About Applied Public Health Masters in Cardiff Metropolitan University

Course Overview

The MSc Applied Public Health places a strong focus on health equity and social justice at local and global levels. Our aim is to develop reflective public health practitioners who apply a systematic and practical understanding of public health to improve and protect the health & well-being of the individuals, groups and communities that they work with. We will support you to develop and use a combination of leadership, innovation and technical skills to advocate for, influence and implement changes in policy and practice to reduce or eliminate unjust, preventable differences in health, and promote sustainable development.

The programme is aimed at anyone with an interest in improving the full range of social, economic and environmental determinants of health: for example, people working in public health, education, health promotion, housing, transport, leisure, environmental health, community development, health & wellbeing partnerships, planning, social services, school nursing, and health visiting (not an exhaustive list!). We welcome applicants from all sectors: public, private and the voluntary & independent sector. The programme retains an international focus, addressing public health issues faced around the world, as well as in Wales and the UK.

Features of the programme:

Linked to professional standards: the programme is designed to meet UK and international public health competency frameworks, including UK Public Health Skills & Knowledge Framework and the UK Public Health Practitioner Standards. We use many international case studies in our teaching, as well as examples from the UK. We are currently applying for accreditation with two international public health organisations: the International Union of Health Promotion & Education, and the Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation.

Real-world application: The programme is devised to enable students to apply their knowledge to real-world situations. Assessments are often designed to allow students to apply public health skills to the issues that they are currently facing, or most interested in investigating. We provide personalised academic and professional support, helping students to apply and develop their public health skills in their current and future practice.

Assessment strategy focused on public health skills: our assessments are designed to address the main programme outcomes, enabling students to develop, integrate and demonstrate their public health skills across the programme. We use a wide range of assessment types, including reports, presentations, interviews and observed practice scenarios – there are no unseen written examinations. The programme contains an integrating 'Public Health Skills Assessment' at the end of the taught modules.

Work-based learning opportunity: students can elect to complete the portfolio assessment of the Health Equity Interventions module by undertaking work-based learning. This may be through your existing employment or activities, or by arranging a specific experience with a relevant employer.

​Course Content​​

The course is designed as a Masters programme but it has exit points at both postgraduate certificate & diploma level. The programme is available on a full-time (20 months years) and part-time (3 years) basis; you can also apply to study individual modules on a CPD basis. Full-time students study all taught modules in year 1, then progress to the Research Project. Year of study for part-time students is indicated below:

For the Postgraduate Certificate, you'll complete the following modules:

• Public Health Principles (20 credits, taught Oct-Nov – year 1 of the part-time route) – understand the core concepts and principles of public health and sustainable development, interpret indicators of population health and well-being, and assess the impact of action to address inequities in health
• Advocacy & Partnership for Well-being (20 credits, taught Dec-Feb – year 1 of the part-time route) – build and sustain partnerships, working in political, democratic and organisational systems to advocate for action to improve health, promote sustainable development and reduce inequities
• Health Protection (20 credits, taught Nov-May – year 1 of the part-time route) – protect the public from environmental hazards and communicable disease, addressing inequities in risk exposure and outcomes
  
  For the Postgraduate Diploma, you'll undertake the above modules, plus the following modules:

• Applied Research Methods and Design (20 credits, taught Oct-Jan – year 2 of the part-time route) – develop your research skills, apply principles of evidence-based practice and design robust research projects
• Health Equity Interventions (40 credits, taught Oct-May – year 2 of the part-time route) – apply relevant intervention frameworks and models of change to design, plan and implement interventions to improve health, promote sustainable development and reduce inequities

Employability & Careers​

The promotion, protection and improvement of public health are key objectives for the Welsh Government, UK Government and internationally in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our programme has been designed to meet and align with the requirements of UK and international public health competency frameworks and professional standards, including:

• UK Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework
• UK Public Health Practitioner Standards
• International Union for Health Promotion and Education – Competencies for Health Promotion
• Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation – Curriculum for Masters-level public health programmes

Academic qualification equivalents

• Secondary School Diploma or equivalent, include one English, Grade 12 (ENG4C or ENG4U), minimum 60%

English language requirements (one of the below):

• IELTS      :      6.0 overall* with no sub score lower than 5.5
• PTE         :      Overall - 52, Reading - 51, Speaking - 51,Listening - 51,Writing - 51

Cardiff Metropolitan University Highlights

Cardiff Metropolitan University Average Tuition Fees And Other Expenses

Personal requirements including books charge a different fee according to the course.