MSc in Public Health

This Master’s programme provides practitioners with a wide range of backgrounds the opportunity to enhance their knowledge, understanding and professional skills for safe and effective public health practice.

Our programme is underpinned by world-leading research and a framework of social action, which is increasingly accepted as a means to reduce the enduring and currently widening inequalities in the experience of health, illness and wellbeing within and between countries. This framework aims to redress the balance between asset-based approaches and the more traditional deficit approach.

The programme is aligned to the UK Public Health Skills and Career Framework which in turn maps to WHO international standards. Practitioners will consider modern theory and research alongside current global strategies for health and development to improve the health and well-being of the population, prevent disease and minimize its consequences, prolong life and reduce inequalities in health.

Supported by a variety of teaching and learning approaches, our students engage in taught content through guided study, lectures from public health experts and participation in group work and seminars to encourage interaction. Lectures and seminars are also supported by online activity.

Why Choose this Programme?

• An internationally unique curriculum which is strongly influenced by the theme of social action. It fits in with global strategies for health and development including the Rio Political Declaration 2013, the World Health Organisations’ ongoing programme to take action on the social determinants of health and the UN’s Post 2015 Development Agenda

GCU’s Research in Public Health featured heavily in our recent REF 2014 successes. These leading researchers are involved in the teaching and development of your MSc Public Health programme Contributing staff on the MSc Public Health include two Fellows of the Faculty of Public Health, who hold key positions within the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Professor Antony Morgan) and Health Protection Scotland (Professor Jacqui Reilly).

The Programme Leader is a registered nurse who is also a qualified health economist (The London School of Economics and Political Science).

We have strong links with leading public health bodies and policymakers, including the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence and Health Protection Scotland. The Department is currently the only UK and one of only three European World Health Organisation Collaborating Centres and is a member of the Global Network of 43 WHO Collaborating Centres. Engagement with WHO activity provides opportunities for greater depth of understanding of global health issues and strategic directions.