Course structure
After the induction day, the course begins with the first core module, Principals of Health Promotion and Behaviour Change. This module provides a sound foundation in health promotion and public health systems thinking. The core module Strategy and Project Planning in Health is delivered in teaching semester 2.
You will also take six 20-credit modules, to includes a research methods module, and complete a 60-credit research dissertation.
The combination of modules depends on the pathway you choose and will be selected in consultation with the course leader – for information on the pathways, look at the other tabs on this page.
You will learn through a mixture of taught sessions, tutorials, interactive online sessions, group work, independent study and placement-related activities. Most 20-credit modules are delivered over five to seven full-days spread over two weeks, with follow-up assignment support or online action learning sets. The dates are set well in advance so that you can plan your study schedule and time on campus.
The 20-credit community placement module runs alongside your study period depending on the location, timing and nature of your placement. You will be supported to identify a 65-plus hour voluntary placement in a not-for-profit organisation in the broader health promotion practice community. Opportunities exist locally in Sussex and further afield, including overseas, depending on your chosen pathway.
You will be taught by a range of university academics, researchers and health promotion practitioners, including our MSc graduates, who work in public health roles. You’ll also benefit from contributions from our visiting professors who include Dr Suzanne Jackson from Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, and Professor Albert Lee from the School of Public Health at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The course is flexible and allows you to exit with a postgraduate certificate (PGCert) after passing three modules (60 credits) or a postgraduate diploma (PGDip) after passing six modules (120 credits). You must complete the 60-credit research dissertation to qualify for the MSc.
Health sciences postgraduate education
This course is part of our postgraduate education programme. The programme allows you to sign up for one module at a time and build your qualification as you go. It also gives you access to interdisciplinary modules across a broad selection of health and social science subjects.
Syllabus
You will take the core modules whichever pathway you choose, along with a research methods module. Your other compulsory and optional modules will depend upon the pathway you take. See individual route tabs for information on module requirements.
Modules
Core modules
- Principles of Health Promotion and Behaviour Change
This interdisciplinary module explores health promotion theory and practice with an emphasis on the social and psychological factors of health and behaviours. You will learn to understand and apply health promotion concepts and theoretical frameworks in your work and/or in subsequent academic study. The module aims to develop your knowledge of the principles of health promotion and practical competencies in enabling healthy behaviours.
- Strategy and Project Planning in Health
This module entails undertaking a 65-plus hour voluntary placement, usually within a not-for-profit organisation in the broader practice community. It is designed to develop knowledge and skills around core health promotion standards and competencies, including advocate for health, ethics, partnership working and leadership. It provides a valuable opportunity for you to widen your experience of how organisations operate and implement public health.
- Dissertation
This final dissertation is a major piece of work and an opportunity for you to fully investigate a subject you are interested in. The dissertation can be via literature-based research, small-scale empirical research or analysis of existing data. You will be supported by your tutors to develop a dissertation proposal and then allocated a dissertation supervisor to guide you through your research work. You will be encouraged to write up your dissertation research as draft publication-ready papers, so that you can more readily publish high-quality work after completion of your MSc.
Options*
- Research Theory and Application for Health Professionals
In this module you will explore the underlying philosophy, design considerations and data analysis options in qualitative and quantitative research models. The main focus will be on the skills and knowledge base required for critical evaluation of published literature and the module will also equip you with the expertise to design, carry out and analyse the data from your own masters level research project.
- Quantitative Research Methods
In this module you will develop skills in quantitative research design and data collection so you can critique the research of others (eg, media, research articles) and use quantitative skills in your own research projects. You will gain a new understanding of the critical evaluation of statistical techniques and develop skills in how to formulate a good research question, information handling, report writing, data presentation and use of statistical packages.
- Research Methods and Critical Appraisal
During this module you will study how conduct and appraise research. You will gain an understanding of research methods in health and social care and the ability to relate appropriate methods to research questions. You’ll learn how to search and review the literature, develop and justify a research proposal, and anticipate ethical issues in your research proposal. The modules also involves mandatory attendance at an obtaining informed consent workshop.
