BSc (Hons) Public Health with Foundation Year

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Canterbury Christ Church University

Program Overview

This four-year programme (with the foundation year) gives you an accessible route into public health by helping you build the academic skills and subject knowledge before starting the degree itself. You’ll learn how health is influenced by everything from policy and environments to behaviour, and how to design interventions and promote wellbeing in communities. It’s one for you if you're keen to work in health promotion, health policy, epidemiology, or community/public health roles.

Curriculum Structure

Here’s how the years are set up, roughly, including the foundation year and what kinds of modules and learning you’ll do.

Foundation Year (Year 0)

You’ll begin with modules designed to help you transition into university level work. Key modules include Personal and Academic Development, Human Development, and Applied Digital and Numeracy Skills in the first semester. In the second semester you’ll do Developing Communication Skills and Wellbeing, Human Anatomy and Physiology, and Wider Determinants of Health, which start introducing some content connected to how health works in society. These modules help build study skills, understanding of your body & health basics, and ability to communicate and think critically.

Year 1 (Level 4 of the Degree)

Once you move into the main degree, you’ll take foundational public health modules. Typical ones are Major Health and Lifestyle Issues, Environment and Health, Key Concepts in Health and Wellbeing, Personal and Academic Development (continuing), Public Health and Team Skills, and Communicating Health Information. These help you understand what influences health, introduce you to basic public health methods, and build your teamwork and communication ability.

Year 2 (Level 5)

This year you’ll go deeper into public health practice, research and community issues. Common modules are Health Promotion, Health Protection, Inequalities in Health, Researching Health & Wellbeing, Principles of Epidemiology, and Psychology and Health. You’ll begin applying your knowledge, looking more closely at people and populations, working with case studies or community/public data, and understanding why some people or groups have worse health outcomes than others.

Year 3 (Level 6)

Your final year is about specialisation, advanced topics and preparing for work or further study. Modules you might do include Dissertation: Public Health & Health Promotion, Global Health, Health and Work, Physical Activity, Health and Wellbeing, Aspects of Mental Health Promotion, Relationships & Sex Education, Substance Misuse and Health, plus negotiated workplace learning/placements. These give you both breadth and depth — letting you explore areas you're passionate about, produce independent research, and get ready for employment or further education.

Focus Areas

“Health promotion & protection; health inequalities; environmental & social determinants of health; epidemiology & research methods; mental health; lifestyle & global health; communication & policy; health & wellbeing across life-course.”

Learning Outcomes

Graduates should be able to do things like:

Analyse and interpret public health data and evidence;
Understand how social, environmental, political and behavioural factors influence health;
Design, implement, and evaluate public health interventions and programmes;
Communicate effectively to different audiences about health;
Work in professional, ethical, and community contexts;
Be ready for roles in public health, health promotion, policy, research, or further postgraduate study.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

While the sources I checked do not clearly state a specific professional statutory registration body (like HCPC) for this CCCU programme, the course emphasises work-related learning, real-world public health problems, and skills aligned with what public health practitioners are expected to have. It also supports career pathways in public health practice, research, health improvement and related sectors.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

This programme starts with a Foundation Year that helps you build the academic, study, and subject-skills so you’re fully prepared to go into the core Public Health stages. You’ll gradually move from foundational skills into public health theory, research, community engagement, and health promotion, with practical tasks throughout. Everything is designed so that you gain confidence, critical thinking, and applied skills that link directly to public health work.

Here are the hands-on and skills-focused components you can expect:

