Medical Sciences and Population Health

Interested in the “next big thing in healthcare”? The increasingly developing field of Population Health is a great career choice for those who wish to be at the forefront of healthcare advancement. Put simply, Population Health is concerned with the wide range of factors that can determine the health and the health outcomes of individuals, groups and populations.

The growing pressures on healthcare systems globally are well documented, with chronic diseases, ageing populations and increased incidents of mental health. Advancements in medicine are improving health for more and more people, but inequalities in the healthcare received by people based on where they are born, live and work are prevalent. Population health aims to address these inequalities, by working to better understand the healthcare needs of groups of people, improving healthcare models and providing innovative solutions to meet people’s health needs.

Studying Medical Sciences and Population Health will give you a solid grounding in medical and life sciences, social sciences, epidemiology, demography, public health, and health informatics.

You will also develop the academic and professional knowledge needed to determine systematic variations in the health of individuals and populations, as well as the skills and experience to apply this knowledge to practical solutions to improve health, wellbeing, and the delivery of health services.

Our Medical Sciences and Population Health programmes bring together a diverse range of subjects to provide you with a holistic understanding of the social, economic, medical and demographic factors that shape population health; from prevention and promotion, to health protection, diagnosis, treatment and care.

With your studies crossing over a number of disciplines, you will benefit from the state-of-the-art facilities at the Medical School, and also the dynamic research and learning environment.

Our MSci leads to a master’s level qualification, in addition to your undergraduate degree, giving you expert scientific training and a springboard towards a range of specialist careers.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Genetics, Genomics & Evolution; Foundations of Community Medicine; Introduction to Population and Digital Health; Skills for being a Medical Scientist; Human Physiology; Cell Biology.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Population Health Research Methods & Communication; Population Health Management & Health Services Research; Doctors, patients & the goals of medicine; Skills for Researchers; Human Immunology; Neuroscience & Neurology.

In Year 3, you will typically study areas including: Practical Quantitative Research; Human Biology and the Environment; Global Health; Advanced Epidemiology; Advanced Biostatistics; Child Health; Mental Health Literacy; Introduction to Clinical Trials; The Neuroscience of Learning, Memory and Cognition.

In Year 4, you will typically study areas including: Advanced Research Manuscript and Advanced Research Project.

Assessments will include Laboratory practicals, written exams, oral presentations, written assignments, and clinical skills assessments. The range of assessment methods is chosen to develop and demonstrate a range of skills transferable to the modern healthcare environment including reflection, oral and written communication, confidence and competence.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS