Course structure

Courses

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Communicable Diseases

• 11 weeks
• January - March
• Tuesday 9.00- 11.00 a.m.

What is it about?

To provide a concise review of the threats to the Public Health from communicable disease and describe the tools available to counter these threats. To give students an understanding of the epidemiological principles involved in the spread of infection. To indicate the main past, present and future problems in infectious disease. To describe the surveillance and prevention of these infections.

Who is it for?

All disciplines involved in the management of public health aspects of communicable disease control. A useful addition to the core knowledge and skills for general practitioners.

Why should you undertake it?

Infectious disease continues to offer us significant challenge with the threat of new and re-emerging pathogens. The recent experience with SARS, Avian Influenza and the Childhood Vaccination Programme (in particular MMR) provide valuable lesions for all health professionals. This is a module which has something for everyone.

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Economic Evaluation

• 6 weeks
• April - June
• Thursday 9.30-1.00 p.m.

What is it about?

This is a practical course through which to develop and apply skills in economic evaluation and decision analysis within the area of health and health care.

Who is it for?

Health professionals, researchers, analysts with a background in health economics who want to learn more about undertaking an economic evaluation.

Why should you undertake it?

This module covers the concepts and techniques available to look at health care decision making and health policy in the context of constrained resources and to deal with the ethical dilemmas that arise in doing so. It is a practical course and will involve a mix of lectures and applied practical sessions.

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Environmental Health

• 11 weeks
• April - June
• Thursdays: Lectures 9-11am, Seminars 2.45 -4pm.

What is it about?

The development of understanding regarding the role of physical environment in human health. Issues relating to evidence and particularly environmental data, indicators and their interpretation. Topical issues in environmental health and notably the role of environment in the health improvement agenda.

Who is it for?

The module has relevance to those working both in health protection and health improvement and those who are keen to learn more in an area where epidemiology, risk communication and prioritisation present particular challenges.

Why should you undertake it?

The socio-ecological model gives physical environment its rightful place in the complex systems which create and destroy health but does not immediately provide the insights to direct action. Things are changing within environmental health. This module introduces opportunities for discussion and exploration of new ideas within which all disciplines are valued contributors.

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Introduction to Epidemiology

• 11 weeks
• January - March
• Thursdays: Lectures 10am-12pm, Seminars 1-2.30pm 

What is it about?

Epidemiology is a collection of methods for describing and understanding the health and health-determinants of a population. It is therefore one of the fundamental elements of Public Health. The aim of the course is to give students the knowledge and understanding needed to allow them to interpret information on health and determinants of health. The strengths and limitations of the most common epidemiological methods are described, together with a consideration of how bias and confounding can result in misleading findings.

Who is it for?

The course is designed for anyone interested in developing the skills of a public health professional, irrespective of their previous professional experience. No specialist medical knowledge is assumed although students with no background in health care or biological sciences may need to refer to a medical dictionary from time to time to ensure that they have sufficient understanding of the major causes of illness and death.

Why should you undertake it?

The Introduction to course should give students the skills to critically appraise and therefore better appreciate health information presented in the media, policy documents and research papers.

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Epidemiology & Statistics

• 6 weeks
• April - May
• Wednesday 10am - 3pm

What is it about?

This course assumes a level of knowledge consistent with having successfully completed the introduction to statistical methods module. It builds on the introductory module by covering the basic analysis of data from epidemiological studies and introducing methods of adjusting for the effects of confounding variables using analysis of covariance, multiple linear regression and multiple logistic regression. It also gives an introduction to systematic reviews, meta analysis and analysis of survival data.

Who is it for?

This module should be of interest to health professionals who already have some statistical skills and wish to develop these further in the areas listed above.

Why should you undertake it?

Some understanding of the methods covered in this module will be extremely useful in reading published papers in all areas of speciality

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Globalisation & Public Health

• 11 weeks
• April - June
• Tuesdays: Lectures 10am - 12pm, Seminars 2.45 - 4pm.

What is it about?

Reviewing and comparing disease patterns, health services and the interaction of environmental and social problems affecting populations, especially in developing countries in transition. The module explores intercultural perspectives, encouraging students to "think globally" and to understand the need for health care planning and better funding, with an emphasis on primary health care and the involvement of communities in their health through integrated decision-making processes.

Who is it for?

Students interested in inter-sectoral working within a multi-skilled environment - it is directed to all postgraduates from all over the world. The module is provided for and by health professionals from a wide range of professional backgrounds.

Why should you undertake it?

To understand the factors that shape health in an international context - rapid growth of population, urbanization, globalization, socio-economic conditions and migration - and to understand the implications that the determinants of health have for the funding, organization and delivery of health programmes and health system reform.

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Health Economics

• 11 weeks
• January - March
• Wednesday 2 - 4pm

What is it about?

The principles of economics and their relevance to health and health care, methods of organising and financing health systems, and methods for the economic evaluation of health and health care interventions.

Who is it for?

Health professionals faced with difficult choices in the management of the resources at their disposal. Anyone with an interest in how the insights and methods of economics can help with these choices.

Why should you undertake it?

It is easier to recognise the limits on the resources available to health and health care than it is to understand what they mean for health care decision-making and health policy in general. This module covers the concepts and techniques available to look at health care decision making and health policy in the context of constrained resources and to deal with the ethical dilemmas that arise in doing so.

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Health Promotion: Principles & Practice

• 11 weeks
• January - March
• Wednesdays: Lectures 9-11am, Seminars 4-5.15pm

What is it about?

How to improve population health at a national and local level.

Who is it for?

Health promotion professionals; people involved in making public health policy or advising policy makers; researchers of public health policy; people whose work impacts upon population health.

Why should you undertake it?

To understand the practical issues faced in moving from a commitment to improve population health towards the delivery of interventions that achieve that goal.

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Introduction to Statistical Methods

• 11 weeks
• October - December
• Wednesdays: Lectures 9-11.00am. Workshops (3 over 11 weeks) 3-4.15pm.

What is it about?

This course assumes little or no prior knowledge of statistics. It covers the basics of study design, numerical and graphical summary of data, population and sample, interpretation of confidence intervals and p values for comparison of means, medians and percentages. There are also sessions on linear regression, standardisation of rates and estimation of required sample size.

Who is it for?

This course should be of interest to health professionals who wish to revise or improve their understanding of basic statistical methods.

Why should you undertake it?

A basic understanding of statistical methods, especially confidence intervals and p values is necessary in order to understand the results of many research papers published in journals.

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Managing Health Care Organisations

• 11 weeks
• January - March
• Tuesday 2.30-4.30pm.

What is it about?

The course provides an introductory overview of management and organisation theory concentrating on aspects, which have particular relevance to the public health services and organisations. Sessions cover aspects such as strategic decision making, stakeholder management and new service development with an emphasis on identifying models and theories which can usefully be applied in students' work environment.

Who is it for?

The course will be of interest to those with management responsibilities at present, or with an interest in understanding how organisations are managed at a senior level and with aspirations for senior management responsibilities in the future.

Why should you undertake it?

The course will provide an opportunity to discover new ways of understanding organisations and their organisation's external context. It will encourage critical appraisal of students' own experience of managing and being managed, developing reflective skills and peer learning.

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Principles of Public Health

• 11 weeks
• October - December
• Tuesdays: Lectures 10-12pm, Seminars 3.30-4.45pm

What is it about?

Concepts of health and illness, the factors that influence health and the methods and issues involved in improving the population's health.

Who is it for?

Nurses, GPs, public health and health service researchers, health service managers and anyone with an interest in health, irrespective of professional background, seeking to develop a stronger population focus in their work.

Why should you undertake it?

As a basis for understanding the determinates of the health of the population, how population health is measured and how it can be improved.

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Pyschosocial Aspects of Public Health

• 11 weeks
• January - March 
• Interactive lectures: Mondays -10-12pm, Seminars: Mondays – 3-4.30pm.
• This is a Masters' level 20 credit course

What is it about?

This course offers an introduction to the application of psychology and sociology to public health practice. Selected components of these disciplines are chosen for particular focus and these include: health behaviour change, the body, suicide prevention, gender and health behaviour, self esteem, and well being. The course addresses the societal and individual barriers related to health’s social determinants

Who is it for?

This course will be of interest to those interested in public health who may be working in this area and wish to secure a deeper understanding of important psychological and sociological concepts that underpin much of health improvement practice.

Why should you undertake it?

Successful course completion will enable a critical appreciation of psychological and sociological concepts and their application to the field of public health. It will promote a more detailed understanding of related research and its application to public health.

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Qualitative Research Methods

• 5 weeks - November - December
• 6 weeks - January - February
• Wednesdays 1.30 -3 .30pm

What is it about?

The course offers students a broad introduction to the main approaches in qualitative methods, describes the theoretical origins of qualitative research and describes and discusses the main approaches to analysis. The course provides some limited opportunity to apply methods and illustrates examples using scripts from interviews and focus groups. The students are also given a detailed reading list and introduced to the key concepts relating to qualitative methods.

Who is it for?

The module is suited to anyone who has an interest in qualitative methods and would welcome finding out more. It is set at an introductory level.

Why should you undertake it?

The application of qualitative methods is now widely accepted and it is seen as having relevance to a wide range of pubic health issues. The module acts as an introduction to these methods and as such, provides more information for individuals who feel they would like to use such methods in the future, and/or whose research would benefit from undertaking methods.

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Research Methods

• 11 weeks
• October - December
• Tuesday 1 - 3pm.

What is it about?

How to design and undertake public health and health services research.

Who is it for?

Public health and health care professionals seeking to undertake research projects to better inform their professional practice: public health and health care professionals wishing to develop a more analytical approach to their work.

Why should you undertake it?

To understand better how to do and interpret public health and public health and health services research.

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Course alteration or discontinuation
The University of Glasgow endeavours to run all courses as advertised. In exceptional circumstances, however, the University may withdraw or alter a course. For more information, please see: Student contract.