Public Health BSc (Hons) with foundation year

Study level: Undergraduate
Doctor administering a vaccine to a male patient

Public health is the science and art of detecting and preventing disease, enhancing people’s quality of life, and promoting physical, mental, and environmental health.

Year of entry

Location

CU Coventry (Coventry) and
Coventry University (Coventry)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

4 years full-time
5 years sandwich

UCAS codes

LPDF

Start date

November 2024


Course overview

Our degree with foundation year could be the stepping stone you need to achieve your goals. The foundation year aims to prepare you for degree-level study and is a great way to build the confidence, skills and knowledge needed to succeed on your degree course.

Foundation year

The foundation year course offers an introduction to your chosen subject and helps you develop the necessary skills for degree-level study. In addition, you will also explore key skills such as research methods, scientific fundamentals and promotion techniques.

Degree

The degree explores strategies for tackling disease and preventing ill health, embracing multifaceted and collective actions for health promotion, and approaches to health protection to respond to emerging challenges facing public health practitioners.

  • Develop an understanding of health disparities and health inequalities at local, national and international level as well as the knowledge to be able to improve health outcomes through the effective planning, execution and evaluation of health interventions to change behaviour.
  • It offers the opportunity to develop knowledge around differing health needs, influences on health, and how to prevent ill health and promote health and wellbeing.
  • The course aims to equip you to work in a range of roles within public health where you can make a real difference to people’s health and wellbeing.
A star in the centre of a rosette.

Rated Gold Overall

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

Five stars in a speech bubble.

5 QS Stars for Teaching and Facilities

QS Stars University Ratings

City buildings next to a tree.

Top 5 Student City in England (Coventry)

QS Best Student Cities Index 2025

Why you should study this course

Foundation year

  • Supports you to gain the academic skills required for degree-level study.
  • Provides a grounding in key areas of health, education, psychology and wellbeing.

Degree

  • The learning is interactive and creative with hands-on learning sessions related to real-life situations.
  • Taught by current Public Health experts from a range of practice, research, academic and leadership backgrounds (staff may be subject to change).
  • The assessments use the same competencies, knowledge and skills that you will use in many public health job roles.
  • You will also have inter-professional learning opportunities allowing students from health-related courses the opportunity to share, learn and work together.
  • You may have opportunities to attend out-of-classroom field trips related to aspects of public health, and you will also have access to a range of international experience opportunities2.
8th

Coventry University ranked 8th for Health Professions

Guardian University Guide 2023

Having spent many years working in public health roles and seeing the positive impact it can have in supporting people to lead healthier and happier lives, it’s exciting to be part of a dynamic and passionate team developing future public health practitioners who can go on to have equally enjoyable, fulfilling and impactful careers. One of the elements I particularly like about this course is the focus on practical learning which is directly applicable to job roles in public health and making a positive difference to people’s health.

Jane Wright, Assistant Professor in Public Health, 2022
Urban garden on campus in the sunshine

What you'll study

In the first year, the curriculum allows you to gain a broad grounding in the discipline where you will develop knowledge to do with the foundations of public health, communication, health systems and health interventions, among others.

Modules

In year two, you will develop more advanced knowledge and skills to do with epidemiology, health research, health promotion, health protection and public health policy, among others.  

Modules

Year three aims to bring you to the level to enter the world of work by consolidating your knowledge and skills from year one and two. You could also work on a dissertation in an area of your interest, with the support of a mentor.

Modules

The foundation year offers an introduction to your chosen subject and supports you to develop the skills required for degree-level study.

Modules

We regularly review our course content, to make it relevant and current for the benefit of our students. For these reasons, course modules may be updated.

This course is helping me to develop essential skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, analysing and communication through different activities such as group work, discussions, scenario analysis and debates. The modules are thought-provoking, and the lecturers are experts with a lot of professional experience in their field, allowing them to share real-life examples with us, which is an excellent way to understand any topic. Having guest speakers has allowed me to get insight into specific topics and relevant events that are currently happening.

Simran Kaur, Public Health BSc (Hons) current student, quoted in 2022
Close up of a lab specimen dish being held up toward the camera.

How you'll learn

You will be taught using a mixture of lectures and seminars, ‘hands-on’ skills workshops, student-led discussions and interactive simulation. Assessments encourage the development of skills required for successful careers in Public Health. This includes being familiar with Microsoft software packages (Word, PowerPoint, Excel etc).

The foundation year programme is focused on applied learning geared to high-intensity teaching and study throughout the programme, requiring full commitment from students. The delivery of course content is a blend of lectures, tutorials and online mediums.

Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end-of-year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework which is more reflective of a working environment.


Teaching contact hours

You can expect up to 20 hours of learning activities per week, made up of face-to-face teaching, individual and group tutorials, online classes and independent learning.

Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 30 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.


Assessment

The learning outcomes of modules, assignments and projects will be clearly stated. Your work will be marked according to how well you achieve these learning outcomes and your final feedback will refer to each outcome, as well as provide an overall percentage grade.

Assessment methods vary and may include practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, oral presentations, tutorial tasks and assessments which generally take place at the end of each six-week block.

These interactive, creative and hands-on learning sessions aim to support you to explore important health issues theoretically as well as practically. You will also have inter-professional learning opportunities allowing students from a diverse range of health-related courses the opportunity to share, learn and work together.

You will have the opportunity to:

  • Work in smaller groups for seminars and tutorials.
  • Engage in student-led discussions (group presentations, case-studies and scenario analyses) to facilitate shared learning and practice experiences.
  • Hear from professionals in practice drawn from a range of Public Health-related fields (subject to availability).
  • Utilise a virtual learning environment to access updates on the course and modules, and other relevant materials for supporting learning such as videos and podcasts.
  • Participate in a simulation exercise which mimics real-world challenges and cross-profession working (subject to availability).
  • Attend a public health-related field visit (e.g. water treatment plant) or event (e.g. Public Health film festival)2.

These strategies should help you to connect concepts covered in the course with real-life experience and are designed to enhance your career options following graduation.


Teaching contact hours

You will receive around 10 hours teaching contact time per week. This is made up of lectures, seminars and tutorials. Additionally, you will be expected to undertake significant self-directed study of approximately 17 hours each week, depending on the demands of individual modules.

As an innovative and enterprising institution, the university may seek to utilise emerging technologies within the student experience. For all courses (whether on-campus, blended, or distance learning), the university may deliver certain contact hours and assessments via online technologies and methods.

Since COVID-19, we have delivered our courses in a variety of forms, in line with public authority guidance, decisions, or orders and we will continue to adapt our delivery as appropriate. Whether on campus or online, our key priority is staff and student safety.


Assessment

This course will be assessed using a variety of methods which will vary depending upon the module.

Assessment methods may include:

  • Essays
  • Poster presentations
  • Coursework
  • Exams
  • Research project

The Coventry University Group assessment strategy ensures that our courses are fairly assessed and allows us to monitor student progression towards achieving the intended learning outcomes.

Now is an exciting time to be part of the future of public health. The importance and positive impact public health is having on people's lives is growing. I feel all of my previous public health roles and experience has led me to this point. We have a diverse team of international lecturers; ready and waiting to help you reach your full potential and start your career in public health, making a positive difference to people's health.

Natasha Dawson, Module Leader and Lecturer in Public Health, 2022
Shot of Coventry University's Alison Gingell building framed with blue sky behind.

Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

72 UCAS tariff points. All foundation courses require 5 GCSEs at A-C/4-9 including Maths and English, and at least one A2 level or a BTEC equivalent qualification.

If you don’t fulfil the entry criteria your application may be considered on an individual basis, taking into account any work experience, other qualifications and/or any training you have completed. Speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Contextual offers and Fair Access Scheme

If you meet the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme, you could automatically receive a contextual offer that may be up to 24 UCAS points lower than our standard entry requirements. View the criteria for our Fair Access Scheme.

Got higher grades? Have you considered direct entry to the degree without foundation year?


Fees and funding

2024/25 tuition fees.

Foundation year

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £7,950 Not available
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

Degree

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £9,250 per year Not available
International/EU Not currently available*** Not available

Please note: UK (home) tuition fees for the degree course years will be charged at the current Coventry University UK (home) degree fee level. This was set at £9,250 for the 24/25 academic year.

If you choose to do a work placement2, you should consider travel and living costs to cover this. There is also a tuition fee3 of £1,250 that will cover your academic support throughout your placement year.

For advice and guidance on tuition fees and student loans visit our Undergraduate Finance page and see The University’s Tuition Fee and Refund Terms and Conditions.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessments, facilities and support services. There may be additional costs not covered by this fee such as accommodation and living costs, recommended reading books, stationery, printing and re-assessments should you need them. Find out what's included in your tuition costs.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees:

  • Any optional overseas field trips or visits: £400+ per trip.
  • Any costs associated with securing, attending or completing a placement (whether in the UK or abroad).

