QMU’s new BSc Public Health is accredited as health promotion course
The Coronavirus pandemic has helped bring into stark reality the importance of fostering good practice to help protect the health of the population and the specific expertise necessary to implement public health policies. Queen Margaret University’s new BSc (Hons) Public Health teaches students what the population needs in order to be healthy. From access to good housing, healthcare services and nutritious food, QMU’s Public Health degree develops a new generation of skilled and knowledgeable graduates who can work to inform policy to prevent disease and improve quality of life across population groups.
Queen Margaret University’s new BSc (Hons) Public Health course has had a welcomed boost, receiving official accreditation from the global voice for health promotion, the IUHPE (International Union of Health Promotion Education). This now means that QMU’s undergraduate degree in public health is an official IUHPE Accredited Health Promotion Course and that QMU’s graduates of the degree can be certified as health promotion practitioners. Not only does the title help visibility of public health qualifications, it is also a widely respected title within the profession and can boost a graduate’s job prospects as they start their career in public health.
The IUHPE promotes quality assurance, competence and mobility in health promotion practice. The IUHPE has existed as an independent professional network of health professionals on a global level for the past 65 years. Students who successfully complete QMU’s BSc (Hons) Public Health will be eligible to apply for registration with the IUHPE and get access to a wide range of different resources to help their professional development.
Students on the course will have an opportunity to learn from a course informed by contemporary public health theory and practice. From learning the political and social influences on health and the role of public health in reducing inequities and improving health outcomes, to participating in regular work-based learning. This Public Health course places its emphasis on helping students learn how they can apply their knowledge to the varied industry of public health, and equipping them to enter the industry.
Public Health lecturer, Karen Hicks, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome this new accreditation from the IUHPE. This accreditation offers Queen Margaret graduates fantastic opportunities for further training and affirms that our course is as good as we can make it.
"We are proud to have created a programme that not only combines theory and practice but also has been created though consultation with public health professionals so that is it is informed by current practice."
Karen concluded: “The need for public health courses and competent practitioners in Scotland has never been as clear as it is at the moment. With this recent accreditation as an IUHPE Health Promotion course, we will continue to give our students the tools they need to enter this varied and crucial industry.”
To find out more about the new four year undergraduate degree in public health at Queen Margaret University, visit: BSc (Hons) Public Health.
