Public Health and Health Services Research

This course is for those who wish to pursue a career in Public Health and/or Health Services Research in the UK or internationally with the UK National Health Service (or its equivalent abroad), local government, the voluntary sector or academic health care. It is suitable as preparation for the Part A examination of the Faculty of Public Health. You will study: •the factors that can influence the health of populations •the provision of health and health care •research skills •how to apply research findings to improve health and the delivery of health care services. One third of the MSc involves a research project, which is developed in collaboration with staff in the Institute of Health and Society. You can choose from a wide range of projects put forward by our academic staff, or propose your own research area. Projects vary and can involve: •primary data collection (quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods) •secondary analysis of a wide range of available datasets •systematic review. You receive thorough grounding in introductory and advanced research methods, and are provided with regular research supervision throughout the course. You are encouraged to present your research at conferences and publish in peer reviewed journals, for example the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. The MSc provides, together with service training, an appropriate preparation for the academic components of the Diploma and Part A examination of the Faculty of Public Health. Results of the Postgraduate Teaching Experience Survey 2012 indicated that 96% of students are satisfied with the level of dissertation supervision they are given. 100% of students surveyed said their overall expectations of the course were met. Delivery: The MSc consists of taught modules, a supervised project and dissertation. The project and dissertation are valuable opportunities for you to apply the knowledge and skills you learn from the taught component of the course. Teaching is via a mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions. We encourage active learning through discussion, problem-solving and group work. Some teaching sessions may involve student presentations, and preparatory or further reading. Individual study is required for other sessions. Some of our modules are taught in three day blocks over three weeks. Others are taught in three hour blocks. Placements: Although not compulsory, we work with Newcastle University's Careers Service and encourage you to undertake work experience placements. Placements have included: literature searching and reviewing, interviewing, and collaboration with National Energy Action, a Newcastle based non-governmental organisation. These placements help to increase your transferable skill set and considerably enhance your CV. Facilities: You will be based in the Institute of Health and Society in the Baddiley-Clark Building, adjacent to the main Faculty of Medical Sciences site. You will have access to: •open plan workspaces •meeting rooms of all sizes •'breakout' areas for informal discussion •a dedicated audio-visual room for analysing both audio and video information.

Newcastle attracts students from over 120 countries worldwide and there is plenty of help and advice on hand to assist them in adapting to life in the UK. The university has a system where every student has a personal tutor to assist them in both academic and non-academic matters and there is also a Student Wellbeing Service for confidence advice and help. There is a Visa and Immigration Team on hand to deal with legal matters relating to these areas and a Student Advice Centre within the Student’s Union for information on matters such as housing and finances. Finally, towards the end of studying, there is a Careers Service to help students find work or further their education as required. The heart of student life outside the classroom in the university is the Newcastle University Students Union. Unlike many students unions, NUSU owns the building that it operates from, following an anonymous gift in 1924 that allowed them to build a neo-Jacobean style building. It is run by six sabbatical officers and employs some 300 people in roles such as bar staff and entertainment organisers. In the media, there is a student run newspaper, established in 1948, called The Courier as well as radio station. The university is one of the leading in the UK for its sports programs and there are more than 50 sports clubs to become involved with.