BSc (Hons) Public Health

3 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Anglia Ruskin University Cambridge Campus

Program Overview

The BSc (Hons) Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) gives you the skills to understand how health is shaped at population level and how to design interventions that improve community wellbeing. It’s an excellent fit for students who care about reducing health inequalities, influencing policy, and tackling global and local health challenges through evidence, communication, and practical action.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1

Your first year introduces you to fundamental concepts through modules such as Practitioner in Public Health, Human Systems and Disease, Promoting Health and Wellbeing, and Understanding Epidemiology. You’ll explore how diseases spread, how lifestyle and environment affect health, and how to create effective early-stage health promotion strategies. This year also helps you build your professional identity through reflective work, e-portfolios, and problem-solving activities.

Year 2

In your second year, you move into more analytical and global themes. Modules like Global Health and Sustainability, Data Analysis in Public Health Research, Health Communication, and Healthcare Systems introduce you to the wider structures influencing public health. You also take a Ruskin Module, working alongside students from other disciplines to solve real-world challenges and broaden your collaborative skills.

Year 3 (Final Year)

Your final year focuses on leadership, project design, and community engagement. With modules such as Driving Change in Population Health, Responsive Public Health Practitioner, Engagement in the Public Health Community, and Strategies to Enhance Health, you’ll plan and evaluate public-health interventions, pitch project ideas, and work directly on community-based initiatives. You also complete an in-depth project or dissertation that showcases your ability to apply evidence to real population-health issues.

Focus Areas

Epidemiology, global health, health promotion, health communication, sustainability, systems thinking, behaviour change, community engagement, applied research, leadership.

Learning Outcomes

You’ll develop the skills to analyse health data, understand disease patterns, design and evaluate interventions, communicate health information effectively, collaborate with partners and communities, and lead positive change in public-health settings.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

The course is aligned with UK Public Health Practitioner competencies, preparing graduates for roles in local authorities, the NHS, voluntary organisations, research settings, and international public-health agencies. This alignment ensures the degree reflects the real demands and expectations of the public-health profession.

Reputation (Employability & Outcomes)

ARU emphasises real-world learning through role plays, case studies, placements, and multimedia projects that build practical skills. The degree incorporates community engagement, live briefs, and opportunities to work with external partners, strengthening your readiness for public-health careers. The applied approach and strong connections with health organisations contribute to solid employability outcomes for graduates.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) structures this degree around hands-on, applied public health practice. The curriculum is aligned with professional public-health competencies in the UK, ensuring that what you learn is directly relevant to real roles in the field.

Students work with real and simulated datasets, practise designing and evaluating health interventions, and develop communication and decision-making skills that mirror public health practice. The course includes both a work placement and a research project that tackle real population-health challenges.

Experiential learning includes:

Work-experience placement in a public-health or community-health organisation
Final-year research project focused on analysing and addressing a genuine public health issue
Simulation-based learning using ARU’s health-skills facilities and scenario rooms
Interdisciplinary workshops involving healthcare and social care students
Community engagement activities for analysing population needs
Group projects focused on interventions, campaigns, or data interpretation

Facilities and Support

ARU offers modern, practice-focused facilities that support public health students throughout the degree.

Simulated health and social care environments, including mock wards and community simulation spaces
Science and biomedical laboratories used for health data analysis and applied research
SuperLab facilities that support practical scientific understanding
Skills training centres within the School of Medicine
Strong employability and careers guidance with a focus on securing public health placements

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates from the BSc (Hons) Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University are well-prepared for roles that focus on improving community wellbeing, designing health initiatives, and influencing policy. Many students secure positions in public health departments, NHS organisations, and community-based health projects soon after graduating.

Typical job roles include:
• Public Health Practitioner
• Health Improvement Officer
• Epidemiology/Health Data Assistant
• Community Wellbeing Coordinator

You’ll be supported every step of the way through strong employability services, including:
• ARU’s dedicated Employability Service offering career planning, application guidance, interview practice, and access to employer events.
• Live Brief projects and placements with local authorities, NHS, charitable organisations, and public health teams that give students hands-on experience.
• Guest lectures and employer connections with regional councils, health charities, and community health organisations.
• Professional relevance: the course is aligned with key public health competencies, supporting long-term credibility in the field.
• Strong graduate outcomes: Many graduates move into health improvement, public policy, research roles, and entry-level public health positions across NHS and local authority settings.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this degree, students can advance into postgraduate options such as Master of Public Health (MPH), MSc Global Public Health, MSc Health and Social Care, or other specialist MSc programmes in epidemiology, health promotion, policy, or research. This pathway also supports progression toward professional registration and roles in advanced public health practice.