Public Health (Health Services Research)

Entry requirements

2:1 honours degree or relevant professional qualification and experience.

Months of entry

September

Course content

About the course

This course teaches a range of techniques used to evaluate health services and public health interventions. The course is a strong foundation for a research degree or an academic career in public health or health services research.

Your career

We can help you develop the skills and knowledge you need to understand and improve health services: analytical skills, critical thinking and in-depth knowledge of your discipline. We offer postgraduate courses for health and social care professionals, managers and anyone planning a career in health services research.

Our graduates work in public health, the private sector, health services management, and health and social care, all over the world. They also go on to further public health training or academic research.

An international academic community

As one of the largest multi-disciplinary schools of public health and health services research in the UK, ScHARR is a rich academic community. You will be taught by world-leading experts in health economics, public health sciences, the sociology of health, health psychology, decision analysis, management sciences, epidemiology, medical statistics and information science. They include members of The Academy of Medical Sciences, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Royal Society of Public Health. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) rates us fourth in the UK for research power.

Our staff and students come from all over the world and offer international perspectives to all our courses.

Flexible study routes

We offer both traditional campus-based and online courses. Our high quality online courses are taught by the same expert academic staff who teach our courses in Sheffield and offer an alternative to coming to the UK. Guided by our staff, you can study at a pace that suits your personal circumstances. This can be an effective route for those who need to continue to work while they study. Postgraduate certificates and diplomas are also available.

You can also study individual modules as Continuing Professional Development (CPD). See the ScHARR web pages for details of available modules. For LBR and CPD information, visit: www.sheffield.ac.uk/hsccpd

Facilities

You’ll have 24/7 access to library and computing facilities. We provide specialist information and library services in our information resources section.

Core modules

• Key Issues in Global Public Health
• Introduction to Research Methods
• Introduction to Statistics and Critical Appraisal
• Epidemiology
• Randomised Controlled Trials
• Qualitative Research Design and Analysis
• Dissertation

Examples of optional modules

Choices include:

• Health Needs Assessment, Planning and Evaluation
• Health Promotion
• Communicable Disease Control
• Health Care Financing and Economic Evaluation
• Public Health Informatics
• Promoting Evidence-based Health Care
• Further Statistics for Health Science Researchers
• Complex Evaluation Methods
• Systematic Reviews and Critical Appraisal Techniques

Teaching and assessment

You’ll be taught through lectures, seminars, tutorials and independent study.

Assessment is by coursework, examinations and a dissertation.

Information for international students

Overall IELTS grade of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or equivalent.

Qualification and course duration

MPH