Available Programmes of Study

Master of Public Health

Qualification Duration Learning Mode Study Mode Start Month Location  

MPH 12 months or 24 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time September Aberdeen View

Programme Information

Semester 1

Semester 1

In the first semester, students undertake two compulsory courses and also select two optional courses.

---

Compulsory Courses

Applied Statistics (PU5017)

15 Credit Points

This course intends to develop the student's awareness of the fact that statistical techniques are integral to scientific research. Researchers must be able to specify a precise research question in statistical terms and then select an appropriate study design in order to carry out an effective research project. They must also be able to assess the adequacy of the research presented in scientific or medical literature. The same skills are also required for many MSc dissertation projects.

View detailed information about this course

Epidemiology (PU5030)

15 Credit Points

This course in applied epidemiology gives an introduction to disease measurement at a population level, basic epidemiological study design and analysis, and provides an understanding of key methodological issues needed to apply when designing – or critically appraising – an epidemiological study.

View detailed information about this course

---

Optional Courses

Choice of two elective courses from the following:

• Fundamentals of Research Design (PU5052)
• Introduction to Global Health (PU5042)

Health Economics (PU5032)

15 Credit Points

Resources available for the provision and payment for health care are limited. However, knowledge of economics helps ensure that available resources are used in the most effective way possible. Economics allows more informed decision making about a variety of issues: choosing between alternative treatments; setting priorities between patients; choosing between alternative new technologies; organising the provision of health care.

In this course students will acquire a knowledge and understanding of:

• key themes of economic theory as applied to health care
• some of the main techniques of health care evaluation
• main arguments concerning alternative systems for organising and financing health care

View detailed information about this course

Evidence - Based Health (PU5031)

15 Credit Points

This course is taken by students registered for the PGCert in Research Methods for Health and the MPH. It is delivered online and provides interaction with fellow students and faculty both synchronously and asynchronously. Everyone taking part must be registered for the course and complete all assessments. This course aims to enable the fundamental understanding and application of evidence based health at an individual- and population-level, focusing on the use of systematic reviews to synthesise evidence as well as methods to translate and implement evidence to inform health practice and policy.

View detailed information about this course

Designing Real - World Trials (PU5038)

15 Credit Points

Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) are used to test the effectiveness of interventions. The aim of this course is to take a student through the process of designing RCTs. The course will focus on RCTs in the evaluation of real world healthcare and public health settings.

View detailed information about this course

Health, Well Bing and Behaviour Change (PU5040)

15 Credit Points

What can health professionals and health care promoters do to improve their own and others health and wellbeing? What influences people’s health behaviours? Why do people find it difficult to change their health behaviour? What are the most promising strategies for improving health and well-being?

Health behaviours cover a wide range of behaviours (e.g. smoking, physical activity, vaccination, diet, taking medication, and practicing safe sex) and have a major impact on peoples’ health, quality of life, and (healthy) life expectancy. Nevertheless, many people have an unhealthy diet, exercise too little, don’t take their medication as prescribed, smoke, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, and so forth.

In this course, we will address these challenges and students will learn key theories about health behaviour and behaviour change, including behaviour change techniques, in order to understand how health behaviours can be influenced by a variety of factors within an individual (e.g., conscious and unconscious thoughts, emotions, goals, and decisions), and also by factors in the environment (e.g., the behaviours and expectations of society; the quality of the communication by health care professionals; or availability and affordability of healthy options in the environment).

Health psychologists and health professionals are expected to be able to develop, evaluate and implement intervention programs to promote healthier behaviour, through changing individuals and their environment.

Within this course you will develop your understanding of health behaviours, what influences them and how to change them. You will experience the role of health behaviours from both the participant’s and researcher view, by developing, participating in and analysing your own behavioural intervention.

View detailed information about this course

Semester 2

Semester 2

In the second semester, there are two options available to students. Students who wish to complete a standard project (60 credits) undertake 1 core and 3 elective courses in the second semester and start their project in the third semester. Alternatively, students who wish to undertake an extended project (90 credits) undertake 1 core and 1 elective course in the second semester and will initiate their project in the second semester, including a protocol presentation.