Foundation Year modules: In the first year, you’ll take modules like Academic and Personal Development; Human Development; Applied Digital and Numeracy Skills; Developing Communication Skills and Wellbeing; Human Anatomy & Physiology; and Wider Determinants of Health. These build your ability to handle digital tools, data, scientific concepts, communication and understanding of what influences health in populations. (CCCU’s foundation year content)
Interprofessional foundation cohort: During the foundation year, you’ll be studying alongside students aiming for other health and social care degrees, which gives you early exposure to interprofessional mindset and skills (working with people aiming for nursing, physiotherapy, diagnostic radiography, occupational therapy etc.). This helps you understand how public health interacts with other professions.
Group work and presentations: From very early, you’ll engage in group assignments, communications tasks, and oral presentations. These help build your teamwork, public speaking, ability to explain health matters clearly, and collaboration.
Digital & numeracy-skill development: Early modules focus on applied digital skills, numeracy, and communicating with health data, which are vital in public health work.
Health science foundations: You’ll gain grounding in human anatomy & physiology and the social determinants of health, preparing you to understand how environment, biology, society, behaviour all interplay in public health.
Wider-determinants and policy thinking: You’ll study the wider factors that influence health (like environment, social systems, economy) early, so you can see how these feed into health inequalities, which shapes much of public health practice and policy.
Support and scaffolding: The foundation year has strong support structures: you’ll have a personal academic tutor; regular feedback; induction and welcome week to adjust into university life; and study-skills guidance to make sure you get the best start.

Facilities and Resources

To help you make the most of this learning, CCCU provides several supportive facilities and resources for Public Health with Foundation Year students. These ensure you have both the environment and tools to practice skills, work independently, and collaborate with peers and staff.

Digital learning platforms and IT labs: You’ll access online resources, learning management systems, and dedicated labs or computer suites to practise digital and data skills, research, online health promotion tasks etc.
Science and health-related teaching labs: Even during your foundation year, you’ll use anatomy & physiology labs and related scientific spaces to help understand the human body, biology, and physiology in hands-on ways.
Library and online resources: A well-stocked library with books, journals, databases; access to e-books and health research materials; support for finding and using evidence for assignments.
Personal tutor and student support services: You'll have tutors for both academic and pastoral support, help with study skills, transition into university, and ongoing guidance throughout your degree.
Group-learning and seminar rooms: Spaces for collaborative learning, group discussions, workshops etc., where you can practice communication, teamwork, and project work.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the BSc (Hons) Public Health with Foundation Year at Canterbury Christ Church University develop the essential academic grounding and practical experience needed to build rewarding careers in health improvement, community wellbeing, and policy development. This pathway is designed for students who want additional preparation before starting degree-level study — leading to the same professional opportunities as the standard BSc (Hons) Public Health. Typical job roles include Public Health Practitioner, Health Improvement Officer, Community Health Coordinator, and Health Promotion Specialist.

Here’s how the University supports your professional journey:

University Services & Employability Support
Through the Careers and Enterprise Hub, students receive personalised career advice, employability workshops, and opportunities for volunteering and internships with health organisations. The Foundation Year helps you build confidence in academic writing, research, and communication — skills that will support your success throughout the degree and in your future career.
Employment Statistics & Salary Figures
Public health graduates from Canterbury Christ Church University have excellent employability outcomes, with most progressing into professional roles or postgraduate study soon after graduation. Typical starting salaries in public health and related sectors range from £25,000 to £30,000, increasing with experience to £40,000 or more in leadership or specialist positions.
University–Industry Partnerships
The programme is closely connected with NHS trusts, local councils, and community health organisations, providing valuable real-world insights through guest lectures, collaborative projects, and community-based learning experiences. These partnerships ensure your studies are grounded in current health practice and policy.
Long-Term Accreditation Value
The course aligns with the UK Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework, ensuring your learning reflects recognised professional standards across the sector. This gives graduates a solid foundation for pursuing further professional recognition and long-term career progression.
Graduate Outcomes
Upon completion, you’ll be ready to enter roles focused on health promotion, health education, and policy advocacy within local authorities, charities, and public health agencies. The Foundation Year pathway builds the academic and personal resilience you need to thrive both at university and in your chosen career.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing the BSc (Hons) Public Health with Foundation Year, you can advance to postgraduate study such as a Master of Public Health (MPH), MSc in Global Health, or MSc in Health Promotion and Policy. You may also pursue research-focused routes like an MRes or PhD in Public Health or Health Sciences. Continuing Professional Development (CPD) options are available in areas such as epidemiology, health data analysis, and health leadership to support further career specialisation and advancement.