree programme draws on blended and flexible teaching and activities to provide a rich learning experience for all our students. 

Choosing to study with us means getting access to the opportunities, experiences and encouragement you need to move forward in your existing career, or to move towards new job opportunities within a wide range of services that relate to the public health sector.

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

You will have been able to identify areas you are interested in and prepared properly to enter a professional field you are passionate about, with the support of tutors, lecturers and skill training.

How will I be taught and assessed?

There are a variety of assessment methods employed on the course, assessments can be done online as part of the 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.