Objectives-Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse - Health Visitor -Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse - School Nurse The programme is available for individuals who wish to progress their academic and professional development beyond the undergraduate level. This level of education is increasingly being required for health professionals wishing to seek senior roles and is likely to be attractive to staff from community health professions working in public health roles. The programme is available as an academic award for community health professionals working in public health roles. The core modules will equip the student with the key knowledge to underpin their public health practice, and the wide choice of options will allow them to develop knowledge within their areas of interest. The programme has been designed to allow the student to focus on areas of public health that are pertinent to their practice. Students may also take the programme as an academic award in combination with the SCPHN qualification which, in addition to attendance at the University, requires practice placements in a variety of public health environments. SCPHN students also undertake the V100 Nurse Prescribing module as part of their programme and may choose an option module to develop their area of practice interest. Whether taking the programme as an academic award or in combination with the SCPHN qualification, students have the opportunity for shared learning with students on other programmes within the Division of Health and Social Care.
Academic titleMSc/PGDip in Public Health Practice
Course descriptionMSc/PGDip in Public Health Practice Module overview
Compulsory Modules
Assessment in Public Health Practice
This module will provide the practitioner with the necessary evidence-based knowledge and skills to critically assess individual, family, community and population health needs in a public health context.
Epidemiology and Health Protection
This module will enable the practitioner to: integrate strategic approaches to the promotion and protection of the population's health and wellbeing; critically evaluate impacts of epidemiology; act as health promoters and educators; enhance and utilise skills for the surveillance and assessment of the population's health and wellbeing.
Leading Empowered Partnerships
This module will enable the practitioner to: develop effective skills that can be applied to the facilitation of health-enhancing activities in public health professional contexts; enhance their skills in raising awareness of health needs in acting to promote and protect health and wellbeing; critically appraise policy issues that impact on service provision; develop the necessary knowledge and skills to manage public health practice; critically evaluate the theories underpinning public health practice; critically examine and assess the applicability of management theories and practice in a public health context.
Research for Practice
This module will assist the student to: explore and examine the nature of the research enterprise and its relationship to the natural and social sciences which include health, education and/or social care; develop a critical understanding of the range of theoretical, methodological and ethical issues associated with the study of health, education and social care; examine the convention of dividing research into 'qualitative' and 'quantitative' approaches and their relationship to evidence-based policy and practice, the measurement of clinical effectiveness and evaluation of educational practices; develop their own perspectives regarding research practice for education, health and/or social care.
Dissertation - for the MSc award
(Registered Community Public Health Nurse - Health Visiting/School Nursing)
-Assessment in Public Health Practice
-Community Practitioner Nurse Prescribing
-Clinical Decision Making
-Epidemiology and Health Protection
-Leading Empowered Partnerships
-Protecting and Safeguarding the Child
-Research for Practice
-Dissertation - for the MSc award
Optional modules include:
-Advanced Communication Skills
-Advancing Practice in Acute and Critical Care
-Case Management
-Challenges in Pain Management
-Chronic Disease Management
-Current Issues in Advanced Midwifery Practice
-Ethics
-Independent Learning
-Learning through Professional Practice
-Minor Injuries and Ailments
-Nurse Independent/Supplementary Prescribing
-Nutrition
-Psychosocial Aspects of Care
-Radiotherapy and Supportive Care
-Sexual Health
-Skills for the Children's Workforce
-Valuing Work-based Learning
Typical entry requirements
MSc/PGDip Public Health Practice: students registering for the Postgraduate Diploma will normally hold a previously accumulated credit volume of 360 level three credits of which at least 120 will be at level 3.
MSc/PGDip Public Health Practice with SCPHN: students will normally hold a previously accumulated credit volume of 360 level three credits of which at least 120 will be at level 3 and be named on Part One or Part Two of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Register (NMC 2006a).
Students applying for the Postgraduate Diploma Public Health Practice/MSc Public Health Practice with SCPHN endorsement will also need to secure sponsorship from a Primary Care Trust.
Programme length
MSc/PGDip Public Health Practice: normally one academic year full time and two years for the Postgraduate Diploma, and an additional academic year (part-time) to complete the MSc.
MSc/PGDip Public Health Practice with SCPHN: 12 months (52 weeks) full-time, 24 months (104 weeks) part-time
Full-time 46 programmed weeks, 50 per cent of the time in University, 50 per cent in practice (pro-rata part-time)