100% online MPH Leadership

Take your career in public health to the next level with a flexible MPH Leadership

Apply by:

18 April 2023

To start:

2 May 2023

180 credits •
14 months full-time •
24 months part-time •
£7,200 total fees

Choose Wolverhampton

Complete your 100% online MPH within 24 months
Commendation from the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education
Course content mapped against the Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework (PHSKF) and the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) specialist register standards
Benefit from cohesive links with public health departments, and international public health bodies and membership organisations
One of only two universities to be formally partnered with the Royal Society of Public Health - students benefit from close links with employers and discounted membership
Option to pay per module
Alumni discount available

Prepare to progress in public health

Develop the skills you need for public health leadership

Designed for individuals who have studied or are working in a health-related field, the University of Wolverhampton’s MPH Leadership will expand your skills and knowledge on public health, and prepare you for progression into senior roles within this exciting and important sector.

Drawing on UK government policy directives in public health and mapped against the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) specialist register standards, you will explore a range of issues pertinent to public health practice, policy and research, with a specific focus on health economics and the commissioning of public health services, and change management issues in public health.

We have developed cohesive links with local public health departments as well as international public health bodies and membership organisations. When you study with us, you will benefit from these links and will have the opportunity to engage with public health professionals who are invited as guest speakers.

With an established reputation for excellence in course quality and innovative approaches to teaching and learning, our MPH Leadership develops highly sought-after graduates. Many University of Wolverhampton MPH students are now working at government public health agencies, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) where they are making differences to population health with the skills they acquired from this course.

Study at a time that suits you

This Master’s degree is taught within an innovative online learning environment which has been tailor-made to encourage collaboration and interaction between MPH students. This will allow you to draw on knowledge and experiences from fellow professionals, and will enable you to build a global network of peers as you study.

The MPH Leadership course is offered part-time, and you can graduate within 24 months whilst continuing to work as you fit your learning around your current commitments.

You can access course material on a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop, at a time that suits you, making it a flexible degree that can be studied from anywhere and at any time.

What you’ll learn

By following the Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework, when you study this MPH Leadership you will be equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills for success in public health practice. Taught by experienced staff, many of whom are highly regarded experts in public health and have first-hand knowledge of working in public health practice and/or research, you will learn how to integrate and apply what you learn to achieve your career goals.

Skills and knowledge you’ll learn include:

Politics and philosophy of public health practice
Public health protection and improvement
Public health epidemiology and statistics
Psychological approaches applied to public health
Addressing the wider determinants of health and inequalities
Planning and evaluating public health interventions
Strategic management and leadership
Health economics and the commissioning of public health services
Change management for public health

Designed to help you excel

This MPH Leadership degree will enable you to gain an understanding of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches to public health, and relates to the three domains of public health practice – health protection, health improvement, and service quality.

To aid your career progression, the course has been informed by the core competency areas as defined by the Public Health Skills and Knowledge framework. This includes:

Surveillance and assessment of health
Assessing the evidence for health
Policy and strategy
Leadership and collaborative working
Health improvement and protection
Public health intelligence
Academic public health
Health and social care quality

Entry requirements for home and international students

You should have one or more of the following:

An Honours degree of 2:1 or above, or equivalent, in a health-related area: public health, health and social care, public health nursing, nutrition, pharmacology, health psychology, dentistry, or any other degree deemed appropriate by the admissions tutor.
Qualification in medicine, with a focus on public health medicine or community medicine.
A 2:2 degree in a health-related topic (see criteria above) with additional public health experience may be considered.
Any ‘non-standard’ qualification judged by the award team to be equivalent to the above (e.g. a relevant professional qualification or public health-related experience).
In exceptional circumstances, we would accept a minimum of three years’ experience at a senior level in a public health or related field.

English language requirements

If English isn’t your first language, you will need to provide evidence of English language ability.

We accept:

IELTS (Academic) at 6.5 overall with no individual component below 5.5
Pearson PTE (Academic) overall minimum 50
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CCAE & CPE) with minimum scores of 162 in listening, reading, writing and speaking
TOEFL iBT overall minimum 60
Trinity Integrated Skills in English (ISE) II: Merit or Distinction
Duolingo minimum overall score of 90
IGCSE – English as a second language
IGCSE – English language
Degree – Taught and assessed in English and completed within the last three years
O-Level English Language or GCSE English Language Grade C or above (UK Exam Board)
Malaysian SPM 1119 Grade 6 or above

Fees

Total fees: £7,200

Per 15-credit module fee: £600

If you are based in the UK, you may be eligible for a government postgraduate loan to cover the full costs of the course.

University of Wolverhampton alumni discount: If you have successfully completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Wolverhampton, you are eligible for a 10% tuition fees reduction.

Modules

Politics and Philosophy of Public Health Practice

This module will explore the origins, scope, and development of public health practice and policy across the globe. Through the examination of case studies and examples within the key domains of public health (health improvement, health protection, health service quality and health intelligence), you will explore public health policies including Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as key concepts in health economics, change management, sustainability and climate change. You will also examine the increasing importance of humanitarian crises and their impact on population health – examining issues such as disaster and crisis management, migration, and human rights. The module will also introduce you to the Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework, and key competency frameworks for professional public health practice, for example, UKPHR, FPH, EUPHA and WHO competency frameworks.

