THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION FOR Intercalated BMedSci with honours in International
Public Health Policy (UTBMEINPHP1F)
1) Awarding Institution: University of Edinburgh
2) Teaching Institution: University of Edinburgh
3) Programme Accredited by: N/A
4) Final Award: Bachelor of Medical Sciences (Hons)
5) Programme Title: BMedSci with honours in International Public Health Policy
6) UCAS Code:
Relevant QAA Subject Benchmarking Group(s):
7) Postholder with Overall Responsibility for QA: Dr Sarah Hill
8) Date of Production/Revision: 22/06/2012
9) External Summary
The intercalated honours year in International Public Health Policy leads to award of the degree
Bachelor of Medical Sciences with Honours in International Public Health Policy (BMedSci (IPHP)).
The programme is available to medical students who have successfully completed the first two
years of their undergraduate medical degree. The programme provides students with the
opportunity for in depth study of population health issues at a national and global level including
the development of health and wider public policy; the health impacts of globalisation; health
inequalities and the importance of the social determinants of health both within and between
countries; and the provision of health services. The programme provides a balance of compulsory
and elective taught courses and an individual project leading to the submission of a dissertation.
The programme has been designed in close collaboration with the Biomedical Teaching
Organisation and with the School of Population Health Sciences in the College of Medical and
Veterinary Science, and builds on existing intercalated honours year provision in response to staff
interest and student demand. In bringing the study of international health and policy to
undergraduate medical students, the programme will further the development of cross-college
teaching provision in public health.
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10. Educational aims of Programme:
The programme aims to equip future doctors with an understanding of the challenges confronting
global public health, the formulation of health policy, and the role of the health system.
The compulsory taught courses provide students with a coherent core knowledge base so they can
provide informed responses to questions such as:
 What are the major influences on the overall level and distribution of health in populations?
 How does health and wider public policy impact on the level of health inequalities within
and between countries?
 What processes underlie the formulation of health policy?
 What approaches to the organisation, funding, and delivery of health care systems are
available?
 What is globalisation and how is it impacting on public health and health policy?
The elective taught courses enable students to focus on areas of personal interest in more detail
and hence gain a greater degree of understanding in areas including:
 The wider determinants of health
 Globalisation and public health
 Health care systems reform and the economics of health care
 Health policy, and the health impacts of policy in areas outside the traditional domain of the
health sector
 International public health research
The individual project and associated dissertation allow students to gain specialised knowledge of
an issue relevant to international public health policy, and to develop research and written
communication skills.
The programme as a whole will also encourage students to develop transferable skills in critical
thinking, identification and appraisal of published research, working with data, written and verbal
communication, and working effectively both individually and as part of a team.
11. Programme outcomes:
(a) Knowledge and Understanding
Graduates of the BMedSci (IPHP) will be able to understand and apply key concepts within policy
studies, public health, and international political economy and public health science, with specific
reference to:
 social and economic determinants of population health status
 public health policy
 processes and institutions of public policy-making
 impacts of globalisation on population health
 the role of governments, international agencies and non-state actors in health provision
This will be accomplished through:
Compulsory semester 1 courses in population health and health policy, globalisation and
public health, and health systems will provide students with a solid grounding in the
principles of public health policy and the key issues facing health systems at both a national
and international level

Elective courses will provide more advanced teaching in global politics of public health,
social determinants of health, health systems, and international public health research.
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
Lectures and small-group seminars are the chief channels for conveying knowledge and
understanding and give the guidance for reading required

Essay questions require an understanding of different perspectives and independent
reading

The programme project provides students with an opportunity to develop independent study
skills with appropriate guidance

Inter-disciplinarity is a feature of our degrees. Students are encouraged to apply
knowledge and perspectives across different subject areas, and to reflect on how these
inform and interact with their medical education and future practice.
(b) Graduate Attributes: Research & Enquiry
Graduates of the BMedSci honours programme in International Public Health Policy will have skills
in independent research and analysis, including the following:

Experience in searching published academic literature in order to identify material relevant
to a specific issue or question

Ability to understand, evaluate and critique academic work

Ability to develop a critical analysis in response to a health policy question, drawing
appropriately on relevant empirical and conceptual material

Ability to develop a research question and project plan that addresses an issue of
significance in public health policy at either a national or global level
These will be accomplished through:
Small group teaching which encourages students to put forward their views about particular
health policies or issues and debate these opinions with fellow students and staff

Through encouragement for students to consider the link between theories of the policy
process, the role of evidence in policy debates, and the influence of various actors and
stakeholders involved in health policy

Feedback on coursework which encourages students to think critically about the points they
are making and support their arguments with appropriate evidence.

