MSc Public Health Practice
This programme is for you if you wish to progress your academic and professional development beyond the undergraduate level. This level of education is increasingly required by health professionals seeking senior roles.
This is a flexible programme that allows you to choose modules that develop your professional areas of interest. You either take the programme in conjunction with the NMC Specialist Community Public Health Nurse qualification or as an academic award. This gives a rich mixture of professional backgrounds and interests, and the increasing number of international students adds a further dimension. You also study with students from other MSc programmes, such as Advanced Practice, which also gives a rich and varied learning group.
The programme draws on expertise within the University and from practice to enable you to apply the theory to the practice of public health. It also allows you to network with public health practitioners. The MSc/SCPHN students leave the programme with their academic award and their professional qualification. To date, students from this programme have an excellent record in gaining employment in their chosen field.
The programme is not suitable for medical practitioners wishing to develop their career in public health as it will not allow them to qualify as a public health consultant.
Entry standards
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 HE 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 HE 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. All candidates are invited to attend an interview.
English language requirements
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 7 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).
Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.
MSc Public Health Practice - structure and modules
Module Titles
Compulsory modules include:
- Leading Empowered Partnerships
- Assessment in Public Health Practice
- Epidemiology and Health Protection
Optional modules include:
- Skills for the Children's Workforce
- Nutrition
- Sexual Health
For a full list of modules, please see the Public Health Practice webpages.
Compulsory Modules
Assessment in Public Health Practice
This module will provide you 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 you 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 you to: develop effective skills that can be applied to the facilitation of health-enhancing activities in public health professional contexts; enhance your 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 you 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)
Optional Modules
The optional modules for the Public Health Practice award can be taken from the list below in the first instance. However, any module within the School of Health and Social Care’s continuing professional development framework can be accessed in discussion and agreement with your pathway leader.
The options you may choose will be discussed at your interview so that you are ready to make a decision on enrolment.
- Advanced Assessment (30)
- Advanced Assessment of the Newborn for Midwives (30)
- Advanced Communication Skills (15)
- Advanced Practice in Acute and Critical Care (15)
- Assessment in Practice (30)
- Assessment in Public Health Practice (15)
- Cancer Pathophysiology and Treatment (15)
- Case Management (15)
- Challenges in Pain Management (15)
- Chronic Disease Management (15)
- Clinical Decision Making (15)
- Clinical Issues in Palliative Care (15)
- Concepts of Advanced Practice (15)
- Contemporary Issues in Mental Health Care (15)
- Current Issues in Advanced Midwifery Practice (15)
- Developing Dementia Care (15)
- Epidemiology and Health Protection (15)
- Ethics (15)
- Health and Social Care (15)
- Independent Learning (15)
- Journey of Development (15)
- Leadership and Management (15)
- Leading Empowered Partnerships (15)
- Learning Review (15)
- Learning Through Professional Practice (15)
- Minor Ailments Management (15)
- Minor Injuries Management (15)
- Nurse Independent/Supplementary Prescribing (V300) (30)
- Nutrition (15)
- Principles and Practice of Perineal Repair for the Midwife (15)
- Protecting and Safeguarding the Child (15)
- Psychosocial Aspects of Care (15)
- Radiotherapy and Supportive Care (15)
- Sexual Health (15)
- Skills for the Children’s Workforce (15)
- Valuing Work-based Learning (15)
Programme Structure and Modules
MSc Public Health Practice - entry standards
Entry standards
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 HE 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 HE 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. All candidates are invited to attend an interview.
English language requirements
Non-native speakers of English will normally be required to have IELTS 7 or above, with a minimum of 6.0 in each component (or equivalent).
Please note that the University of Surrey offers English language programmes and is also an IELTS Test Centre.
Planned intake
Maximum of 20
Start date
The closing date for applications is the end of July each year for September intake. Early application is advised.
Programme director
MSc Public Health Practice - fees and funding
Fees
Public Health Practice (full time):
UK/EU - £8,770
Overseas - ££11,550
Public Health Practice (part time):
UK/EU - £4,385
Overseas - £5,775
Public Health Practice (with Specialist Practice Award) (full time):
UK/EU - set by the SHA
Public Health Practice (with Specialist Practice Award) (part time):
UK/EU - Set by the SHA
MSc Public Health Practice - professional context
MSc Public Health Practice - teaching
MSc Public Health Practice - learning
MSc Public Health Practice - graduate profile
MSc Public Health Practice - more
MSc Public Health Practice with Specialist Community Public Health Nursing Award
Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse – Health Visitor
Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse – School Nurse
The Public Health Practice programme has been developed in recognition of the growing emphasis on public health and in response to the changes to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Professional Register.
Students undertaking this programme will obtain both the academic award and in addition, through completing a specified period of practice, will be able to register with the NMC on part three of the register as an SCPHN.
The programme is usually taken over one to two years full-time or two to four years part-time. Normally a part-time student would take 60 credits per year and a full-time Postgraduate Diploma student would take 120 credits in one year.
Students who do not wish to gain registration as an SCPHN may take up to five years to accumulate the necessary academic credits.
Compulsory Modules
- 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
- 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
The programme has been designed to reflect the evolving and changing needs of public health service providers, users and carers. The programme provides a flexible approach to study, designed to be readily responsive to the dynamic nature of public health policy, demographic change and technological development in these settings.
MSc Public Health Practice - apply
You can apply for this programme online using the link(s) below. We recommend making an application as soon as you can, even if you do not have all the necessary supporting information ready at that time.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to enter a username and password. If you've used our application system before, please enter your details or click the forgotten password link.
If you are a new user, you will need to create a username and password by clicking the New User button.
- MSc Public Health Practice - Full-time - starting Sep 2012
- MSc Public Health Practice - Part-time - starting Sep 2012
- MSc Public Health Practice (Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse - Health Visiting) - Full-time - starting Sep 2012
- MSc Public Health Practice (Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse - Health Visiting) - Part-time - starting Sep 2012
- MSc Public Health Practice (Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse - School Nursing) - Full-time - starting Sep 2012
- MSc Public Health Practice (Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse - School Nursing) - Part-time - starting Sep 2012
Start date
The closing date for applications is the end of July each year for September intake. Early application is advised.
Programme length
MSc/PGDip Public Health Practice: normally one academic year full-time and two years part-time 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).
Programme director
For general enquiries
T: 0800 980 3200 or
+44 (0)1483 681681
E: pg-enquiries@surrey.ac.uk
For admissions enquiries
T: +44 (0)1483 686776
E: k.jordan@surrey.ac.uk