Foundation year funding

In order to receive funding for degree with foundation year courses, you will need to complete a four-year degree programme which includes the integrated foundation year, otherwise you may be responsible for your foundation year fees. For further information, please refer to the 'Tuition Fee Loan' details in the 'Funding your undergraduate course' section of our 'Fees and finance' page.

*Irish student fees

The rights of Irish residents to study in the UK are preserved under the Common Travel Area arrangement. If you are an Irish student and meet the residency criteria, you can study in England, pay the same level of tuition fees as English students and utilise the Tuition Fee Loan.

**This course with foundation year is not currently available to international students. If you do not meet the entry requirements to directly join year 1 of the degree, please take a look at our International Pathways Programme for additional options.


Facilities

Our foundation years are taught at CU Coventry’s Mile Lane building, a short walk from the city centre. You’re part of the university from day one, so during your foundation year you’ll have access to the wider facilities at Coventry University. Once you successfully complete your foundation year, you'll transfer over to studying your chosen degree at Coventry University, where you'll be taught on campus in the relevant academic buildings.

Located on our Mile Lane campus, you will have access to our Library and Learning Services (LLS), fully equipped seminar rooms and IT suites4. You can also take advantage of reading rights in Coventry University’s Lanchester Library, make use of sport centre facilities and receive full membership to Your Students' Union.

Two students walking outside with the CU Coventry building behind them.

Mile Lane

The campus is home to an on-site library with bookable one-to-one academic writing service and library support sessions, fully equipped seminar rooms, open-access study areas, a café and an IT suite. Our labs contain industry-standard equipment so that you learn using the same equipment as many industry professionals.

A student working in a booth in The Hub.

The Hub

At The Hub you'll find the Health and Wellbeing Centre, the Students’ Union and Square One (which provides entertainment from quiz nights to live music), the Spirituality and Faith Centre, Tank Studio, Careers Office, Enterprise Hub and a fantastic food court.

External view of the Lanchester Library.

Lanchester Library

Coventry University’s Lanchester Library is open 24/7, 364 days a year and has 1,400 study spaces, including group and silent areas. It also currently offers more than 550 computers and an additional 120 free-to-loan laptops.

 

Students will benefit from studying on our well-equipped, modern campus4.

  • The Simulation Centre allows you to participate in simulation exercises which mimic real-world challenges and cross-profession working, e.g. managing a disease outbreak at Coventry University.
  • The Computer Lab at Coventry University main campus allows you to participate on challenges to resolve public health issues within a given health-related scenario.

Alison Gingell Building

You'll have the opportunity to study in our multi-million-pound Alison Gingell Building with facilities including a mock ambulance, hospital wards and full-size community houses as well as study spaces, classrooms and more.

Inside of a big building with hanging lights and big staircase

Careers and opportunities

On successful completion of the course, you will have the knowledge to enable you to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the underlying principles of public health - prevention, promotion, protection.
  • Measure and interpret qualitative and quantitative data to make evidence informed decisions.
  • Evaluate population health needs in order to initiate health interventions for preventing disease and improving health.
  • Critically review relationships between health policy, strategies, health systems and service users’ experiences that influence health outcomes and inequalities.
  • Assess and recognise the impact of wider social determinants of health, health inequalities and health inequity at all levels.
  • Effectively communicate public health messages to specialist and non-specialist audiences using a range of approaches and media.
  • Understand effective strategies for working with community groups and organisations in designing, managing and delivering services.
  • Demonstrate effective leadership and ethical approaches to improve quality for public health.
  • Appraise health systems differences in adopting foundational public health concepts, principles and methods of enquiry.

The course is designed to align your knowledge and skills with the requirements of employers in Public Health and for your skills to be able to make an immediate impact on populations and health outcomes in a range of roles and organisations. The course aims to enhance your employability by offering the skills and competences that address employers' objectives and expectations from graduates wishing to pursue a career as a public health practitioner.

Graduates may be employed in such roles as public health practitioner, health protection practitioner, health improvement practitioner, health data analyst, healthy lifestyles co-ordinator, public health project manager, and many other types of analysts, managers or researcher roles within the diverse field of public health practice.

This course aims to equip you with the tools for developing necessary competences for employment within a wide range of organisations, including local authorities, NHS, not-for-profit organisations and charities, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Further study

Graduates from this course may consider progression to master’s level courses in areas such as:

  • Public health
  • Global public health
  • Global health management
  • Public health nutrition
  • Public health and health promotion
  • Reproductive and sexual health research
  • Health economics and policy
  • Health data science
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