Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons)

Study level: Undergraduate
HNC/HND courses
Two Public Health students in a Scarborough classroom

Public health is considered the science and art of promoting and protecting health and wellbeing, preventing ill-health and prolonging life through the organised efforts of society.

Course option

Year of entry

Location

CU Scarborough (Scarborough)

Study mode

Full-time

Duration

3 year - Degree
2 year - HND
1 year - HNC

UCAS codes

LL45 / 5KLL / 54LL

Start date

November 2024
January 2025
March 2025
May 2025
June 2025


Course overview

The Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons) course aims to provide you with the underpinning theoretical knowledge, professional expertise and work-based learning relevant to a range of roles working in health and social care.

  • The Public Health and Community Studies (Hons) degree has been designed to equip you with the knowledge, understanding and skills required to excel in a multidisciplinary community environment and to effectively support a variety of agencies, communities and individuals in promoting health and wellbeing.
  • With increased attention from government on the improvement of population health, this is an excellent time to study the underlying factors that contribute to ill health and how you as a practitioner can work to promote health and wellbeing as well as tackling the social inequalities within the localities you serve.

What you'll study

The Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons) degree aims to teach the skills and knowledge relevant for progression into statutory, voluntary or private sectors. Opportunities can be found in areas that address the wider determinants of health, such as education, housing and transport, by developing public approaches to promote health.

Throughout the course you will address health inequalities, including tackling the damaging effects of smoking, alcohol, drugs and poor nutrition, as well as analysing government initiatives.

The first year is designed to explore the core fundamentals of modern public health. Throughout the year, the programme aims to develop skills in decision-making and information management, providing you with a solid foundation for further exploration in years two and three. Students who successfully complete year one are eligible for an HNC in Public Health and Community Studies.

Modules

In your second year, you will refine key analytical skills as you examine the ways in which social factors and institutions are constructed and represented and their implications on everyday life. Students who successfully complete year two are eligible for an HND in Public Health and Community Studies.

Modules

There’s no better way to find out what you love doing than trying it out for yourself, which is why a work placement2 can often be beneficial. Work placements usually occur before your final year of study. They’re a great way to help you explore your potential career path and gain valuable work experience, while developing transferable skills for the future.

If you choose to do a work placement year, you will pay a reduced tuition fee3 of £1,250. For more information, please go to the fees and funding section. During this time, you will receive guidance from your employer or participating institution, along with your assigned academic mentor who will ensure you have the support you need to complete your placement.

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements are therefore not guaranteed2.

Modules

This exciting year aims to enhance your existing knowledge, giving you a broad overview of research methods and processes that are used to study health or social factors in communities. This year examines the skills, behaviours and techniques of effective management and the role of leadership in relation to business themes. Upon successful completion of this final year, you should be equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to become a successful leader, with the ability to identify the core processes and mechanisms that underpin innovation.

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.


How you'll learn

This course is available as a full-time three-year or optional four-year sandwich course.

Our teaching methods are varied, offering a number of teaching styles to suit the needs of all our students, so in addition to lectures, we also utilise a blended learning approach, including online aspects, workshops and group work. We also operate an open-door policy, with additional availability via email and our online learning platform, Aula.

Progression through the modules develops knowledge and skills, including communication (written and oral), study skills, research methods, project management, presentation and career development. We will also encourage you to consider your employability and/or entrepreneurial development.

Unlike traditional institutions, there are no end of year exams. Instead, learning is assessed through coursework and phase tests, which is more reflective of our learning model.


Teaching contact hours

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

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

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 providing an overall percentage grade.

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 

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 providing an overall percentage grade.

Assessment methods vary and include practical class and project performance, written practical reports, project thesis, oral presentations, tutorial tasks and assessments.

Breakdown of final grade assessment (subject to change):

  • Coursework
  • Assessments

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.


International experience opportunities

With our Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects, you may have the opportunity to take part in online seminars, lectures, and network with students and course leaders in universities across the world2.

Please note that all international experience opportunities may be subject to additional costs, competitive application, availability and meeting applicable visa and travel requirements are therefore not guaranteed2.

