Professional Development (Public Health Practice)

About the course

You will select a route as defined by your field of practice or you may follow a more individually tailored route, to reflect your professional concerns, by selecting appropriate modules.

Within your chosen route you will have the opportunity to take a single module, and then to combine further modules to obtain a postgraduate certificate, diploma or full master’s degree.

The course will challenge you to take a critical approach to your studies, your professional development, and will enable you to make practical and effective use of your learning in your professional role. In addition to subject specific knowledge you will enhance your research skills to make use of your developing depth of knowledge.

What you will learn

Through study on this course you will extend your skills in your field of professional practice. You will also further develop attributes that will enable you to extend professional practice in your field. These include decision-making and leadership skills; the ability to develop practical applications backed by theory and evidence; dealing with complex issues; questioning and redefining ways of working to move professional practice forward; the exercise of autonomy and accountability and managing complex issues.

In addition, you will acquire a range of transferable skills including team skills and leadership, practice that values user and carer needs and experiences, problem solving, numeracy appropriate to your working context, oral and written communication skills, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and your own professional development.

What you will study

There are five study routes available in the MSc Professional Development from which you will select the route that is most relevant to your particular field. Alternatively you may, if you wish, choose a range of modules which reflect your professional concerns.

Whichever option you choose you will be required to study a total of six modules and submit a dissertation. Each route has a mix of compulsory and optional modules and these will vary depending on your chosen route.

Public Health Practice (PHP) route

The practice of public health is a multi professional and multi-agency concern that has received strategic direction. Consequently, the development of knowledge and skills within the public health workforce is recognised as an essential element towards improving the health of the population, and in particular, for the most disadvantaged communities.

The aim of this route is to support practitioners in the development of their knowledge, skills and attitudes for leading public health practice within the context of their professional arena.

The Public Health Practice route presents a strategic approach to public health and health promotion practice with an emphasis on the health improvement of individuals, families and communities through an understanding of population health. The route is underpinned by the definition of public health: "The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society" (DoH 1988). This means that students to this route are introduced to a variety of learning opportunities that encompass not only the scientific underpinnings to public health but also the development of knowledge and skills that are concerned with action for improving public health. Indeed, many of our graduates and the organisations in which they are employed are re-orientating services to embrace a public health approach through work with communities and organisations.

This Masters level programme in Public Health Practice thus provides the opportunity for practitioners to develop their practice in community and service settings.

Special features

• The course has a high degree of flexibility allowing you to choose, from a broad range of optional modules, those that are relevant to your professional practice.

Careers and professional development

The programme will enable you to demonstrate your progression in relation to your work role. It will support you to identify how you have developed relevant competencies, for example in relation to the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework and specific competency frameworks, for example in Public Health Practice; Case Management; the Common Core of Skills and Knowledge for the Children's Workforce.

Professional recognition

Within the awards framework you may enrol for the Postgraduate Certificate in Leading Service Development and upon completion apply for membership of the Institute for Health Care Management. You may also transfer to the University of Bolton general MBA programme.

Mode of attendance: 3 - 5 years / Part-time: this course is available by a combination of daytime and evening teaching.