Promoting public health: skills, perspectives and practice
On this page
|
|
|
|
|
| 6 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| End-of-course assessment | No residential school |
Register for the course
This course is available for study in the countries shown. Fees may vary by country.
Summary
The link between poverty and poor health … despite economic growth and in the richest societies, is opening up a wider debate about the ethics of public policy. Should increasing wealth or improving health be the first and fundamental priority? (Graham, 2007).
Promoting public health is everyone’s business and your own viewpoint is central in this course. Whatever your skills or perspectives – whether you’re in professional practice or not – you’ll be: encouraged to challenge your assumptions around policies and interventions; informed and empowered to move your everyday actions and practice forward. The course is mapped against public-health competencies and leads to the Certificate in Promoting Public Health (C64).
Course content
More specific aims of the course are to:
- investigate and assess alternative conceptual and practical approaches to the promotion of public health. This is achieved by considering a range of case studies of different settings, frameworks and client groups, such as researching health and public health interventions, local community action and global issues
- draw out and develop ways of promoting public health that address social and economic inequalities and that are culturally sensitive and holistic
- develop your skills in researching, analysing and evaluating health information and policy, particularly with respect to computer-based communication and research
- endorse an approach to promoting public health that is participative, recognises the need for flexibility and mutual goal setting, and respects the rights of individuals, groups and communities to autonomy and control
- encourage partnership and collaboration among different health professional groups working in public health, and among health workers, policy makers and lay and consumer groups
- examine ethical, political and professional dilemmas that arise in new practices and policies for promoting health, and consider how these dilemmas may be tackled.
Key features of the course include:
- a particular focus on research-based skills to support you in becoming an independent learner. This includes encouraging you to research and critically evaluate data and other information that you have searched for independently
- the opportunity to develop information-literacy skills that will enable you keep up to date in this field as well as develop skills to critically appraise policy and practice
- an introduction to theories and policies, which may inform your practice
- Assessment that builds on continuous reflection leading to an end-of-course assignment, which is an opportunity for you to reflect on and review your progress.
The course comprises 24 study units, where a study unit represents one week of work. The 24 units are divided into four blocks with six units in each block. The final unit in each block will consist of a case study or a specific topic designed to bring together the key themes of the block. Consolidation weeks have been built into the study calendar to allow time for reflection, assignment writing and catching up.
The course materials include two course books with supporting weekly learning guides in an electronic format (giving easy access to other course materials) and a DVD.
You will need basic skills in using a PC and accessing the internet. Do not worry if you are not skilled in using a computer or the internet as these skills are integrated into the course.
Vocational relevance
K311 will be attractive to a range of professional groups, such as Health Visitors and Public Health Practitioners, as well as other health or social care workers and those working in voluntary organisations. This course is also relevant to public sector workers and individuals who promote public health from an international and comparative perspective.
Entry
This is a Level 3 course. Level 3 courses build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from studies at Levels 1 and 2. They are intended only for students who have recent experience of higher education in a related subject, preferably with the OU. You are not required to have done any study before in this subject area but if you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Preparatory work
You will receive guidance of how to get started online in your first course mailing. This will provide you with information on using your computer for OU study and working with the Computing Guide. For example, it explains how to access and use your course website and online discussion forums. If you have time before the course starts, you can work through this and explore all the online services available to you.
Qualifications
We can award a Certificate in Promoting Public Health (C64) to students who successfully complete the course.
K311 is an optional course in our
- BA/BSc (Honours) Health and Social Care (B18)
- Shortened BA/BSc (Honours) Health and Social Care (B22)
- BA/BSc (Honours) Health Studies (B17)
- BA (Honours) Childhood and Youth Studies (B23)*
- BA/BSc (Honours) Nursing Studies (B47)
- BA/BSc (Honours) Social Sciences (B06)
* Please note that you can count K311 to the BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies (B23) as a Level 3 option towards this degree provided you complete by 31 December 2010. After 2010 this course can only be counted as the 60-point free course choice.
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is equally appropriate to a BA or BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
Excluded combinations
Sometimes you will not be able to count a course towards a qualification if you have already taken another course with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this course, visit our excluded combination finder or check with our Student Registration & Enquiry Service before registering.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
Written transcripts of any audio components and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) versions of printed material are available. Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader. Large print versions of the course materials can be provided on request. Other alternative formats of the course materials may be available in the future. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Course guide; assignment booklet; two course books and two DVDs. You will have access to a course website through which teaching and library resources are available. Electronic versions of most of the printed course materials are provided on the course website.
You will need
A DVD player.
The audio-visual components of this course are delivered on a DVD that will play on a standard DVD player and television. If you want to view this on a computer, it will need a DVD-ROM drive and software for viewing DVDs.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual.
Materials to buy
Set books
- Douglas, J et al. (ed) A Reader in Promoting Public Health: Challenge and Controversy (2nd edn), Sage £20.99 - ISBN 9781849201049 (Students must buy the 2nd edn which is due for publication in November 2009.)
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the course material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance. Part of your tuition is delivered online so some of the contact with your tutor will be through email and online discussion forums, although phone communication may also be used You are encouraged ,to take part in your online tutor group forum and attend face-to-face tutorials. Where your face-to-face tutorials are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the course. Face-to-face tutorials will take place early in the course and towards the end.
The skills that you need to take part in online tutor-group forums are integrated into the course.
Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
You will be given more detailed information when you begin the course.
Professional recognition
If you successfully complete K311, you can claim a Certificate in Promoting Public Health (C64). Although this is not a professional qualification in Public Health Practice, the course is currently being mapped against the Public Health Competencies in order to get a sense of how far the course will fulfil these competencies.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in February 2010. We expect it to be available at the same time once a year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Health and Social Care and Science.
Study explained
- Course
- - a module of study that can count towards a qualification.
- Credit points
- - show how much study is required to complete a course or qualification. One credit point represents roughly 10 hours of study.
- Level
- - indicates how difficult a course is. Undergraduate study starts at Level 1.
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
Student Reviews
I enjoyed studying this course and was pleased to achieve a pass. It focussed on a broad range of issues ...
Read more
Course satisfaction survey
See the satisfaction survey results for this course.
Got a question?
Contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service
Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90
Browse the prospectus
Request a print prospectus
Share
This PageThe University wishes to emphasise that, while every effort is made to regularly update this site, the material on it is subject to alteration or amendment in the light of changes in regulations or in policy or of financial or other necessity.