Public health: health promotion and health security
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Public health is everybody’s business. Whether or not you are in professional practice, your viewpoint is a central aspect of this module. It will inform and empower you to challenge your existing assumptions around current policies and interventions and encourage you to move your everyday actions and practice forward. This module considers both communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and how the demography and epidemiology of both types of disease have uncovered health inequality and inequity in society. The module is mapped against the current United Kingdom Public Health Register (UKHPR) requirements and offers you insights into how social determinants impact the health and wellbeing of diverse social groups. It’s ideal if you’re interested in developing a career in public health or want to discover ways of sustainably promoting greater health and wellbeing while strengthening integrated public health services and reducing inequalities.
What you will study
Public health is defined as the art and science of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organised efforts of society1. Never in recent memory have public health measures, prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, involved so many people throughout the world in collective and individual action to improve their health and wellbeing. Most recognisably through measures involving public health interventions.
Central to public health are issues of social justice arising from the social determinants of health and illness. This module will play a central role in revealing insights into the ways in which social determinants impact on the health and wellbeing of diverse social groups.
The module is made up of four blocks of study that focus on a particular area associated with public health.
Block 1: An introduction to public health
- What is public health
- The scope of public health
- Health trends and wider determinants
- Theory and policy in health promotion
- Theory and policy in health promotion: health security
Block 2: Evidence-based public health
- The evidence base of public health
- Understanding quantitative research
- Understanding qualitative research
- Using research to plan public health interventions
Block 3: Planning, implementing and evaluating public health on a community level
- Education and empowerment
- Communities
- Settings
- Partnership and teams
Block 4: Going global
- Global public health and governance
- Factors influencing global public health
- Policy making for better health
- Public health in the 21st century
The module is mapped against the current United Kingdom Public Health Register (UKPHR) public-health competencies where appropriate. On successful completion, you can be awarded our Graduate Certificate in Public health (S06).
1Acheson, 1988; WHO
Entry requirements
This is an OU level 3 module. OU level 3 modules build on study skills and subject knowledge acquired from studies at OU 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, such as by completing the modules below:
- either K102 or SDK100, and K118; and
- either K243 or KE206, or SK299 and SK298, and K219
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 module, please speak to an adviser.
What's included
You'll have a module text book – Health Promotion: Global Principles and Practice – and access to a module website, which is the focal point of your study, and includes:
- a week-by-week study planner
- course-specific module materials
- audio and video content
- assessment details and submission section
- online tutorial access
- forum to discuss the module with fellow students and the module teaching team.
Computing requirements
- Primary device – A desktop or laptop computer. It’s possible to access some materials on a mobile phone, tablet or Chromebook; however, they will not be suitable as your primary device.
- Peripheral device – Headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone for online tutorials.
- Our OU Study app operates on supported versions of Android and iOS.
- Operating systems – Windows 11 or latest supported macOS. Microsoft will no longer support Windows 10 as of 14 October 2025.
- Internet access – Broadband or mobile connection.
- Browser – Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are recommended. Mozilla Firefox and Safari may be suitable.