- Mixed Methods Research
This module addresses the current legislative and regulatory frameworks and reviews changes to health and social care research. You will explore mixed methods research in order to produce research that is likely to drive these changes, and address issues surrounding Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in research. The module also provides an opportunity to explore specialist techniques such as concepts of health economics and health evaluation and insider researcher reflexivity.
- Health Professional as an Educator
Practitioners in health, social care and diverse practice settings have an increasingly educational role so this module is designed to enhance the skills necessary for you to develop your role as an educator in the work-based setting. It will focus on your educational role with learners, including students, colleagues, service users, families/carers, interprofessional teams and the public.
- Enhancing Engagement in Practice Education
Focusing on the importance of student engagement in learning, this module is designed to develop your understanding of practices, policies and strategies to improve the student experience in parallel with theory in this area, including concepts such as student satisfaction and student-staff partnership in learning. You will be encouraged to critically reflect on student engagement practice in your own teaching-related context (student voice, partnership, etc).
- Leading Education Design in Practice
The focus of this extensive module is between theory, research and practice learning in the context of transforming educational practice. You will develop your own curriculum of teaching, learning, assessment and leadership practice gathered throughout the course with the aim of critically applying this to the relevant professional framework. You will also consider educational theories related to leadership, digital learning, resilience and reflective learning. There is a requirement for teaching practice within this module.
- Promoting Health, Wellbeing and Resilience Through Participation
In this module you will critically reflect upon the policies, evidence and theory that relates to participation in promoting health, wellbeing and resilience. You will develop a proposal for improving the services within your professional practice that is based on an advanced understanding of how participation improves people’s health, wellbeing and resilience.
- Obesity, Diet and Food Systems
This module applies an evidence-based approach to weight – one of the most burning issues in public health. Weight has direct and indirect links with local and global aspects of food systems, sustainability, cultural dynamics and individual preferences and behaviours. Looking critically at local and global policies and interventions, the module uses a ‘what works’ approach to identify and analyse relevant, promising practices for change.
- Culture, Community Health and Wellbeing
In this module you will examine how health knowledge, related practices and health behaviours are shaped by the cultural contexts in which they occur, and examine the implications of this for community and public health policy and practice. You will critically reflect on your own values, beliefs and assumptions. You’ll also examine the relationship between culture, health and wellbeing and the discourses and knowledge systems that underpin these health traditions.
- Health Law and Ethics for Informed Practice
This module aims to highlight the complexities of the English legal system with regard to health law and its relation to ethics. As there can be confusion in separating a legal point from an ethical argument, you will explore the difference and analyse and evaluate health law and ethics in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. You will also discuss and debate areas including equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities.
- Community Placement: Developing Health Promotion Competencies
This module entails undertaking a 65-plus hour voluntary placement, usually within a not-for-profit organisation in the broader practice community. It is designed to develop knowledge and skills around core health promotion standards and competencies, including advocate for health, ethics, partnership working and leadership. It provides a valuable opportunity for you to widen your experience of how organisations operate and implement public health.
- Qualitative Research
This module will introduce you to the approaches involved in qualitative research and critically explores the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of qualitative research knowledge, its methodologies and methods, as well as the ethicopolitical issues involved. You will also examine the practical considerations of design and methods, data and analysis, and evaluate the quality, value and use of qualitative research.
- Physical Activity and Exercise Rehabilitation
In this module you will look at the contemporary use of exercise therapy and prescription in healthcare practice and apply theoretical knowledge to your own area of practice. You will grow your existing knowledge and critical thinking skills with relation to exercise physiology, the clinical reasoning of exercise prescription and the use of the best available evidence to support and develop your practice.
