Curriculum Information

Document Version

QAA Benchmarks

Educational Aim

Learning Outcomes

Course Structure

Level 7 Modules

Teaching and Assessment

Learning and Teaching Methods

Employer Engagement

Visiting Speakers

Visiting Speakers Yes, we use hourly paid/visiting lectures for some of our modules.

Volunteering

Yes, we encourage all students to volunteer during their time with us. This can be off-campus i.e., working for the food bank, or on-campus i.e. providing social activities for our student group, or health stands for the university community.

Fieldwork

Yes, some students will be encouraged to collect data from USW students for the project module. Some students may also be able to do an audit or low-risk ethics research projects with secondary data in their workplace.

Fieldtrips

Yes, we encourage attendance at conferences, workshops and relevant health events as a course group.

Other

Attendance at conferences and events

Means of Assessment

Learning Support

Induction

As detailed in the curriculum rubric, we now have a 1-week induction for all new students. We can also provide a catchup induction (as we have done in September/October 2021) for those students who are late arriving. This introduces students to the course, modules of study, module handbook, using MS Teams, Blackboard and PowerPoint, working with others on an activity, completing two homework tasks for feedback and getting ready to learn.
USW now offer a ready to learn course that all students are required to attend https://advice.southwales.ac.uk/a2z/getting-ready-learn-short-course/ along with an IT induction https://its.southwales.ac.uk/it-induction/
All students are encouraged to attend the study skills workshops that the library provide for Harvard referencing, critical writing and paraphrasing an essay see (https://studyskills.southwales.ac.uk/workshops-and-clinics/)

Learner Analytics

The university of South Wales tracks and monitors international and home student progress through Blackboard monitoring. Our course started using StudyGoal in October 2021 which allows students to track their own progress as well as allowing the university to monitor attendance. We like to know who all our students are, so we monitor their attendance using a paper register in our classes or via MS Teams. The course leader and course team regularly meet to discuss student progression within modules to identify any patterns or problems that may be occurring. The course leader also keeps marks register for all student grades (NC), and we use the learner analytics in Blackboard to identify a problem or check an issue within modules or with students as required.

Office hours

Tutors advertise supervision deadlines within each module and tell students when they will be available. We operate a flexible schedule of office hours through the blended learning approach. We predominately meet students through MS Teams. In the last 12 months we have asked students to email/MS Teams us and we can meet with them throughout the week at a mutually convenient time which may include later in the day/earlier in the day for students who are studying part-time.

Tutorials

Students are entitled to up to two supervisions per module. This could be a short presentation, a 2-side essay plan, a mock exam, an email plan, a 30-minute online tutorial etc. Each module will state how supervision will work at the start of the module, and students are expected to submit work for supervision and receive feedback from the module tutor(s) on this.
Students are offered at least one tutorial at the start of their course (either face to face or online in groups), to see how they are settling into the course. In February 2021 some groups asked for more tutorials, and some groups who were asking for more support with academic skills and orientation to UK study had two or three tutorials. These are offered through the course leader. Students are also able to meet with the course leader in the middle of their course, and at the end of the course. Uptake of this varies between students and student groups.

Seminars

Some modules will run seminars as part of their module content. Each module will state if they run seminars at the start of the module. These are scheduled into the usual module timetable. For example, in PE4S090 seminars may be offered in small groups where students meet in groups with a tutor to do a critical appraisal of a research article.
We run a journal club for students who we feel need more English and Academic skills support at the university. This is like a seminar where students are asked to read an article each week and feedback a specific section of this to the group.

Formative Assessment

As with tutorials (above section) students are entitled to up to two supervisions per module. This could be a short presentation, a 2-side essay plan, a mock exam, an email plan, a 30-minute online tutorial etc.
All modules have formative assessment, including a short presentation, a campaign plan presented to the class, a mock exam, a critical analysis task etc. Students receive feedback on this task.

