Public health is everyone’s business and the contribution of local authorities, education, social care, families, police, prisons, business and voluntary sectors is now acknowledged as vital. This module enables you, whatever your background and expertise, to develop your knowledge, skills and understanding of multidisciplinary public health across the UK, internationally and globally. You'll investigate health projects, experience team working and build your skills in communication, critical reflection, community involvement, policy making, and delivering ethical evidence-based practice. The module is mapped against UK Public Health Register and Nursing and Midwifery Council standards.
What you will study
More specific aims of the module are to:
- investigate the scope and nature of contemporary public health across the UK and internationally, focusing on its development, current priorities and future challenges
- explore the major determinants of health and develop ways of promoting public health that address social and economic inequalities and are culturally sensitive and holistic
- build knowledge and skills in communication, teamwork and computer-based collaboration
- develop a skill set for evidence-based practice, including researching, analysing and evaluating health information and policy and accessing computer-based data
- practise multidisciplinary and multisectoral planning, development and evaluation of programmes to improve health through learning activities and assessment
- build an approach to promoting public health that is ethically sound and participative, recognising the need for flexibility and mutual goal setting, and respecting the rights of individuals, groups and communities to autonomy and control
- encourage partnership, collaboration and mutual respect among different professional and lay groups working in public health
- examine ethical, political and professional dilemmas that arise in new practices and policies for promoting health and consider how these dilemmas may be tackled.
Key features of the module include:
- opportunity for reflection and consolidation of learning and for testing out the applicability of your learning to practice through activities, assessment and discussion with other students
- a focus on developing communication (including computer-based communication) and information-literacy skills that will enable you keep up to date in this field as well as develop skills to critically appraise policy and practice
- a thorough grounding in skills for evidence-based practice – this includes encouraging you to research and critically evaluate data and other information that you have searched for, to support you in becoming an independent learner
- wide-ranging evidence and case study material about UK, international and global public health priorities, practice and policies, to help enhance your own practice
- assessment that provides opportunities for you to demonstrate your knowledge and skills, reflect on your learning and assess your progress, with an end-of-module assignment focused on a public health intervention.
You will need basic skills in using a PC and accessing the internet. Note that relevant computer and internet skills are integrated into the module.
This module is delivered online. You progress through the module by means of sixteen Learning Guides, which you access online but are also printable. The online Learning Guides contain activities, interactive quizzes and links to relevant websites, and also a range of case studies presented through video and audio clips. Consolidation weeks have been built into the study calendar to allow time for reflection, assignment writing and catching up.
Vocational relevance
This module is mapped against the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) revised standards for public health practitioners, who may come from many backgrounds but who now work in many areas of public health. The UKPHR standards have been developed to create a regulatory framework for public health practitioners who are currently unregistered.
Successful completion of K311 will enable you to meet most of the knowledge requirements of the standards (see the UKPHR website). Further details will be found on the website when you start the module.
For registered nurses, K311 forms 50 per cent of the study required for the public health pathway to the BSc (Hons) Nursing Practice. The remaining 50 per cent of study required is Exploring practice (KYN316), that enables you to use your learning from K311 to carry out a practice-related public health project. The module is mapped against the Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) standards of proficiency for entry to specialist community public health nursing.
Entry
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. 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.
Preparatory work
You will receive guidance of how to get started online. This will provide you with information on using your computer for OU study and working with the Computing Guide. For example, it explains how to access and use your website and online discussion forums. If you have time before the module starts, you can work through this and explore all the online services available to you.
Qualifications
If you successfully complete K311 you can claim a Certificate in Promoting Public Health (C64).
K311 is a compulsory module in our:
It is an optional module in our:
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is equally appropriate to a BA or BSc. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this module can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
Excluded combinations
Sometimes you will not be able to count a module towards a qualification if you have already taken another module with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this module, visit our excluded combination finder or check with an adviser before registering.
If you have a disability
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying K311 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
Study materials
What's included
This module is delivered online. You will have access to a website through which the assessment and teaching and library resources are available. The audio-visual components of this module are all available online through the website.
Computing requirements
You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Ventura or higher.
Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.
To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).
Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.
Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It’s not available on Kindle.
It’s also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you’ll also require a desktop or laptop, as described above.
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor to help you with the study material and to assess your on-going progress by marking and commenting on your written work. You may ask your tutor for advice and guidance online or by phone as the module progresses. The contact with your tutor and other students will be through email, online discussion forums, and by telephone.
Contact us if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this module can be found in the facts box above.
You will be expected to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) online through the eTMA system unless there are some difficulties which prevent you from doing so. In these circumstances, you must negotiate with your tutor to get their agreement to submit your assignment on paper.
You must submit your end-of-module assessment (EMA) online.
Professional recognition
If you successfully complete K311, you can claim a Certificate in Promoting Public Health provided you are not registered for another qualification. K311 meets most of the UKPHR standards for public health practitioners, which are drawn from the Public Health Skills and Career Framework, the Knowledge and Skills Framework for the NHS and the National Occupational standards for Public Health. See the UK Public Health Register website for further information about these standards.
Future availability
Promoting public health: skills, perspectives and practice starts once a year – in October. This page describes the module that starts in October 2019 when we expect it to be presented for last time.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the academic regulations which are available on our
Student Policies and Regulations website.