- Epidemiology
This module promotes the systematic understanding of epidemiological theory and practice as a basic science in public health. It provides fundamental concepts for designing, conducting, analysing and evaluating epidemiological studies and health services research. Areas covered include reliability and validity; association and causation; basic statistical concepts used in epidemiology; and historical, current and high-impact epidemiological studies.
- Global Public Health
This module takes a global perspective on social, economic and environmental determinants of health and disease. You will develop a multidisciplinary evidence-based approach for promoting the health and social wellbeing in populations around the world. Areas of study include health financing in developing countries; ethnicity, migration and health and wellbeing; sustainable development goals and the future of global health; and the role of international agencies in addressing health issues.
- Social Marketing
During this module you will explore ways in which professionals can use social marketing to tackle a range of behavioural challenges. Through an introduction to theory, concepts, processes and practical application of systematic social marketing, you will learn how marketing can be integrated with other approaches to encourage and enable positive health, social and environmental behaviours for the benefit of individuals and society.
- Digital Technologies and Information for Health Care Delivery
This module addresses the need to raise the level of digital education of healthcare professionals based on the need to facilitate the development of knowledge and skills for leaders and frontline service providers for the adaptive transformational change needed in the proposed phase digitisation of the NHS. Though the examples will be drawn from the NHS in England, the contents of this module may equally be applicable to an International care service.
- Managing Change
This module is designed to enhance and develop your insight, critical awareness and understanding of change management and how theories and perspectives are used in practice. It examines strategies for achieving organisational results, innovation and change within teams and organisations. Learning outcomes correlate directly with core and specific dimensions of the NHS Knowledge and skills framework, ensuring it is rooted in practice.
- Health Law and Ethics for Informed Practice
This module aims to highlight the complexities of the English legal system with regard to health law and its relation to ethics. As there can be confusion in separating a legal point from an ethical argument, you will explore the difference and analyse and evaluate health law and ethics in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. You will also discuss and debate areas including equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities.
- Leadership and Service Development in Health and Social Care
During this module you will critically apply leadership theory to contemporary themes in health and related sector organisations. You will develop your leadership potential and increase confidence, knowledge and skills in leading service developments. Areas covered include historical perspectives on leadership; power/influence/authority; leadership styles; using emotional intelligence; communication, visioning, creativity; and marketing and service user involvement.
*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.
Teaching and assessment
The pattern of module delivery varies, with some modules taught five days in succession (Monday to Friday). Others may run for two consecutive days a month apart with a final assessment day in the following month. Most taught sessions are for a full day on campus with dates set far in advance so that you can plan ahead.
This intensive pattern of delivery is designed to make it easier for part-time students to book time away from work. Some students choose to commute to 91¶¶Òõ and stay overnight when a module is running.
The 20-credit modules involve around 200 hours of study time, typically arranged as 30–40 hours of contact time with lecturers, independent guided and individual study, and work on assignments.
The variety of assessment methods is designed to reflect the skills and outputs that might be required in a working environment, such as giving a talk, presenting a bid or writing a briefing paper. These include interactive lectures, small group discussions, case studies, problem-based learning in response to public health triggers, and assessments by presentation, video recordings, oral response to scenarios, as well as formal written critical reports.
Each module is assessed separately and includes formative assignments that provide you with feedback on your progress as you prepare for summative assessments. You are able to book individual or group tutorials with each module leader for support with working on your assignments.
Your course leader is responsible for your overall education and course progression. You will also be assigned a personal academic tutor (PAT) from the health promotion course team to support and guide you on all aspects unrelated to the content of any individual modules, future careers and making the most of your postgraduate study experience.
In addition to the formal teaching you will have access to ad hoc extracurricular seminars both within the school and through forums such as the and the which operate across the 91¶¶Òõ, 91¶¶Òõ and Sussex Medical School and the University of Sussex.
Health promotion pathway
The Health Promotion pathway is our most popular route and offers the widest choice of option modules. It requires no previous experience of study or work in health promotion practice, so is suitable if you are changing career and need to develop and strengthen your expertise and knowledge of public health.