Progress meetings

Students meet with the course leader at the beginning of the course in a tutorial, they are also able to meet in the middle and at the end of the course. All students receive feedback from their modules within 20 working days and students can request to meet with the course tutor / module leaders at any time to discuss progress
Module leaders offer to meet with all students who do not pass a module, although some students do not want to meet and prefer email feedback. In their first module of study (PE4S106 Sustainable Public Health) the module leader tries to meet with all students to support the students in identifying where they need to improve their work and to facilitate access to the university support services i.e., referencing workshops, study skills one-to-one, English and Academic skills classes.

Research Supervision

Students are allocated a supervisor for the project module who will support them through the module in addition to the module leader. This is usually done by projects being offered that year.

Online Resources

Our Blended learning classes use a selection of online resources for students.
We use Blackboard to post materials i.e., journal articles, websites, videos etc to support weekly classroom teaching in advance. We also post lecture notes (sometimes edited versions) before the day of the class.
During online classes we use MS Teams or Blackboard Collaborate ‘chat’ or ‘files’ to share documents with students, including weblinks and policy documents.
On campus we provide links to resources with the lecture slides, and this may include generating QR codes for students to support access to resources.
See also section on IT/Library.

Advice Zone

Students are signposted and supported to access the Advice Zone at the Pontypridd Campus either in person or online. The course team work closely with the Advice zone colleagues in terms of student support, EC, wellbeing needs etc.
The International Advice Team are a real asset in supporting our MSc Public Health International students, and we work closely with this service in supporting all our International students. You can read more about their services here https://intadvice.southwales.ac.uk/contact-us/

Disability

Students with disabilities are supported to access the DDS team at Pontypridd Campus. Reasonable adjustments are made in terms of ISP provision, and discussion of student need may occur through the DDS team and the course leader.

IT/Library

IT/Library Students have a talk from the subject area Librarian when they start the course, during induction week. This talk is also recorded for students to re-listen to. The library also have a library skills guide that supports students with different aspects of the library https://library.southwales.ac.uk/library-skills/ and an ‘ask a librarian’ service https://library.southwales.ac.uk/ which our librarian tells us is very popular with students. The USW library has a wide range of resources available to support students on and off campus in a variety of different formats. See
https://library.southwales.ac.uk/accessibility/library-services-accessibility/

We also use Blackboard to post materials i.e., journal articles, websites, videos etc to support weekly classroom teaching. In some modules we generate QR codes for readings such as policy documents to support access to resources.

IT services are provided to students through IT services including the IT helpdesk at https://its.southwales.ac.uk/ UniApps offers students a wide variety of Apps to support their study which students can download for free https://its.southwales.ac.uk/facilities-and-software/uniapps/ Students are encouraged to complete the IT induction which is designed to support students to access online learning, locate the apps they need to download and helps students to get on line when they come to campus https://its.southwales.ac.uk/it-induction/

Course Exit Points

Progression Route

Students who complete the MSc could progress to PhD study.

Entry Requirements

Admission to the course is typically through the following qualifications:

We are using the same entry requirements from 2016-2022.
As Public health is a multidisciplinary course, we accept a wide range of undergraduate degrees onto our MSc Public Health with a minimum entry criterion of a 2.2. In addition, applicants require a minimum of one-year relevant work experience.
In students’ personal statements, we expect students to show a strong interest in Public Health, and to describe any relevant work experience you have in the health field. This might include current or past employment, voluntary work experience, undergraduate research projects or internships.
International applicants whose first language is not English require a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 overall, 6.5 in Writing and 5.5 in each other component.

Inclusive Curriculum Statement

The University of South Wales operates a policy of inclusive learning, teaching and assessment to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to fulfil their educational potential. Course teams will have considered ways of designing out any potentially disadvantageous element of courses during the course design process. However some specific needs may remain, details about how to apply to have your needs assessed can be found at: http://unilife.southwales.ac.uk/pages/3040-disability-and-dyslexia-service/

Addendum for Delivery at a Partner Institution

N/A