PGDip Public Health (International)

Year 1

(Award available for year: Postgraduate Diploma)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the programme students should have provided evidence of being able to:
- demonstrate in-depth and specialist knowledge of techniques and an advanced understanding of concepts, information and techniques relevant to the field of public health international;
- exhibit competence in the exercise of advanced generic and public health international-specific intellectual abilities;
- demonstrate an advanced understanding of techniques applicable to their own research;
- take a proactive and self-reflective role in working and to develop professional relationships with others;
- proactively to formulate ideas and hypotheses and to evaluate these;
- evaluate critically current issues, research and advanced scholarship in the field of public health international;
- use epidemiological/statistical and qualitative research skills to critically analyse health needs and trends;
- analyse principles, models, and functions of management and leadership including planning, organizing, staffing, directing, monitoring and supervision, and decision making in the context of health and health care system;
- appraise different strategies for control of priority health problems and the development of relevant health services in order to select the most appropriate based on explicit criteria;
- design coherent programmes and prepare action plans for implementation of programmes including the management of resources and adaptation to the specific context;
- judiciously analyse health, health care and organisational systems;
- critically discuss current issues in health policy and those related to improving quality, access, affordability and acceptability of health services;
- analyse the effects of factors such as gender, poverty and social inclusion, principles of good governance, and professional ethics in the delivery of healthcare;
- integrate respect and value for the cultural diversity, regional, global and intersectoral cooperation for the development of comprehensive initiatives that result in improved health care and status for populations;
- apply the basic conceptual, technical and methodological elements to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate health programmes towards guaranteeing either equality or equity and the basic right to health;
- propose and evaluate research proposals which focus on priority problems in health services.

Transferable (key) skills

Masters (Taught), Postgraduate Diploma & Postgraduate Certificate students will have had the opportunity to acquire the following abilities as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
- Formulation of essential skills for postgraduate level study including literature searching, critical reading, group-working, assignment planning, data presentation and IT skills within a structured framework with particular emphasis on the challenges facing those returning to study;
- Obtainment of a capacity to evaluate their own achievement and that of others;
- Employment of self-direction and effective decision making in complex and unpredictable situations;
- Increased capacity of independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development;
- Enhanced ability to communicate effectively both in writing and orally to an appropriate audience;
- Formulation of the ability to engage critically in the development of professional/disciplinary boundaries and norms;
- Ability to undertake a higher research degree and/or employment in a higher capacity in professional practice.

Assessment

Achievement for the Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the programme and will involve the achievement of the students in:
- demonstrating the ability to apply breadth and/or depth of knowledge to a complex specialist area;
- drawing on a range of perspectives on an area of study;
- evaluating received opinion;
- make sound judgements whilst understanding the limitations on judgements made in the absence of complete data.