If you are already working in public health and want to develop both your knowledge of education and management theory and practice, this pathway would enable you to take modules from both the management and education strands.
As well as the core modules, you will take:
- Community Placement: Developing Health Promotion Competencies (20 credits)
- two option modules – the course leader can advise you about which modules would be suitable based on your background, experience and interests.
International pathway
The International Health Promotion pathway provides an opportunity to learn through comparison. You will compare and contrast how context influences the way that health promotion operates in your home and host country.
It is suitable for international students who want to maximise the opportunity to learn from their experience of living and studying in the UK, and for students from the UK who have experience of employment, volunteering or residency in a different country or extensive cross-cultural employment/voluntary experience in the UK and want to deepen their learning from this exposure.
The community placement module volunteering is carried out in a country other than your own – for international students this would be a UK placement.
Your dissertation may include strong elements of international comparison such as examining what happens in your home versus your host country.
As well as the core modules, you will take:
- Community Placement: Developing Health Promotion Competencies (20 credits)
- One option module (20 credits)
A global or cross-cultural option module (20 credits) such as:
- Culture, Community Health and Wellbeing
- Global Public Health
Management pathway
The management pathway expands your capacity to work at a managerial level in health promotion. You should have a high level of pre-existing knowledge, experience and competence in health promotion as you will take most of your modules from the management strand.
Your dissertation will be on an aspect of health promotion of your choice which includes a management perspective.
As well as the core modules, you will take:
- Community Placement: Developing Health Promotion Competencies (20 credits)
Two 20-credit option manage modules such as:
- Leadership and Service Development in Health and Social Care
- Managing Change
- Social Marketing
Education pathway
The Health Promotion and Education pathway is for practising health professionals who wish to gain skills, knowledge and behaviours to be an effective leader of education within practice or for academics who wish to work in a healthcare education context. It is for you if your expertise and job roles include, or are expected to include, a strong curriculum design and delivery of education to other health or allied health professionals.
To study on this pathway you’ll need to have experience of and/or have studied health promotion and have previous experience of delivering teaching or training courses to health professionals or other colleagues in practice.
Students on this pathway share modules with health professionals studying for our PGCert in Leading Practice Education. UK students will be able to gain formal recognition as a D2-Fellow under the UK Higher Education Academy Fellowship scheme. Fellowship of the UKHEA is increasingly recognised as an alternative to a PGCert in employment in higher education.
As well as the core modules, you will take:
- Health Professional as an Educator (20 credits)
- Enhancing Engagement in Practice Education (20 credits)
- Learning Education Design in Practice (20 credits)
Full-time/part-time
Full-time
Students studying full-time tend to take three modules in each of the two teaching semesters and work on their dissertation from June to September.
Part-time
Many of our UK-based students study part-time to fit alongside their work and home commitments.
Typically, part-time students take three or four modules in the first two years and complete their dissertation in their third year.
This gives students plenty of flexibility and time to identify a suitable community placement and to work on their dissertation.
Who this course is for
Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds. Some are professionals already working in public health or wellbeing roles and some have an interest in health and wellbeing and are looking to develop this further to find employment in the health improvement sector.
The course is ideal for those working in roles which include a health promotion component who want to deepen their knowledge and theoretical understanding and have an opportunity to develop a research or specialist area.
Our students include health and wellbeing advisers, practice nurses, social care professionals, pharmacists, school teachers, personal trainers and voluntary workers.
We also welcome professionals looking to change careers and follow their interest or passion for aspects of health and wellbeing. Backgrounds in marketing and communications and counselling are particularly suited to health promotion.
The course offers a strong career progression for recent graduates in degrees which examine people, populations and behaviours (including psychology, sociology, social geography, marketing and communications) or which already include elements of health promotion such as pharmacy or the sport sciences.
Students with other academic backgrounds are also welcome but will need to demonstrate relevant voluntary or other practical experience.