---

Compulsory Courses

Health Needs Assessment (PU5525)

15 Credit Points

Public health is the art and science of improving health through the organised efforts of society. This course supports students in developing a critical understanding of the breadth of public health approaches to protecting, promoting, monitoring and improving health among the population as a whole.

The course is core to the MPH programme, but also open to students interested in understanding the population-based approach to health. All must be registered for the course and complete all assessments. The course is suitable for students wanting a professional (specialist/ practitioner) public health career and also for those wanting a related academic career.

View detailed information about this course

---

Optional Courses

Option A: Take three optional courses with a view to undertaking a Standard Project in the 3rd semester.

Option B: Take just one optional course with a view to undertaking an Extended project, including a protocol presentation in the second semester.

• Challenges in Global Nutrition (PU5547)
• Sustainable diets and Global food systems (RN5506)
• Women’s health in Global setting (PU5549)

The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)

15 Credit Points

This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through seminars, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.

View detailed information about this course

Qualitative Health Research (PU5529)

15 Credit Points

This course provides a sound introduction to qualitative health research. You will consider the relevance and value of qualitative methodologies which respond to current health agendas. The course introduces planning to conduct relevant research and a range of methods to generate, handle and analyse qualitative data. You will gain insight into issues of rigour, quality and ethics, and understand the importance of engaging with relevant audiences. The course is delivered by a range of experienced contributors, and you will gain insight into the practicalities of undertaking qualitative research via practical workshops and stimulating lecture sessions.

View detailed information about this course

Health Informatics (PU5532)

15 Credit Points

We live in a time of ‘Big Data’ with the rapid growth in the digital capture of health information. Health Informatics is the science of data capture, linkage and analysis of large datasets to improve health. The demand for health researchers with training and experience in health informatics is high. For people practicing in Public Health, it is a key skill. It will equip students for any career in health research or public health practice and this course is an excellent stepping stone for those wishing to develop a specialist interest in the field.

View detailed information about this course

Values and Ethics in Public Health (PU5528)

15 Credit Points

This course challenges you to engage robustly with questions about what is good and right (and why) in public health policy and practice. You will develop your ability to critique and participate effectively in debates about what matters – and what is morally justified - in efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of communities and populations. You will develop the knowledge and confidence to identify value-based assumptions as you examine a range of real-world health problems and practice justifying and objecting to different strategies for addressing them

View detailed information about this course

Health Systems and Policy Research (BU5594)

15 Credit Points

The course aims to instill knowledge but, much more importantly, stimulate students’ thinking about the major challenges within different health systems and the options for the health services management. Furthermore, it aims to take a genuinely international perspective on health care, providing knowledge of different health care systems and encouraging comparison and critique. It covers a wide variety of topics including an overview of the health systems around the world, the effects of social inequalities on health inequalities and their repercussions for social policy and issues of public health policy towards tobacco, alcohol and obesity.

View detailed information about this course

Systematic Reviewing (PU5526)

15 Credit Points

This course will equip students with the relevant skills to interpret and conduct systematic reviews on the effectiveness of healthcare interventions.

Students will learn to formulate a clear research question and understand the principles and main steps for undertaking systematic reviews. In particular, they will learn how:

i) to develop an adequate search strategy;

ii) to critically appraise primary studies;

iii) to extract data from primary studies;

iv) to identify the main sources of heterogeneity among primary studies;

v) to analyse findings from primary studies;

vi) to interpret results;

vii) to assess the quality of existing systematic reviews.

View detailed information about this course

Semester 3

Semester 3

All MPH students undertake a project in the third semester. Students can choose to undertake either a standard project (starting in the third semester) or an extended project (initiated in the second semester as described previously).

---

Optional Courses

• Extended Project in Public Health (PU5045)

Research Project in Applied Health Sciences (PU5913)

60 Credit Points

This course offers students the opportunity to complete a substantial piece of data-driven, empirical work within their field of study, under the supervision of an experienced researcher. Topics available will be varied but within the domain of their field of study. Alongside supervisors, students will identify a suitable topic area, describe an appropriate study design and implement an empirical study.  Students will be involved alongside the supervisors in the process of defining the research question, and developing the research protocol, and where appropriate obtaining all regulatory approvals.

