Module manager: Ricky Kalliecharan
Email: R.Kalliecharan@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
The same as the programme
This module is not approved as an Elective
This module provides students with an opportunity to acquire essential public health management competence to work towards the building and strengthening of developing health systems. The module will focus on selected public health and health policy issues, their analysis and the selection of appropriate strategies. It will provide an overview of essential public health functions, management of health services and interventions, policy and planning for health and epidemiology and statistics relevant to public health. - Consideration for diverse student needs Students are supported by the module leader, academic tutor and programme team that considers student interest, needs, and progress. Module material and learning resources are uploaded to Minerva in advance so that students can access material and resources according to their pace of work. - Decolonised approach Students and lecturers are invited to reflect on diverse knowledge that is not often seen in formal global public health literature. Teaching will allow space for reflecting on positionality and to challenge how colonisation and other dominant forces have impacted global public health. - Inequities, rights and social justice Issues of addressing inequities and rights-based approaches are a core part of the module learning. Students will be challenged to use a social justice approach to addressing these challenges.
This module aims to provide students with the essential knowledge, skills and values for essential public health functions, management of health services and interventions, policy and planning for health and epidemiology and statics relevant to public health.
The module objectives include:
1. To discuss and analyse key aspects of health policy and the changing role of Governments and Ministries of Health in responding to population health and health systems.
2. To explain the values that shape the content of health policy. The link between health policy and planning will be investigated, as well as the structures and mechanisms for strategic and operational planning.
3. To use epidemiology, health statistics and other evidence required to support health policy, planning and management.
4. To critically evaluate the main principles, concepts, topics and practices of public health, including collecting, analysing and using evidence (including epidemiological, health service and intervention coverage data).
5. To reflect on the importance of good governance, social inclusion, equity and the human right to health in their professional development in public health management.
This module will be preceded by a basic mathematics and statistics skill test to identify any gaps in the students' essential mathematical skills. All students with gaps in their mathematical skills will be offered the opportunity to develop their skills through an exercise book of basic mathematics, tutoring from the math support centre, and online math learning resources. This training should prepare students for the sessions on Epidemiology and Statistics and enhance their understanding of these topics. It is possible for students to check the progress they have made in improving their skills during a repeat examination.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Analyse principles, models and functions of management and leadership to enable health care systems strengthening
2. Apply epidemiological and statistical methods to analyse the burden of disease, its trends and related health systems requirements
3. Critically appraise current issues in health policy and those related to improving quality, access, affordability and acceptability of health services
4. Design health improvement strategies by selecting the most effective, feasible and equitable approach in a given context.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
Technical
1. Analyse, manipulate and interpret epidemiological data and use statistical methods to support decision making in public health
2. Use appropriate planning tools to formulate, monitor and evaluate health sector plans
3. Identify and manage health sector resources (financial, human, information, infrastructure, supplies) efficiently to implement health sector plans
Work Ready
4. Communicate (orally and in writing) with other professionals and public
Sustainability
5. Apply systems thinking to support problem solving and make ethical decisions
6. Develop and implement strategic plans based on evidence
Enterprise
7. Utilise self-confidence, initiative and perseverance in group work
Academic and Digital
8. Analysis and critique of peer-reviewed journal article in the field of public health, planning policy and management
9. Establish and maintain a professional digital identity and apply concepts of academic integrity to coursework.
The module is delivered over five weeks. Topics may not appear in allocated sessions in the timetable as outline below because of scheduling with lecturers.
Week 1 – Health Policy
Topics include: Health Policy, Health Policy Analysis, Healthy Public Policy, Community Involvement in Health, Foreign Aid Policy, Management Implications of Gender and Health, Ethics for Managers, Writing Policy Briefs
Week 2 – Epidemiology/ Statistics and Leadership
Topics include: Indicators for Health Performance, Summary Measures and Inference, Comparison of Groups, Epidemiological Methods, Organisational Structure and Management in the Health Sector, Leadership and Governance, , Introduction to NHS
Week 3 – Epidemiology/Statistics & Health Planning
Topics include: Screening, Interpreting Research Results, Interpreting P-value and Confidence Interval, Disability rates and concepts of DALY and QALY RTAs, Management of Conflict, Disasters and Emergencies (including disaster planning), Field visit to International organization involved in disaster response, including issues related to management of logistics.
Week 4 – Health Planning and Leadership
Topics include: Concepts in Planning, Tools for Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Log Frames, , Environmental Health – Water and Sanitation, Control of Communicable diseases
Week 5 – Resources Management and Public Health Interventions
Topics include: Urban Health, Contribution of Health Economics to Health Systems, Management of Human Resources, Health Information Systems, Health promotion including community involvement, Non-communicable disease management and planning, Vector control, including of malaria, epidemic response
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fieldwork | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Lecture | 25 | 3 | 75 |
| Practical | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Seminar | 7 | 3 | 21 |
| Independent online learning hours | 59 | ||
| Private study hours | 130 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 111 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 300 | ||
- The tutorials allow students the opportunity to raise questions and discuss topics with teachers;
- The Discussion Board on Minerva where the module leader monitors students' selection of topics and essay preparation, answers questions, and provides feedback;
- Students provide feedback in class during group work, exercises following a lecture. Within the 3 hours – all students receive feedback on the activity given after. There is also opportunity for group discussion and to relate the discussion back to the learning objectives of the session.
- Questions and answers session where students receive feedback on their approach and proposed interventions for the essay (development of a health sector plan) and presentation.
- Before getting feedback from teachers, students are encouraged to use self-assessments in Epidemiology exercises
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Group presentation, including data template (group) - Each Individual presents for 5 minutes (Equivalent to 1000 words) - This is a group presentation of a policy brief. The group submits a data template to support the presentation, each students is required to present for 5 minutes | 20 |
| Coursework | 2,500 words written essay - Using a case study, students are required to analyse the situation, develop a planned response, identify resources needed to response to a public health problem | 40 |
| Coursework | Formative assessment - This include group work in addition to self-assessments in Epidemiology exercises | 0 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 60 | |
Because elements of assessment within a module test different learning outcomes compensation, in the event of failure of one component, the module mark will be capped at 50 on a successful resit.
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Open Book exam | 3.0 Hrs 0 Mins | 40 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 40 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 14/03/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team