Population Health Sciences

Entry requirements

A relevant first degree, at least at 2.1 honours level, or equivalent; or a relevant first degree, at least at 2.2 honours level, or equivalent in addition to a minimum of six months’ work experience in public health or health care.

Exceptionally, if a first degree is not relevant then a professional qualification and experience in the practice of public health for at least two years at a professional level is required.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Population health science is an emerging area of health research that is focussed on the multiple determinants of health outcomes and their impact on a population. It’s role is to measure, quantify and describe the health status and health inequalities of populations through understanding the interactions of the physical and social environment, individual behaviour, resource allocation, investment and genetics over the life course and through time. To do this effectively requires a range of approaches and techniques that link determinants to outcomes and ultimately allows for the identification and refining of novel population health interventions that are grounded in best practice and are cost effective. The aim of this Population Health Sciences programme is to provide you with the knowledge and skills relating to population health as an emerging and active area of research.

Why this programme?

• This MSc in Population Health Sciences is the only taught distance learning programme in the UK allowing you to combine study with work commitments.
• You will gain a thorough understanding of the interdisciplinary nature and emerging importance of Population Health Science through studying a broad range of core and optional modules such as Advanced Statistics, Health Economics, Principles of Population Health and Advanced Epidemiology.
• Staff at the Institute of Health and Wellbeing are word leaders in their field with high impact and pioneering research into evaluating, developing and informing population health interventions such as the Scottish smoking ban (Jill Pell & Daniel Mackay), Scotland’s alcohol strategy (Lewesy & Mackay) Football Fans in Training (Wyke, Hunt, Gray and Bunn) and the CorMicA and EMPOWER studies (Briggs).
• The institute of Health and Wellbeing also hosts the MRC/CSO funded Social and Public Health Sciences Unit whose staff have global reputations in leading research into Neighbourhoods and Communities (Mitchell) , Complexity in Health Improvement (Moore and Wight) and the Measurement and Analysis of Socio-economic Inequalities in Health (Leyland).
• The Institute of Health and Wellbeing is interdisciplinary in nature with staff work collaboratively across Public Health, General Practice & Primary Care, Mental Health and Wellbeing, Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment as well as the School of Medicine. This breadth of interdisciplinary collaboration means that you will benefit from the different insights that Institute staff bring to teaching and research.
• Each course has a designated discussion forum where you can interact with your fellow students and members of staff.
• You will have the opportunity to improve your communication, team working and independent research skills through developing a research portfolio of poster presentations, short report writing and data analyses.

Qualification and course duration

MSc

PGDip

PGCert