Entry requirements
Normally a minimum 2.2 Honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline. Relevant clinical or professional experience may be taken into consideration as evidence of equivalency.
Accreditation of prior learning for Masters courses in Healthcare and Medicine
Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) is a process whereby students, who have already gained relevant skills and knowledge prior to the start of their course, may be granted a partial credit exemption from their programme instead of unnecessarily repeating work. Find out more about APL
International students
English language requirements
• IELTS: Overall score 6.5. No less than 6.0 in any section.
• TOEFL: Overall score 90 with minimum scores of 21 for writing, 21 for listening, 22 for reading and 23 for speaking.
• Pearson: 58 with no less than 55 in all communicative skills.
If you are an international student, please visit our international equivalency pages to enable you to see if your existing academic qualifications meet our entry requirements.
International students are normally subject to visa regulations which prevent part-time study. It is recommended that international students apply for the level of the final award you intend to complete i.e. PGCert, PGDip or Masters, due to the associated cost and requirements for a Tier 4 student Visa.
Entry requirements for international students
Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.
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Entry requirements for international students
English language requirements
Please visit our entry requirements section for equivalencies from your country and further information on English language requirements.
Course content
This exciting programme based in Truro, Cornwall is ideal for graduates who are planning or already undertaking a career within public health, health promotion, environmental health and protection, occupational health and related diverse research and practice fields.
Our students come from a variety of backgrounds and so the programme has been designed to enable you to enact meaningful change in any setting. You will learn how to assess the health profile of a population group anywhere in the world, particularly in the context of an ageing society and increased global urbanisation and derive solutions to address health inequalities.
Specialisms
At MSc level, the core award is the MSc in Environment and Human Health. Depending on the specific modules taken, and dissertation topic selected, students may opt to receive one of the following named awards:
• MSc Environment and Human Health (Global Health)
• MSc Environment and Human Health (Antimicrobial Resistance)
• MSc Environment and Human Health (Pandemics)
These specialisms are only available at the MSc level, and not for PGDip or PGCert.
Your eligibility for the particular award will be confirmed by the final Assessment Progression and Awarding Committee (APAC) on the basis of the modules that have been completed. In order to graduate with a particular named award in parentheses, you will need to select the appropriate specified option modules detailed below, and notify the programme support team accordingly. Otherwise the award name will be MSc in Environment and Human Health. More information about Specialisms
Programme Structure
The programme is divided into units of study called ‘modules’ which are assigned a number of ‘credits’. The credit rating of a module is proportional to the total workload, with one credit being nominally equivalent to 10 hours of work, a 15 credit module being equivalent to 150 hours of work and a full Masters degree being equivalent to approximately 1,800 hours of work. Therefore, for applicants who are working full time (or close to full-time), we recommend applying to complete the Masters degree over 2 or 3 years rather than 1 year.
To gain a Masters qualification, you will need to complete 180 credits at level 7.
It is also possible to exit with a PGCert after completing 60 credits of taught modules or a PGDip after completing 120 credits of taught modules. The list of modules below shows which are compulsory.
View the timetable of contact days for 2021-2022
Please note: these timetables are draft and subject to change.
The last contact day and assessment deadline for the programme will be earlier than the actual end date of your registration with the University, to allow a period of time at the end of your active studies for further support and mitigation, if needed
Modules
The modules we outline here provide examples of what you can expect to learn on this degree course based on recent academic teaching. The precise modules available to you in future years may vary depending on staff availability and research interests, new topics of study, timetabling and student demand.
You will be awarded an MSc on completion of the following modules:
• Contemporary Environment and Human Health (15 credits)
• Postgraduate Skills and Evidence (15 credits)
• Project Design (15 credits)
• Dissertation (60 credits)
And 75 Credits from:
• Nature, Health and Wellbeing (15 credits)
• Environmental Science and Population Health (15 credits)
• Ecological Public Health (15 credits)
• Research Methods for Practice (15 credits)
• Global Public Health and Environmental Change (15 credits)
• Up to 30 credits from other appropriate optional Level 7 taught modules (see Optional modules information below)
You will be awarded a PGDip on completion of the following modules:
• Contemporary Environment and Human Health (15 credits)
• Postgraduate Skills and Evidence (15 credits)
• Project Design (15 credits)
And 75 Credits from:
• Nature, Health and Wellbeing (15 credits)
• Environmental Science and Population Health (15 credits)
• Ecological Public Health (15 credits)
• Research Methods for Practice (15 credits)
• Global Public Health and Environmental Change (15 credits)
• Up to 30 credits from other appropriate optional Level 7 taught modules (see Optional modules information below)
You will be awarded a PgCert on completion of the following modules:
• Contemporary Environment and Human Health (15 credits)
• Postgraduate Skills and Evidence (15 credits)
• Nature, Health and Wellbeing (15 credits)
• Environmental Science and Population Health (15 credits)
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MSc Environment & Human Health (Global Health):
This specialism provides the opportunity to focus on environment and human health topics in the domain of global health. It requires specific opt out of HPDM032 and taking optional module HPDM122 Planetary Health. Your dissertation project (HPDM000) must also be focused on a relevant topic in global health, as agreed with HPDM000 module leads.
