Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Public Health and Health Promotion

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Overview

The BSc (Hons) in Public Health & Health Promotion is a full-time, four-year, honours degree course. It is approved by the International Union for Health Promotion and Education, which allows graduates to register as Accredited Public Health and Health Promotion Practitioners with diverse career opportunities in health services, industry, communities, charitable and voluntary organisations, working to improve the health and wellbeing of populations and individuals. This course aims to give you practical skills to work with a wide range of population groups in a wide range of settings about a wide range of health-related topics (e.g. mental health, physical activity, and the environment).

Career opportunities for BSc (Hons) in Public Health & Health Promotion graduates include:

Youth or community worker
Health promotion and improvement officer
Workplace health promotion
Health promotion with specific groups, eg. homeless, older adult, young offenders, drug addicts
Health services (addiction, probation, schools health promotions)
Overseas development
Health screening & lifestyle counselling
Private health company
Physical activity promotion
Care settings – youth, elderly

Provider Locations and Structure

The degree will be delivered in a 1+3 model with students supported during Year 1 to make the transition to SETU Waterford to complete their studies.

Year 1: Students will undertake their studies in College of Further Education and Training Kilkenny (KCETB)

Years 2, 3 & 4: Students will undertake their studies in SETU (South East Technical University) Waterford Campus.

Course Content – For All Years

Year 1, Semester 1 (Mandatory)

Anatomy & Physiology 1
Care of Older Adult 1
Introduction to Healthcare Informatics
Learning to Learn
Principles of Health Promotion
Psychology for Health Care

Year 1, Semester 2 (Mandatory)

Anatomy & Physiology 2
Life Skills for Health & Wellbeing
Medical Surgery Care 1
Placement 1

Year 2, Semester 3 (Mandatory)

Health Promotion in Key Settings
Communication and Media Skills
Introduction to Epidemiology & Public Health
Nutrition: Energy & Macro-Nutrients
Sociology of Health
Basic Facilitation Skills for Health and Well-Being

Year 2, Semester 4 (Mandatory)

Active Citizenship
Health Screening
Introduction to Mental Health
Nutrition: Vitamins & Minerals
Introduction to Research Methods & Statistics

Year 3, Semester 5 (Mandatory)

Promoting Population Physical Activity
Promoting Health in Children and Young People
Equality and Inclusion
Advanced Research Methods and Statistics
Promoting Health in Older Adults
Workplace Health Promotion

Year 3, Semester 6 (Mandatory)

Motivational Interviewing
Workplace Health Promotion
Placement 2

Year 4, Semester 7 (Mandatory)

Dissertation 1
Public Health 1
Managing Health Promotion Campaigns
Applied Behaviour Change

Year 4, Semester 7 (Electives – Choose one)

Experiential Group Work for Health & Well-being*
Gender Specific Health Promotion*
Health Psychology*
Nutrition for Special Population Groups*
Technician Roles in Applied Health Care*

Year 4, Semester 8 (Mandatory)

Dissertation 2
Public Health 2
Environment and Health

Year 4, Semester 8 (Electives – Choose one)

Connected Health*
Youth Work and Youth At Risk*
Facilitation Skills for Health and Well-Being*
Workplace Health Promotion*
Disabilities & Advocacy*
Promoting Recovery in Mental Health Care*

* = elective module (subject to numbers applying)

Embedded Awards

This tertiary degree is a comprehensive 4 year programme. The programme is designed to support academic success despite challenges that may arise. If a student has to leave the programme before completing the final year, tertiary degrees include embedded awards. Embedded awards formally recognise learning achieved during time in the programme. For this degree, they are:

After successfully completing Year 1	NFQ level 6 Certificate from SETU
After successfully completing Year 2	NFQ level 6 Higher Certificate from SETU
After successfully completing Year 3	NFQ level 7 Bachelor of Science in Public Health and Health, from SETU

The final NFQ level 8 Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Public Health and Health Promotion is awarded by SETU.

Planned Intake (Number of Places)

20 places

Entry Requirements and Eligibility

Prospective students wishing to be accepted onto the programme must meet the following minimum entry criteria:

Leaving Certificate; 2H5 & 4O6/H7; English or Irish O6/H7; Mathematics O6/H7

Level 5 major award

Other qualifications equivalent to a major award at level 5 on the NFQ

Applications are welcome from individuals that do not meet the minimum entry requirement who are aged 23 years or over (at date of commencement of programme). Such an applicant will be assessed on their merits, taking into account their life experience, work or community experience, and recognition of prior learning.

For applicants whose first language is not English, the standard required of applicants is B2 (or equivalent) on Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in writing, reading, listening and speaking. Evidence of achievement of this standard is necessary for entry to the programme.

Our Unified Tertiary Programmes aim to encourage the participation and success of students from sections of society under-represented in higher education, by offering degree programmes at a local level. In the event of over subscription to the programmes, priority will be given to applicants who most demonstrate local need.

Onward Pathways

Graduates from the BSc (hons) in Public Health and Health Promotion are qualified to access postgraduate programmes in these allied health disciplines:

Occupational Therapist
Physiotherapist
Nutritionist
Group facilitator
Health researcher

There are also opportunities for postgraduate research study in SETU Waterford in the health promotion field & in Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE).