Study at Cardiff | Postgraduate

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Course Aims

It is expected that on completion of the MPH programme, students will be able to:

• apply epidemiological principles, statistical techniques and critical appraisal ethically to the problems of disease causation, the assessment of the health needs of a community, and the planning and evaluation of public health programmes
• evaluate the influences of environmental, socio-economic, genetic, nutritional, cultural, occupational and political factors on population health and the provision of appropriate health care
• use understanding of how health policy is developed and implemented, how clinical and programme effectiveness is assessed and how health services are planned, commissioned, organised, managed and financed to improve their professional practice
• use skills in problem formulation, research design, data collection, literature reviews, analysis, interpretation and presentation, and the use of modern information systems, including bibliographic databases
• use problem-solving skills and know how to investigate and plan an appropriate response to incidents that could adversely affect public health, such as environmental hazards and outbreaks of infectious disease
• critically evaluate the principles of disease prevention, risk perception and health promotion and be able to apply them in the development of public health strategies
• achieve mastery in a relevant specialist area, including application of critical thinking skills

Special Features

• Multi-disciplinary and trans-professional in both its content and the students it attracts. The programme is the product of a collaboration between academic partners and the NHS including the School of Medicine at Cardiff University, Public Health Wales, Cardiff Metropolitan University, and the University of Glamorgan
• The MPH has been run successfully in Cardiff since 1989 and has a national and international reputation. The course is designed to fit closely with the syllabus of the UK Faculty of Public Health and to take account of the changing nature of public health practice globally.
• Required course for public health trainees in Wales preparing for the examination for membership of the Faculty of Public Health, for whom a supplementary course is available.

Course Description

The MPH course starts in September each year and can be taken full-time over one year, or part-time over two years (for UK based students).

Part-time students take the core modules (held every Wednesday during terms 1, 2 and 3) in year 1 and specialty modules in year 2 (held on Thursdays and Fridays depending on the subject). Full time students take core and specialty modules concurrently. All students undertake a dissertation on a suitable public health topic.

Students will obtain 80 credits from the core modules and a further 40 credits from their choice of two specialty modules. The remaining 60 credits will be obtained from the dissertation.

Teaching methods include lectures, tutorials and small group work. The course is assessed by summative assignments and unseen examinations in May. Dissertation work is carried out during the summer for submission in September (full-time) or December (part-time).

Course Structure

Full-time students will be required to attend 2 or 3 days per week, depending on module choices. Part-time students will be required to attend 1 day per week durring their first year (Wednesday) and 1 or 2 days during their second year, depending on module choices.

The core modules are:

• Basic Epidemiology
• Applied Epidemiology
• Statistical Methodology
• Health Economics, Policy and Planning

Students then choose two from the following specialty modules:

• Health Improvement (comprising health education, health promotion, nutrition, social marketing and health inequalities)
• Health Protection (comprising communicable disease control, environmental health, chemical incident management and emergency planning)
• Integrating Public Health (comprising a range of theoretical models and applying them to public health practice and covers a range of learning objectives of the UK Faculty of Public Health ‘Part A’ examination)
• Global Health

Assessment is by examination for the four core modules and successful completion of course work for the specialty modules. A dissertation is required which may be based on work of interest to the student and their employer.

Prospective students can access the MPH handbook online by visiting the School website.

Skills Acquired

• Apply the principles, theory, philosophy and practice of public health in their field of professional responsibility
• Understand the important historical and cultural contexts determining the public’s health to assess the feasibility and appropriateness of different courses of intervention
• Use a knowledge of the critical issues at stake in modern public health to appraise the effect of interventions on different social groups
• Critically assess research and be able to evaluate its relevance for public health
• Synthesise and evaluate primary and secondary data
• Achieve on a personal basis high quality public health practical skills
• Design, use and analyse different public health techniques
• Plan, conduct and report on an individual research assignment
• Sustain a critical argument, both in writing and through presentation
• Write for different public health stakeholders
• Demonstrate a capacity for autonomous learning as a basis for life-long professional development
• Keep clear and accurate records
• Listen effectively and communicate ideas, principles and theories effectively by oral, written and practical means
• Work effectively in a team and as an individual
• Use IT, e.g. the internet, databases, spreadsheets, word processing

Certificate in Public Health

The certificate in Public Health is available as an exit qualification for students who have completed at least 60 credits from the core modules.

Entry Requirements

Suitable for those from a wide range of health backgrounds including: dentistry, environmental health, health information, health planning, health promotion, health service evaluation, health service management, social work, medicine, nutrition, and nursing.

Applicants should have a good first degree (2.1 or higher) or at least two years relevant experience with evidence of academic potential. Those whose first language is not English should have obtained an IELTS score of at least 6.5 in the last three years. All applications will be considered on an individual basis by the selection committee. Overseas applications should be received in good time before the start of the course, at least by June. UK applicants might be invited to come for an informal discussion on the course.

Note: International students pursuing part-time programmes of study are not eligible for Tier 4 General Student) visas and must have alternative leave to remain in the UK if they intend to study at the University in person.

Next intake: September each year

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