View detailed information about this course

---

Programme Fees

Fee information

Fee category	Cost
Home / EU / RUK Students	£9,000
Tuition Fees for 2020/21 Academic Year
International Students	£21,000
Tuition Fees for 2020/21 Academic Year

MPH 12 months or 36 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time January Aberdeen View

Programme Information

Stage 1

Stage 1

Students complete one compulsory and three elective courses.

---

Compulsory Courses

Health Needs Assessment (PU5525)

15 Credit Points

Public health is the art and science of improving health through the organised efforts of society. This course supports students in developing a critical understanding of the breadth of public health approaches to protecting, promoting, monitoring and improving health among the population as a whole.

The course is core to the MPH programme, but also open to students interested in understanding the population-based approach to health. All must be registered for the course and complete all assessments. The course is suitable for students wanting a professional (specialist/ practitioner) public health career and also for those wanting a related academic career.

View detailed information about this course

---

Optional Courses

Students select three 15-credit courses from the following:

• Challenges in Global Nutrition (PU5547)
• Sustainable diets and Global food systems (RN5506) - Online course
• Women’s health in global setting (PU5549) - Online course

Systematic Reviewing (PU5526)

15 Credit Points

This course will equip students with the relevant skills to interpret and conduct systematic reviews on the effectiveness of healthcare interventions. Using lectures and practical sessions, students will understand the principles of systematic reviewing and the differences between narrative and systematic reviews. They will learn to formulate a clear research question and undertake each stage of systematic reviewing of randomised controlled trials. They will also learn about the importance of the levels of evidence and systematic reviews of other different study designs. This course will also introduce the students to advances in systematic reviews such as network meta-analysis and use of Individual Patient Data (IPD)

View detailed information about this course

Qualitative Health Research (PU5529)

15 Credit Points

This course provides a sound overview of the methods involved in qualitative health research. You will consider the relevance and value of different qualitative methodologies which respond to current health agendas. The course covers planning to conduct qualitative research and a range of methods to generate, handle and analyse qualitative data. You will gain insight into issues of rigour, quality and ethics, and understand the importance of engaging with relevant audiences. The course is delivered by experienced qualitative researchers, and you will gain insight into the practicalities of undertaking qualitative research via practical workshops and lecture sessions.

This course provides a sound overview of the methods involved in qualitative health research. You will consider the relevance and value of different qualitative methodologies which respond to current health agendas. The course covers planning to conduct qualitative research and a range of methods to generate, handle and analyse qualitative data. You will gain insight into issues of rigour, quality and ethics, and understand the importance of engaging with relevant audiences. The course is delivered by experienced qualitative researchers, and you will gain insight into the practicalities of undertaking qualitative research via practical workshops and lecture sessions.

View detailed information about this course

Health Informatics (PU5532)

15 Credit Points

We live in a time of ‘Big Data’ with the rapid growth in the digital capture of health information. Health Informatics is the science of data capture, linkage and analysis of large datasets to improve health. The demand for health researchers with training and experience in health informatics is high. For people practicing in Public Health, it is a key skill. It will equip students for any career in health research or public health practice and this course is an excellent stepping stone for those wishing to develop a specialist interest in the field.

View detailed information about this course

Health Systems and Policy Research (BU5594)

15 Credit Points

The course aims to instill knowledge but, much more importantly, stimulate students’ thinking about the major challenges within different health systems and the options for the health services management. Furthermore, it aims to take a genuinely international perspective on health care, providing knowledge of different health care systems and encouraging comparison and critique. It covers a wide variety of topics including an overview of the health systems around the world, the effects of social inequalities on health inequalities and their repercussions for social policy and issues of public health policy towards tobacco, alcohol and obesity.

View detailed information about this course

The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)

15 Credit Points

This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.

View detailed information about this course

Values and Ethics in Public Health (PU5528)

15 Credit Points

This course challenges you to engage robustly with questions about what is good and right (and why) in public health policy and practice. You will develop your ability to critique and participate effectively in debates about what matters – and what is morally justified - in efforts to improve the health and wellbeing of communities and populations. You will develop the knowledge and confidence to identify value-based assumptions as you examine a range of real-world health problems and practice justifying and objecting to different strategies for addressing them

View detailed information about this course

Stage 2

Stage 2

Students complete two elective courses.

