Course specification and structure
Undergraduate Course Structures Postgraduate Course Structures

UDPUHEHP - BSc Public Health and Health Promotion (Top-up)

Course Specification


Validation status Validated
Highest award Bachelor of Science Level Honours
Possible interim awards
Total credits for course 120
Awarding institution London Metropolitan University
Teaching institutions London Metropolitan University, London School of Science and Technology
School School of Social Professions
Subject Area Health, Social Care and Early Childhood
Attendance options
Option Minimum duration Maximum duration
Full-time 1 YEARS  
Part-time 2 YEARS  
Course leader  

About the course and its strategy towards teaching and learning and towards blended learning/e-learning

This course has been designed as a top up to an honours degree for those with a Diploma of Higher Education or Foundation degree in a relevant subject including those working in the health and social care sectors such as nurses, health advisors or those providing social care. Through a mix of taught and distance learning modules, it will provide the opportunity for those working in, or aspiring to, public health or health promotion roles to develop and test their knowledge and skills through the core modules in order to inform their practice and enhance career choices. Students will be able to make some choices of specialist areas they wish to study through assessment topics that enhance personal development including the practice-based project. Students' learning will be structured around the weekly contact time with the teaching team during the first semester for two core modules and will be complemented by the students' independent work based on the guidance supplied in lectures, group work, tutorials and interactive workshops. In addition, students will take a yearlong (60 credits) practice-based module taught via distance learning. Enquiry based learning and problem based learning will be used to help students to comprehend theoretical concepts. Students will be required to engage continuously and constructively with the modules. Every week, students will be required to read recommended literature, to access Weblearn, web sites or DVD materials containing relevant educational material and to participate weekly in interactive workshops developing academic and multimodal communication skills. The course is informed by the Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework (2013) and intended to build competence and confidence in defined areas of public health.

Course aims

The course aims to prepare participants to develop theoretical knowledge, skills and competencies in Public Health and Health Promotion. It is intended to raise students’ awareness of and competence in understanding main concepts of health promotion and public health and the ways individuals and groups experience them, to understand the social determinants of health and their impact in populations, and to work with people and communities to develop skills to improve their health.
The course provides the opportunity to:

  • To develop students’ capacity to critically debate the global, national and local context of public health and health promotion knowledge, practice and policy.
  • To provide learning opportunities which support the public health and health promotion role within the context of the social determinants of health i.e. to improve priority public health conditions and reduce health inequalities, engaging communities, and designing strategies for service improvement or development.
  • To analyse relevant policies and their implementation by different agencies and organisations
  • To help students develop research and evaluative skills to support an evidence-based approach to their public health and health promotion practice, and critical reflective practice.

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

  • deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within Public Health and Health Promotion;
  • devise and sustain arguments, and/or to solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of Public Health and Health Promotion;
  • describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, in Public Health and Health Promotion, recognising the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge;
  • manage their own learning, and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (for example, refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to Public Health and Health Promotion);
  • apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects;
  • critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete), to make judgements, and to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution - or identify a range of solutions - to a problem;
  • communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences;
  • exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts;
  • undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.

Modules required for interim awards

See Course Structure

Arrangements for promoting reflective learning and personal development

Reflective learning and personal development planning are an integral part of the course and will be facilitated within core modules, and by the student’s personal supervisor. This development will be evidenced by the completion of a learning log (formative assessment) for one of the modules. Another course strategy in helping to promote personal development planning is the use of peer group activities, e.g. students at different work placements such as nurses, social care staff, health advisors, will facilitate students’ reflection on the development of services and professional relationships while providing insight into a range of perspectives and potential roles in the field of public health.

Arrangements on the course for careers education, information and guidance

This course will be delivery through a combination of on-campus and online distance learning methods of study. Initially, two modules will be delivered on campus and one module via online distance learning with the prospect that the on-campus modules will incorporate more elements of distance learning in the future.
a) On campus learning and teaching will consist of a structured programme of formal lectures, workshops, seminars and tutorials. The modules will be using WebLearn – and guidance will be given for those students not familiar with VLE. It is designed to support students learning providing access to wider reading and resources to help to prepare for each session e.g. lecture notes, seminar activities, and materials (websites, policy documents and articles), group communication, and for formative and summative feedback (Turnitin).
b) Online distance learning will consist of seminar presentations (audio-based PPT presentations) and lecture notes, videos, and web-links; set activities for each learning unit leading to a forum discussion including audio-recorded formats (e.g. podcast to introduce each unit); live seminar discussions; a student discussion forum; a learning log (reflective practice); tutorials via skype and emails; formative and summative feedback (Turnitin)
Tutors will guide students not familiar with online VLE.
In addition, students will be encouraged to use other on campus and e-learning resources such as the Library, and the CELT.

Career opportunities

The course will improve career prospects for working in a variety of roles in public health and health promotion in a range of organisations including the NHS, local authorities, Public Health England, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as in voluntary and independent sectors.

The programme is aligned to the public health core and defined areas established in the Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework (2013). After successful completion of the course you will be able to demonstrate to employers your public health and health promotion skills.

Entry requirements

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

  • a relevant Diploma in HE eg Nursing or Health and Social Care or Foundation degree (eg Public Health and Social Care, Health and Social Care)

You should demonstrate your knowledge base; strong analytical abilities that are underpinned by academic skills, as well as high levels of organisation, motivation and IT skills necessary for independent learning.

Practitioners from health and social care with substantial relevant work experience may be considered and are also encouraged to apply.

Please note: registered nurses with substantial relevant work experience must be registered with the UK's Nursing and Midwifery Council (or if applicable an equivalent professional body) otherwise they won't be considered.

All applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the English language. Applicants who require a Tier 4 student visa may need to provide a Secure English Language Test (SELT) such as Academic IELTS. For more information about English qualifications please see our English language requirements.

Official use and codes

Approved to run from 2015/16 Specification version 1 Specification status Validated
Original validation date 14 Apr 2015 Last validation date 14 Apr 2015  
Sources of funding HE FUNDING COUNCIL FOR ENGLAND
JACS codes L431 (Health Policy): 100%
Route code PUHEHP

Course Structure

Stage 1 Level 06 September start Offered

Code Module title Info Type Credits Location Period Day Time
SH6002 Project Based Research and Evaluation Core 30        
SH6003 Public Health and Health Promotion Core 30 NORTH AUT+SPR THU PM
SH6P01 Practice Based Public Health and Health Promoti... Core 60 NORTH AUT+SPR NA NA