This degree has aided my success in fulfilling my dream of working in addiction. The whole CU Scarborough set-up of six-week blocks really worked well for me and helped me gain a valuable skill of time management.

Leigh Sloan, Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons) graduate, 2023
Public health students working together in class

Entry requirements

Typical offer for 2024/25 entry.

Entry level What we're looking for
HNC 64 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
HND 80 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
Degree 104 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.

 A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check may be required depending on the type of placement undertaken5.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Are you eligible for the CU Support Scheme?

We believe every student should have the opportunity to dream big, reach their potential and succeed, regardless of their background.

CU Support Scheme

Entry level What we're looking for
HNC 64 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
HND 80 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.
Degree 104 UCAS tariff points. Minimum 5 GCSEs graded 9-4 / A* - C including Maths and English. Minimum two A2 levels or BTEC equivalent qualification.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check may be required depending on the type of placement undertaken5.

Visit our International hub for further advice and guidance on how to apply and travelling to and living in the UK.

English language requirements

  • IELTS: 6.0

If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can achieve the level you need by successfully completing a pre-sessional English programme before you start your course.

We recognise a breadth of qualifications, speak to one of our advisers today to find out how we can help you.

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Tuition Fees

Student Full-time Part-time
UK, Ireland*, Channel Islands or Isle of Man £7,950 per year Not available
EU £7,950 per year with EU Support Bursary**
£18,300 per year without EU Support Bursary**
Not available
International £18,300 per year Not available

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.

We offer a range of international scholarships to students all over the world. For more information, visit our International Scholarships page.

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.

The following are additional costs not included in the tuition fees3:

  • 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).

*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.

**EU Support Bursary

Following the UK's exit from the European Union, we are offering financial support to all eligible EU students who wish to study an undergraduate or a postgraduate degree with us full-time. This bursary will be used to offset the cost of your tuition fees to bring them in line with that of UK students. Students studying a degree with a foundation year with us are not eligible for the bursary.


Facilities

Our campus building is purpose-built and includes a library, IT suites, mock law court, engineering and science labs, cafe and lots of individual and group study spaces.

Next to us is Scarborough’s new leisure village. The complex includes an Olympic legacy swimming pool, sports hall, fitness suite, all weather pitches and the new Scarborough Athletic football ground.


Careers and opportunities

With a growing demand for skilled health professionals, graduates of the Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons) degree have an expansive list of career paths to explore. On successful completion, you will be able to:

  • demonstrate understanding and knowledge of the theoretical, analytical and practical aspects of legislation, strategies and policies within a changing environment, to meet stakeholder interests
  • critically appraise theories related to the development of a health promotion strategy, considering social determinants that could influence the effectiveness
  • develop appropriate research and analysis techniques, alongside the ability to undertake reliable market research activities
  • operate, lead and collaborate in a team to solve problems of a practical (experimental) nature and to provide appropriate solutions
  • apply appropriate presentation and evaluation tools to establish the significance of research data produced.


While the majority of graduates go directly into a public health profession, others have chosen to study further in the field, with several students undertaking a master’s degree in subjects such as Public Health and Nutrition, International Business Management and Social Policy.

Where our graduates work

There are a variety of career paths from this degree programme. Graduates have gone on to work successfully in following careers:

  • Briefing Advisor (higher executive officer) with the parliamentary and public accountability team within UKHSA
  • Digital Care Coordinator for Primary Care network
  • Independence Advisor
  • Programme Leader, FE
  • Addiction Support Worker
  • Community Support Officer for local authority
  • Health Intervention Officer for HM Prison Services
  • Mental Health Link Worker
  • Social Prescribing Worker

At the age of 31, the penny dropped that I was miserable working all the hours under the sun for minimum wage in a job I was no longer enjoying. I decided to pop to along to an open day at uni and fast forward four years, I am now graduating with a public health degree. I would highly recommend CU Scarborough to anyone who either has the learning bug or wants to enhance their future. Never believe it will be impossible - I managed being a single parent to three children and working and survived to tell the tale.

Leigh Sloan, Public Health and Community Studies BA (Hons) graduate, 2023
Public health students in a lecture

How to apply

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