---

Optional Courses

Students select two 30-credit courses from the following:

• Evaluating Policy effects in practice (PU5919)
• Work Based Placement in Applied Health Sciences

Rapid Research Project (PU5916)

30 Credit Points

This course offers students the opportunity to gain experience of the different processes involved in scientific research or other scholarly investigation in either in a laboratory, clinical, academic or public health setting, under the supervision of an experienced researcher. Topics available will be varied but within the domain of their field of study. All projects offered will have a defined research question, a full protocol and where appropriate all regulatory approvals before the start of the project.

View detailed information about this course

Stage 3

Stage 3

Students complete two compulsory courses and two elective courses.

---

Compulsory Courses

Applied Statistics (PU5017)

15 Credit Points

This course in Applied Statistics intends to focus on the application of statistical techniques in postgraduate research for health professionals, with a particular emphasis on the correct interpretation of statistical analyses. The course will NOT concentrate on the statistical theory underlying the subject. An important component of the course is the use of a statistical package. The statistical package used on this course will be IBM SPSS Statistics 25 which can be used to implement all of the methods taught on this course.

View detailed information about this course

Epidemiology (PU5030)

15 Credit Points

This course in applied epidemiology gives an introduction to disease measurement at a population level, basic epidemiological study design and analysis, and provides an understanding of key methodological issues needed to apply when designing – or critically appraising – an epidemiological study.

View detailed information about this course

---

Optional Courses

Students select two 15-credit courses from the following:

• Fundamentals of Research Design (PU5052) – Online course
• Introduction to Global Health (PU5042) – Online course

Health, Well Being and Behaviour Change (PU5040)

15 Credit Points

What can health professionals and health care promoters do to improve their own and others health and wellbeing? What influences people’s health behaviours? Why do people find it difficult to change their health behaviour? What are the most promising strategies for improving health and well-being?

Health behaviours cover a wide range of behaviours (e.g. smoking, physical activity, vaccination, diet, taking medication, and practicing safe sex) and have a major impact on peoples’ health, quality of life, and (healthy) life expectancy. Nevertheless, many people have an unhealthy diet, exercise too little, don’t take their medication as prescribed, smoke, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, and so forth.

In this course, we will address these challenges and students will learn key theories about health behaviour and behaviour change, including behaviour change techniques, in order to understand how health behaviours can be influenced by a variety of factors within an individual (e.g., conscious and unconscious thoughts, emotions, goals, and decisions), and also by factors in the environment (e.g., the behaviours and expectations of society; the quality of the communication by health care professionals; or availability and affordability of healthy options in the environment).

Health psychologists and health professionals are expected to be able to develop, evaluate and implement intervention programs to promote healthier behaviour, through changing individuals and their environment.

Within this course you will develop your understanding of health behaviours, what influences them and how to change them. You will experience the role of health behaviours from both the participant’s and researcher view, by developing, participating in and analysing your own behavioural intervention.

View detailed information about this course

Health Economics (PU5032)

15 Credit Points

The aim of this course is to provide an introduction to the application of economics to health care. Resources available for the provision and payment for health care are limited. However, knowledge of economics helps ensure that available resources are used in the most effective way possible. Economics allows more informed decision making about a variety of issues: choosing between alternative treatments; setting priorities between patients; choosing between alternative new technologies; organising the provision of health care.

View detailed information about this course

Evidence - Based Health (PU5031)

15 Credit Points

This course aims to enable the fundamental understanding and application of evidence based health at an individual- and population-level, focusing on the use of systematic reviews to synthesise evidence as well as methods to translate and implement evidence to inform health practice and policy. Students on this course will work through the stages of a systematic review unit by unit, completing interactive and practical exercises to develop the skills required to conduct a review. They will then study how the evidence produced from systematic reviews is used to shape health policy and practice, at the level of organisations and individual clinical encounters.

View detailed information about this course

Designing Real - World Trials (PU5038)

15 Credit Points

Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) are used to test the effectiveness of interventions. The aim of this course is to take a student through the process of designing RCTs. The course will focus on RCTs in the evaluation of real world healthcare and public health settings.

View detailed information about this course

---

Programme Fees

Fee information

Fee category	Cost
Home / EU / RUK Students	£9,000
Tuition Fees for 2020/21 Academic Year
International Students	£21,000
Tuition Fees for 2020/21 Academic Year