Public Health Protection and Improvement

Public health is defined as “the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts of society” (Acheson, 1988; WHO). With the creation of the new UK Health Security Agency, health protection has gained a new impetus. This is an introductory module to health protection in the overall function of public health. You will have insights into some of the key communicable diseases, environmental hazards, outbreaks, surveillance systems and the inter-relationship between the protection of public health and the improvement of public health through various strategies. The principles and role of surveillance, outbreak management, immunisation programmes, and prevention and control of infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, meningitis, hospital-acquired infections and Covid-19 are analysed.

Public Health Epidemiology and Statistics

In this module, a wide range of statistical and epidemiological methods and techniques will be used to develop your knowledge and skills through the application of these methods to public health issues. You will learn about basic statistical concepts such as types of data, populations, and samples before moving on to more advanced subjects and statistical techniques such as regression, power, and effect size. You will learn about basic epidemiological concepts such as bias and measuring disease frequency and association before progressing to the main types of epidemiological study including randomised controlled trials. Examples used feature real data and public health scenarios to deepen your understanding on the practical applications of this subject. Contemporary public health and epidemiological priorities will be explored from a global and life course perspective. Teaching on this module interfaces with and complements the research methods and dissertation modules, preparing you for work in a range of public health arenas.

Psychological Approaches Applied to in Public Health

This module introduces you to the key concepts, theories and models in the discipline of health psychology, which is concerned with the study of psychological processes in health, illness, and healthcare. You will be introduced to four main areas of health psychology: the prevention and management of illness; the identification of psychological factors contributing to health-related behaviour; the promotion and maintenance of health; and the use of health psychology research to inform interventions (at individual, community, and population levels). On successful completion of the module, you will be able to explain and evaluate how health psychology theory and research has aided our understanding of the influences on health-related behaviour, how psychological and physiological processes are associated with ill health, and how public health interventions can use evidence-based psychological approaches to inform interventions.

Health Promotion: Addressing the Wider Determinants of Health and Inequalities

Health promotion enables people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. The concept is rooted in the process of creating the conditions for people to improve their wellbeing. This module emphasises the critical examination of the determinants of health and their role in health inequalities, and employing this knowledge for health promotion. You will examine up-to-date theories, models, and best practices in health promotion to improve health, and what actions are required to address the determinants of health and to achieve reductions in health inequalities. Focusing on various strategies to prevent non-communicable diseases, you will explore exciting, innovative, and creative techniques and processes that public health practitioners employ to improve wellbeing at an individual level and group level.

Research Methods and Skills in Public Health

The ability to develop and design a robust research project and to critique and appraise the quality of evidence requires fundamental understanding of the principles or core concepts of research. You will gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of: the three core principles in the research, namely validity, reliability and generalisation; the application of core principles to design a robust qualitative or quantitative study; how to create quality assessment tools for planning and designing research studies; and critical appraisal skills.

Planning and Evaluating Public Health Interventions

The practice of evidence-based public health involves three major programme planning activities: conducting a needs assessment; developing and implementing a programme; and evaluating the programme’s effectiveness. This module critically assesses and evaluates ways in which public health interventions are planned, implemented and evaluated. It will consider the theory and practice of health needs assessment as the first step towards developing an evidence-based public health intervention, followed by a critical examination of theoretical, conceptual, and practical issues in planning, implementing, and evaluating public health interventions. You will learn how to use and apply health behavioural change theories and logic models such as the behavioural change wheel, intervention mapping, and the PRECEDE-PROCEED model to plan and design a coherent, practical intervention to address a public health issue, and learn theory-driven evaluation approaches.

Strategic Management and Leadership

The diverse and rapidly changing political, technological, economic, and socio-cultural shifts over the last two decades and the outbreaks of infectious diseases have placed a tremendous impact on healthcare delivery systems and public health. What is the role of leadership in addressing the gaps and mitigating these changes and challenges across healthcare and public health settings? What aspects of leadership theory and models might apply to help us effectively lead and manage the healthcare delivery system change and reform? What lessons can we learn to improve the delivery of healthcare and public health in a complex and diverse setting? This module introduces you to the principles, recent theories and approaches required to be an effective leader and manager within public health, and health and social care environments.

Health Economics and the Commissioning of Public Health Services

In a resource-scarce environment, knowledge and application of economics supports informed decision-making to commission services and care, and deliver at economies of scale. This module explores the importance of commissioning priorities in public health practice, and balancing needs with the evidence base and the economic case for investment. It will examine the value for money (return on investment) and cost-effectiveness of public health programmes.

Change Management for Public Health

In an ever-changing world, managing change is becoming a critical area of knowledge and practice for public health practitioners. With improved understanding of health issues and evidence about what works, existing public health initiatives are evaluated and improved, and new ones are initiated – this requires practitioners to be skilled at communicating, implementing, and managing decisions around changes to service delivery. To adequately prepare public health practitioners to lead, manage, and instigate change effectively within multi-professional public health settings, this module examines a range of change management theories and practices, and specifically focuses on leadership, interpersonal, and management skills.

Dissertation

In this module you will design, conduct and evaluate an original research study within the field of public health. You will carry out a research investigation on a topic area of your choosing, and you will demonstrate an in-depth understanding of relevant theoretical frameworks, research methodologies and applications for your chosen area of public health. This module is the independent study element of your Master’s degree, giving you the autonomy to develop your own original research question that is informed by existing knowledge. You will receive academic support in guiding you through the process of designing, conducting, and writing a research project. In completing this module you will demonstrate a strong knowledge, understanding and application of core research skills and principles.