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MPH8010 : Public Health Protection

  • Inactive for Year: 2025/26
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Sarah Sowden
  • Lecturer: Dr Petra Manley, Dr Simon Howard, Dr Gayle Dolan, Dr Kirsty Foster, Dr Deborah Wilson, Dr Heather Lamb, Dr Simon Wilkinson, Dr Jo Darke, Dr Lindsay Bramwell
  • Owning School: Population Health Sciences
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

This module introduces students to the key principles of public health protection, illustrated by reference to common communicable diseases and environmental hazards in the UK. Students will develop an understanding of major factors contributing to health protection risk, the fundamental principles of assessment and control of these risks. Local and national methods of surveillance will be described, including their application in monitoring patterns of illness in the population and identification of outbreaks of communicable disease. Examples of communicable disease outbreaks and environmental investigations will be used to illustrate the commonly used epidemiological methods and demonstrate the importance of partnership working in health protection.

Outline Of Syllabus

Examples of topics and themes that will be explored during the module include principles of health protection, health protection surveillance, outbreaks and incidents, risk perception and communication, emergency preparedness and response. Communicable disease control will be discussed (for example, in relation to vaccine preventable diseases, gastro-intestinal infections, blood-borne viral infections, sexually transmitted infections and respiratory infections). Environmental hazard will be considered (for example, toxicology and contaminated land considerations).

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
CategoryActivityNumberLengthStudent HoursComment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities Lecture 10 1:30 15:00 Present in person
Structured Guided Learning Lecture materials 4 1:00 4:00 Pre-recorded sessions
Guided Independent Study Assessment preparation and completion 11 1:00 11:00  
Guided Independent Study Directed research and reading 11 1:00 11:00  
Guided Independent Study Independent study 59 1:00 59:00  
Total 100:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This is largely an interactive module which draws on the experience of tutors and students. Most sessions are suited to lecture and seminar format with student and tutor led preparation, presentation and discussion. The module is taught by the health protection team at UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The UKHSA team have expertise in health protection practice, teaching and training. The module starts with general principles of health protection and communicable disease control, and progresses on to covering a range of communicable diseases. Scenario-based teaching is incorporated in the lectures.

The teaching and learning methods used are designed to maximise opportunities for students to reflect on and incorporate their own experience into their learning.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
DescriptionSemesterWhen SetPercentageComment
Written exercise 2 M 100 Written exercise 2000 words - in the format of four structured answer questions with a word limit of 200, 600, 800 and 400 words respectively.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The written exercise will test the students understanding of the principles of public health protection, and their ability to synthesise and critically appraise relevant sources of information to produce advice, strategy or other form of written commentary on key and current areas of public health protection.

Reading Lists

Timetable