Health Promotion & Public Health

Addressing the emerging needs and global public health challenges to protect and improve the health and well being of populations, this course is designed to develop your knowledge and skill set for public health practice. Our extensive links between employers and academic staff ensure that the course content is relevant to contemporary public health practice. Using an evidence-based approach, you will gain the knowledge and skills to understand how to assess needs, plan, implement, and evaluate public health and health promotion interventions/strategies. We will provide you with a range of public health skills, including research epidemiological analysis. We ensure that your learning experience is highly practical by incorporating public health and knowledge frameworks and work-based practice into learning. You will have the option to spend time in a public health setting so you can relate theoretical concepts to practical situations.

Work placement / study abroad
To help you gain an insight into health promotion in a public health setting one of the modules in semester 2 has a work-based learning component. The purpose of this placement is to allow you to consolidate your learning by linking theory to practice and provide you with the opportunity to observe and understand the skills and competencies necessary to work within the field of public health. Please note, if COVID-19 restrictions are still in place this opportunity to engage in a work-based placement may not be possible. You will be provided with support to arrange your placement.

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

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.

PGCert/PGDip
Normally, a degree in a subject related to health promotion, public health or population health from an institution approved by the University.

MSc
Candidates will normally progress from the Postgraduate Diploma in Health Promotion and Public Health. Candidates who hold a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Promotion, Public Health, Population Health or a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing from Ulster or equivalent from another University, with a mark profile equivalent to that required of Postgraduate Diplomas in Health Promotion and Public Health of Ulster, as evidenced by a transcript, may be admitted directly to the MSc phase of the course.

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 (full-time only).

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).

Career options
Health promotion and public health are no longer viewed as the responsibility of only those working in health. This course will prepare you for a public health career in a broad range of policy, practice or academic settings. Students have obtained employment in statutory, voluntary, charity, private and community organisations as well as in government and academic institutions. Specific roles have included:

- Community Health Development Practitioner
- Health Promotion Practitioner
- Scientific Advisor for Dietary Health
- Smoking Cessation Officer
- Home Safety Officer
- Lecturer
- Senior Health Protection Nurse
- Health and Wellbeing Officer
- Health Advisor
- Community Outreach Coordinator

Some students have also progressed to doctoral study.