Providing detailed assistance to students in relation to their dissertation project. Guiding
them to develop an appropriate research question; to develop and employ appropriate
research methods to investigate their topic; to synthesise, interpret and critically appraise
material identified through the research process; and develop a critical analysis in response
to their research question, drawing appropriately on relevant empirical and conceptual
material and showing awareness of relevant policy debates.
(c) Graduate Attributes: Personal & Intellectual Autonomy
Graduates of the BMedSci honours programme in International Public Health Policy will be able to
work independently and sustainably, in a way that is informed by openness, curiosity, and a desire
to meet new challenges, including the abilities and dispositions to:3

Be independent learners who take responsibility for their own learning and are committed to
continuous reflection, self-evaluation and self-improvement

Be able to sustain intellectual interest by remaining receptive to both new and old ideas,
methods, and ways of thinking

Be able to make decisions on the basis of rigorous and independent thought, taking into
account ethical and professional issues

Be able to use collaboration and debate effectively to test, modify and strengthen their own
views

Be able to respond effectively to unfamiliar problems in unfamiliar contexts

Have personal goals and be able to work towards these in a sustainable way
These will be accomplished through:
Advising students about the range of academic sources available to learn about particular
topics and encouraging them to consider a range of competing sources in their work

The provision of reading lists which encourage students to undertake further individual
investigation of a topic, along with appropriate training in conducting bibliographic searches
and finding of other resources

Encouraging students to debate issues within classes, and with staff from across the
subject area

Encouraging students to think critically about how they can best use evidence to support
points they wish to make in class activities and in their written work.

Providing feedback on coursework and class activities which highlights where students
could have further engaged with common theories or evidence within health policy

Ensure that generic skills around evaluating evidence and structuring arguments are
highlighted when they are developed within individual courses

Assisting students with their dissertation, ensuring they are aware of how their work fits with
wider discussions in public health and health policy more generally, encouraging them to
think about which skills they have previously learned might be most useful for their
dissertation, and ensuring they are sufficiently aware of any ethical issues which might
arise during their work.

Providing generic advice on skills needed to study at university, through feedback on
coursework, meetings with a student’s Director of Studies and by directing students to
specialist sources of information within the University.
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(d) Graduate attributes: skills and abilities in communication
Graduates of the BMedSci honours programme in International Public Health Policy will be able to
recognise and value communication as the tool for negotiating and creating new understanding,
collaborating with others, and furthering their own learning, including the abilities to:
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make effective use of oral, written and visual means to critique, negotiate, create and
communicate understanding;
use communication as a tool for collaborating and relating to others;
further their own learning through effective use of the full range of communication
approaches;
seek and value open feedback to inform genuine self-awareness;
recognise the benefits of communicating with those beyond their immediate environments;
use effective communication to articulate their skills as identified through self-reflection.
These will be accomplished through:

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Use of small-group discussion and group presentations within seminars
Feedback on effective written communication throughout the degree;
Assessed oral presentations as part of specialist semester 2 courses, in which students will
prepare and deliver a presentation in response to a chosen question. Students will be
given written feedback and a mark
Invitations to attend subject area seminars
(e) Graduate attributes: skills and abilities in personal effectiveness
Graduates of the BMedSci honours programme in International Public Health Policy will be able to
effect change and be responsive to the situations and environments in which they operate,
including the abilities to:
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make constructive use of analytical skills in personal, professional, and community life;
be both adaptive and proactively responsive to changing socio-political contexts;
have the confidence to make decisions based on their understandings and their personal
and intellectual autonomy;
transfer their knowledge, learning, skills and abilities from one context to another;
understand and act on social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities, and help
others to do the same;
be able to work effectively with others, capitalising on their different thinking, experience
and skills;
understand and promote effectively the values of diversity and equity, while also
recognizing possible trade-offs between these.
These will be accomplished through:
 The supportive learning environment, including membership of both a small intercalated
honours cohort and a larger cohort of MSc students studying with the Global Public
Health Unit;
 The contemporary subject-matter of the courses and the challenge of applying research
to contemporary public health and health policy debates;
 Encouragement of group working in courses and of understanding the diverse
backgrounds of students
 Consultation with the Programme Organiser about personal goals and objectives for the
programme, and the most effective way of achieving these;
 Consultation with individual dissertation supervisors over effective planning and timemanagement strategies.
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(f) Professional/subject-specific/practical skills
Students will be able to demonstrate:




Ability to evaluate public policy from a population health perspective
Ability to analyse diverse source materials and apply to public health questions
Capacity to engage in public health advocacy
Ability to work across disciplinary boundaries
This will be accomplished through:


Participation in courses
Completion of essays and other assessments throughout the course
The dissertation gives experience of conducting public health or health policy research with
support provided by an appropriate academic expert
12) Programme Structure and Features:
Entry qualifications
To be admitted to the programme, students must meet the criteria set out for Intercalated Bachelor
of Medical Sciences degree programmes by the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine at
the University of Edinburgh. A set quota of students are admitted across the suite of intercalated
BMedSci programmes each year. Admission is based on order of academic merit, and is overseen
by the Biomedical Teaching Organisation within the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.
In addition to accepting students from the University of Edinburgh’s undergraduate medical
programme, the BMedSci (IPHP) is also open to students from other medical programmes within
the UK, subject to meeting the criteria set out by their own medical schools and to availability of
places.
Courses and Progression
Students take courses totalling 120 credit points. The classification of the degree is based on the
Honours year performance.
Year 1 and 2
Details of the first two years of the MBChB curriculum is available at
http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/11-12/dpt/utmedpr.htm
(The intercalated honours programme can also be taken between years 4 and 5 of the
undergraduate medical programme.)
Year 3 (Honours). Starting month: September
Students are required to acquire a total of 120 credits, with 80 credits from taught courses and 40
credits from a project in International public health policy.
(a)
Compulsory courses. Students must take all of the following courses:
Course code
Course name
Credits
SCQF level
IPHP11013
Public health and health inequalities
10
11
IPHP11018
Health policy analysis
10
11
IPHP11009
Globalisation and public health
10
11
IPHP11012
Introduction to health systems
10
11
IPHP10004
International Public Health Policy project
40
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(b)
Elective courses. Students must take 40 credits’ worth of courses from the following list:
Course code
Course name
Credits
SCQF level
IPHP11022
Introduction to epidemiology for public policy
10
11
PUHR11031
Introduction to statistics and critical appraisal
10
11
IPHP11017
Economic issues in health policy
10
11
PUHR11001
Health promotion
10
11
PUHR11008
Communicable disease control
10
11
PUHR11006
Public health research: international issues
10
11
IPHP10001
Social determinants of health and public policy
20
10
IPHP10002
Global politics of public health
20
10
IPHP10003
Health systems reform and public private partnerships
20
10
Total credits
120
13) Further information on Learning and Teaching Methods and Strategies
The BMedSci (IPHP) compulsory taught courses are drawn from the MSc programmes
delivered by the Global Public Health Unit (in the School of Social & Political Science), while
elective courses are drawn from MSc programmes within GPHU and across the School, and
from the Department of Population Health Sciences (in the College of Medicine & Veterinary
Medicine). Students attend lectures and seminars alongside Masters students. This
provides them with the opportunity to mix with postgraduate students from a wide variety of
professional backgrounds, and is a key strength of the BMedSci (IPHP) programme.
All GPHU courses are taught through a combination of lectures and seminars. Lectures
typically provide an outline or overview of relevant concepts and issues, while seminars are
used to explore and discuss these issues in a more interactive environment and to examine
specific case-studies that provide examples of the practical application of concepts
introduced in the lectures. Seminars place a strong emphasis on student-led learning,
providing an opportunity for students to articulate their own perspective on the issues under
discussion and to reflect on others’ perspectives. Both lectures and seminars are supported
with copies of lecture slides, readings and other materials made available through the
School’s web-based teaching platform.
Assessment of taught courses takes places predominantly through written essays of 2,5003,000 words in which students develop an analysis in response to an essay question chosen
from a range of options. Semester 2 courses within GPHU are also assessed through oral
presentations.
All students prepare an 8,000 word dissertation on a research topic of their choice, with
guidance and support from an academic supervisor. Topics typically reflect important current
issues in public health, global health and/or health policy and use a range of research
methods such as literature reviews, documentary analysis, and statistical analysis of
epidemiological data.
Facilities available to students include 24 hour access to computing and printing facilities in
the Chrystal Macmillan Building, IT advice, access to the Postgraduate Reading Room, and
extensive electronic access to journals. Students with disabilities are supported through the
University’s Disability Office.
During Innovative Learning Week, students are able to participate in activities organised by
the SSPS Graduate School including alumni and networking events.
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14) Further information on Programme Assessment Methods and Strategies
Assessment methods used in the BMedSci (IPHP) programme include essays, oral
presentations, examinations, and written dissertation. These assessments are designed to
use a variety of approaches to develop written and oral skills. At the beginning of the
programme students are invited to write a short non-assessed essay on a public health /
health policy topic of their choice, on which they are given written feedback. This formative
feedback is intended to help students develop skills in analytical writing and to help them
become familiar with the expectations of academic essays before undertaking any work that
contributes to their formal assessment.
Feedback is provided by detailed comments on all essays in a standard format and the
opportunity for personal discussion about them with the marker. Written feedback is also
provided on assessed oral presentations in Semester 2.
The dissertation is independently assessed by two members of staff, and counts for 40
credits.
All assessments are moderated by the appropriate course organiser, and a sample of work
from across the BMedSci cohort is reviewed by the external examiner.
15) Further information on Career Opportunities
After completing the BMedSci (IPHP), students return to their medical studies. Knowledge,
insight and experience gained through the BMedSci (IPHP) programme will be useful
through the remainder of their medical education, with an understanding of global health
issues and health problems in lower- and middle-income countries of particular benefit to
those students who undertake their medical elective outside the UK. The skills students gain
in this programme are relevant across all medical specialties and have particular pertinence
to the practice of primary health care (General Practice), paediatrics, adult medicine,
infectious diseases, and public health medicine. It is expected that a proportion of students
will go on to specialise in public health medicine, and that some will go on to careers in
academic medicine, epidemiology and/or public health.
Recent graduates of the BMedSci (IPHP) have gone on to present their research findings at
academic conferences as well as publishing their work in peer-reviewed publications and
participating in relevant workshops within the World Health Organization.
16)
Other Items:
The Degree Programme Tables (DPT) for the BMedSci (IPHP) can be found at:
http://www.drps.ed.ac.uk/11-12/dpt/utbmeinphp1f.htm
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