Public Health [with Foundation Year]

Learn to promote people's health and wellbeing, with our Public Health degree. Study in Chelmsford and get hands-on experience with community placements. Health inequality means that we don’t all start with the same chance in life. The need to recognise public health issues has never been so important. From interviewing students about drug and alcohol addiction, to creating a campaign about exercise and nutrition in a poor area of the UK, to writing a report to inform a government about a rare disease in a developing country – the diverse nature of public health means that no two days are the same. It’s a sector that’s brimming with career opportunities.

Public health covers three key areas:

Health improvement: this includes work to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities by promoting health lifestyle changes. This can include helping people to quit smoking or improve their living conditions; promoting healthy eating, or tackling underlying issues such as poverty and reduced access to healthcare. Health protection: this area can cover the safety and quality of the environment, food and water, preventing the spread of communicable disease and managing outbreaks – such as pandemic flu – and addressing the health effects of climate change. Healthcare: public health professionals help to make sure that health and care services are fit-for-purpose and accessible to all sectors of the population.

By studying BSc (Hons) Public Health at ARU, you’ll gain practical skills and the confidence to work collaboratively in groups. As a student here, you’ll take part in simulated scenarios and community-based research, as well as creating reports, presentations and demonstrations to present to panels and judges.

You’ll gain the research and analytical skills to interpret data. When you graduate you’ll be equipped to use evidence to help plan and implement health solutions for individuals and communities and to develop effective health policies. You’ll also be aware of important issues like health inequalities and social justice, be familiar with health needs assessment and data analysis tools, and have developed effective communication skills.

We’ve worked with public health stakeholders, including Public Health England, the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) and Health Education England to create our course, and our teaching staff are part of international networks which inform everything we do. Throughout the UK practitioners work to protect and improve health and wellbeing. The UKPHR operate a register of Public Health Practitioners to ensure that workers meet and maintain a high standard of competency within the Public Health profession. Our Public Health degree aligns with these UKPHR practitioner competencies ensuring that through a combination of employment focussed content, work placements and lectures, our programme will help you prepare for UKPHR registration.

Our students feel that their voice is heard and that we value their opinion. According to the National Student Survey 2020, they rate their tutors highly and value the feedback they receive.

You have the option to take this course as a four-year degree with foundation year. If you choose to learn in Chelmsford, you'll study with our partner, ARU College, in either Cambridge or Chelmsford for Year 1, then Chelmsford for years 2-4. If you choose to study in Peterborough, you'll stay there for all four years of your course.