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MSc Environment & Human Health (Antimicrobial Resistance)
This specialism provides the opportunity to focus on environment and human health topics related to antimicrobial resistance. It requires two specified option modules to be taken: CMH 15 credit module HPDM140 The Global Antimicrobial Resistance Crisis and CLES 15 credit module BIOM4045 Antimicrobial Therapies. Your dissertation project (HPDM000) must also be focused on a relevant topic related to environmental aspects of antimicrobial resistance, as agreed with HPDM000 module leads.
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MSc Environment & Human Health (Pandemics)
This specialism provides the opportunity to focus on environment and human health topics related to pandemics. It requires two specified option modules to be taken: HPDM124 Principles of Health Protection and CMH 15 credit module HPDM141 Pandemics: drivers, preparedness and response. Your dissertation project (HPDM000) must also be focused on a relevant topic related to environmental aspects of pandemics, as agreed with HPDM000 module leads.
Specialisms
MSc Environment & Human Health (Global Health)
Specialising in Global Health gives you the opportunity to focus on the environment and human health topics affecting the world today. The optional module Planetary Health (HPDM122) will introduce you to medical sociology, environment and human health, social epidemiology and global health. You will learn how health in its widest sense and health and environmental inequalities are created, and the potential strategies for addressing them more effectively. Using an interdisciplinary approach you will study a range of topics which may include global obesity rates, corporate and economic determinants of health, healthy diets and planetary boundaries, nature-connectedness and wellbeing.
Your dissertation project provides the opportunity to complete detailed research into an area of global health according to your own interests or career ambitions.
MSc Environment & Human Health (Antimicrobial Resistance)
Specialising in Antimicrobial Resistance will give you the opportunity to focus on related environment and human health topics. You will look at a One Health approach to understanding AMR considering the role of humans, animals and the environment in the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance. You will engage critically with the latest knowledge and debates from a wide range of disciplines, and consider what the future may hold. You will also use integrated molecular and evolutionary microbiology concepts to understand the problem of AMR and the need for new antimicrobial therapies. You’ll discuss and critically evaluate the relevant literature and the latest developments in antimicrobial research; and critically evaluate existing antimicrobial therapies and those currently under development, by studying their scientific basis and their potential to be ‘evolution-proof’.
Your dissertation project provides the opportunity to complete detailed research related to the environmental aspects of antimicrobial resistance according to your own interests or career ambitions.
MSc Environment & Human Health (Pandemics)
Specialising in Pandemics will provide you with the opportunity to focus on related environment and human health topics. A key area of study will concern health protection and understanding the ways in which this often needs to be dynamic and responsive to the evolving health needs of the population. This versatile field of study brings together specialist knowledge and skills from a broad range of specialities including PHE; environmental health departments; hospital microbiologists and infection and prevention control teams; GPs; community specialists and educational institutions. You will be introduced to a wide range of topics which may include outbreak management, global health, data collection and timely actions and epidemiology of infectious diseases.
Your dissertation project provides the opportunity to complete detailed research related to the environmental aspects of pandemics according to your own interests or career ambitions.
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Teaching and research
In the College of Medicine and Health, our purpose is to deliver transformative education that will help tackle health challenges of national and global importance.
Learning and teaching
The taught modules of this programme are delivered in the Autumn and Spring terms (option modules taken from other programmes may be taught in Summer term). During this time you will also be helped to develop a dissertation project to be completed in the Summer term and through to the end of August. We encourage students to develop their project alongside existing European Centre activities and/or in conjunction with partner organisations. Part time students may be able to develop dissertation projects within their workplace settings if appropriate.
Teaching and learning methods
All material is designed for Masters level and will involve a mix of lectures, seminars and guided independent study. Within modules there is considerable scope for you to direct your learning towards fields of particular interest, especially through your choice of dissertation project and in your studies to develop assessed pieces of work.
Assessment
Taught modules will be assessed through a mix of assessment types including literature reviews, essays, written reports and presentations.
Internships
Students are able to access one-to-one support should they wish to undertake an internship with a Cornish business (or even further afield). They are able to take part in the Access to Internships scheme either during the course or once their studies have finished.
Advice and support
Each student is allocated an academic tutor who is available for advice and support throughout your studies. The Programme Leads are also available to help with further guidance and advice.
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