Global Strategy in Environmental Health & Sustainability - Online

Globally relevant and very much of its time, this innovative course focuses on Environmental Health's role in delivering safe, healthy communities with sustainable development at the core. Embedding the principles of environmental health throughout, the course is built around the disciplines and principles below.

Disciplines:
• Food safety and integrity
• Public protection and well-being
• Health and safety
• Housing and communities
• Environmental protection and sustainability

Principles of environmental health:
• Maintenance and protection of human health is at the centre of all environmental health action
• Protection of the most disadvantaged
• Need for democratic government and governance
• Cooperation and partnership
• Sustainability
• Environmental health issues are truly international in character

Graduates will develop key skills across these environmental health disciplines to meet the growing demand for individuals to lead the drive for a healthier, more secure future, and the attainment of sustainable development within business, government or non-governmental organisations.

For further course details please see "Course Web Page" below.

Year one
Food Safety, Security and Nutrition
This module examines the supply of sustainable, safe, nutritious food in a global context. It explores the threats and impacts on public health of the current food environment. It equips students with knowledge, understanding and critical reflection on the application of food safety systems and interventions, the role of global food policies, of governments and other stakeholders (food production, processing, marketing) in the delivery of sustainable, future food systems so that consumers can access safe, healthy, low-impact food.

Occupational Health and Safety in an International Context
This module provides an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the purpose, processes, principles and skills required in the practice of occupational health and safety within the context of the international sustainable development agenda.

Students will have competency in recognising relevant information to identify hazards, evaluate risks and deliver intervention strategies to solve organisational, cultural and physical threats to the health and safety of people at work.

Sustainable Housing and Communities
The United Nations decrees that adequate housing is a basic human right. Healthy, sustainable housing includes the physical structure and how it is influenced by the surrounding physical, social and economic environment and it is directly related to public health and well-being. This module includes the study and critique of issues linking housing and communities to public health and wellbeing, and in determining what is required to ensure adequate housing.

Law and Sustainability in a Global Context
Students will study law set in a global context, the legal and constitutional foundations that exist within it, and how this impacts on environmental health practice. On completion they should be able to critically appraise how law and regulation is implemented, the links to human health and well-being, the protection of the environment, and understand this in the broader context of its key contribution to sustainable development.

Emergency Planning, Response and Resilience
Students completing this module will understand the strategic, moral and humanitarian motivation for emergency planning. They will understand the complexities, core principles, mechanisms and partnerships involved and the essential role of crisis communication. Students will develop key skills in strategic planning and policy to deliver interventions successfully that deal with emergencies which threaten the lives, livelihoods or well-being of citizens across the world.

Effective Communication for Health and Sustainability
Effective communication is an essential skill for all practitioners to advocate for their profession and influence sustainable change. This will be key to deliver the environmental health and sustainable goals that are needed to overcome current and future health and environmental challenges.

Sustainable Development - Strategy for a Secure Future
This module introduces the student to the concept of sustainable development, how it has evolved and how it can be delivered and measured. It explores a range of economic, environmental and social challenges to determine how these overlap with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It provides for an appreciation of the policy and actions needed to stimulate government, corporate and individual change to help deliver the wide-ranging SDGs.

Environmental Protection and Sustainable Technologies

Students completing this module will have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the purpose, processes, principles and skills in the practice of environmental protection and sustainable technologies within the context of the sustainable development agenda. This includes protecting life on land and in water, taking action on climate change, and promoting responsible consumption and production. Students will develop critical skills in strategic planning, policy and intervention to achieve this.

Research Methods and Project
This module provides students with a broad understanding of research methods and techniques, and how these can be used to investigate a research problem in any context. Students will be provided with the necessary theoretical foundations in statistical research, including the ability to plan research ethically and conduct a literature review. Students will also be able to record, analyse, interpret and present qualitative and quantitative data appropriately.

To apply to our postgraduate taught programmes, you must meet the University's General Entrance Requirements and any course-specific requirements.

These vary depending on the course and are detailed online.

A second class honours degree or better from a university of the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland, or from a recognised national awarding body, or from an institution of another country which has been recognised as being of an equivalent standard; or an equivalent standard (normally 50%) in a Graduate Diploma, Graduate Certificate, Postgraduate Certificate or Postgraduate Diploma or an approved alternative qualification.

In exceptional circumstances, as an alternative to the above, where an individual has substantial and significant experiential learning, a portfolio of written evidence demonstrating the meeting of graduate qualities (including subject-specific outcomes, as determined by the Course Committee) may be considered as an alternative entrance route.

If English is not your first language this course requires a minimum English level of IELTS (academic) 6.0 with no band score less than 5.5, or equivalent.

Visit ulster.ac.uk/englishrequirements for more details

This course is open to international (non-EU) students.

For full entry requirements please see "Course Web Page" below.

Your Application
Application is through the University's online application system (see "Application Weblink" below).

Full-time/Part-time/Online. This course is taught online so you can study where you want, when you want.

Career options
There is significant demand for environmental health practitioners in many countries working in a variety of fields directly and indirectly related to environmental health. They are employed in local and central government roles, voluntary sector organisations, and in the private sector across a wide range of disciplines including environmental protection, health and safety, housing standards, food safety, health promotion and emergency planning.

Analysis of advertised jobs within United Nations (UN), World Health Organisation (WHO) and The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) web sites indicates a demand for graduates at MSc level for a wide range of posts working on and leading projects across the globe. The skills and knowledge base of graduates from this course are designed to match many of these jobs and the learning outcomes are aligned to UNESCO sustainable development educational goals.

As an existing environmental health practitioner the MSc will provide you with the skills and knowledge to progress your career, gain promotion and take on a leadership role. As a graduate from another discipline the skills and knowledge gained on the MSc, combined with your existing knowledge, will prepare you for a career as an environmental health practitioner providing access to the many career opportunities in this field.

Successful completion of the programme will also be an excellent preparation for further postgraduate study at PhD level. This will provide various career routes including into research and academia.