Overview
This is a four-year, full-time undergraduate programme, leading to the award of a BSc (Hons) Public Health Sciences. The programme includes a work placement module and the option of studying abroad in the Third Year.
First Year - Public Health Sciences
To be admitted to the First University Examination in Public Health Sciences a student must have satisfactorily attended modules to the value of 60 credits.
Second Year - Public Health Sciences
No student may register for the Second Year programme of study until the First University Examination has been passed. To be admitted to the Second University Examination in Public Health Sciences a student must have satisfactorily attended modules to the value of 60 credits.
Study Abroad Option (Third Year)
A limited number of students may be allowed to study at an approved university in another country for one single semester, or the whole year, of the Third Year of the BSc Public Health Sciences programme. Second Year students must submit an application to study abroad to the Dean, School of Public Health by the end of the last teaching week in Semester 1. Permission to undertake any study abroad will be conditional on the student achieving at least an Upper Second Class Honours (2H1) in the Second University Examination in Public Health Sciences in the Summer examination.
Third Year - Public Health Sciences
No student may register for the Third Year programme of study until the Second University Examination has been passed. With the exception of students availing of the year abroad option the Third Year Public Health Sciences programme consists of core taught modules to the value of 40 credits, a Work Placement module to the value of 10 credits and elective modules to the value of 10 credits.
Third Year Study Abroad Students
A limited number of students may be permitted to undertake one semester or the whole of the Third Year of their BSc Public Health Sciences studies at an approved institution abroad. This option is only available to students who obtain at least a Second Class Honours (2H1) in the Second University Examination in Public Health Sciences, at the Summer examinations. Applications, including the proposed workload at the host institution, should be submitted to the Dean, School of Public Health before the end of the last teaching week in Semester 1 in the Second Year.
Please note that the number of students who can avail of study-abroad options will be limited in any given year. Where the demand exceeds the number of available places, the School will adjudicate on the applications. The adjudication will be based on the following criteria
- the student's performance in the Second University Examination in Public Health Sciences;
- the quality of the application; and
- an interview may be required.
Students Spending One Semester Abroad
Students studying for one Semester abroad in Third Year should follow a study programme broadly equivalent to 30 credits of the BSc Public Health Sciences. The detailed programme of study shall be proposed by the student in consultation with the approved host institution and the Director of the BSc Public Health Sciences Programme, and shall require the approval of the Dean of the School of Public Health.
The student shall be examined by the approved host institution. Honours will not be awarded at the Third Public Health Sciences Examination Boards to those students who study abroad for one Semester. Instead, academic transcripts and/or other certified documentation from the approved host institution will be appended to the academic transcript issued by UCC.
Students studying in UCC for the duration of Semester One will take modules to the value of 30 credits as follows: 25 credits of core modules (excluding EH3000 Epidemiology III) and 5 credits of elective modules.
Students studying in UCC for the duration of Semester Two will take modules to the value of 30 credits as follows: 20 credits of core modules (excluding EH3000 Epidemiology III) and 10 credits of elective modules.
Note:
- Students studying abroad for one semester may not take EH3000 Epidemiology III.
- Students studying abroad in Semester Two will not be required to complete the work placement module (EH3004 Work Placement) to graduate.
Students Spending Third Year Abroad
Students studying abroad for Third Year should follow a study programme broadly equivalent to 60 credits of the BSc Public Health Sciences. Where a language other than English is the language of instruction at the approved institution, up to 10 credits in one Semester of the programme may be dedicated to formal study of the language of instruction. The detailed programme of study shall be proposed by the student in consultation with the approved host institution and the Director of the BSc Public Health Sciences Programme, and shall require the approval of the Dean of the School of Public Health.
The student shall be examined by the approved host institution. Marks shall be submitted to the Autumn Examination Board UCC. Honours will not be awarded at the Third Public Health Sciences Examination Boards to those students who take their year abroad. Instead, academic transcripts and/or other certified documentation from the approved host institution will be appended to the academic transcript issued by UCC. Students studying abroad for the whole of Third Year will not be required to complete the Work Placement module (EH3004 Work Placement) to graduate.
Note: A student who takes but fails the Third University Examination in Public Health Sciences abroad will be eligible to repeat the Third Year of the programme at University College Cork, which will include the Work Placement Module (EH3004 Work Placement). There is no option to repeat the Third Year abroad.
Fourth Year - Public Health Sciences
Students may not register for the Fourth Year programme of study until the Third University Examination has been passed and the Work Placement module (EH3004 Work Placement) has been undertaken. No student may graduate until the Work Placement module has been passed.
Students who undertake the Study Abroad option in Third Year, must pass the Third University Examination in the approved host institution to register for the Fourth Year programme. In the case of a student failing the Third University Examination in the host institution the Third Year is repeated in University College Cork and the student may not register for the Fourth Year programme of study until the Third University Examination has been passed and the Work Placement module (EH3004 Work Placement) has been undertaken.
To be admitted to the Fourth Year BSc (Hons) Public Health Sciences Degree Examination, a student must have satisfactorily attended modules to the value of 60 credits.
Programme Requirements
For information about modules, module choice, options and credit weightings, please go to Programme Requirements.
Programme Requirements
Module List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| |
| EH1004 | Epidemiology I | 10 |
| EH1006 | Perspectives on Public Health | 5 |
| EH1007 | Introduction to Health Information Systems (HIS) | 5 |
| EH1009 | Determinants of Health | 5 |
| EH1010 | Introduction to Public Health | 5 |
| EV2002 | The Environment and Human Health | 5 |
| MB1003 | Microbiology in Society | 5 |
| SC1011 | Sociology of Health, Public Health and Health Promotion | 5 |
| ST1002 | Introduction to Health Statistics | 5 |
| 10 |
| Introduction to Biochemistry and the Biological Basis of Disease (5) 1 | |
| Introduction to Development Studies (10) | |
| Threshold French (5) 2 | |
| French for Reading Purposes I (5) 2 | |
| German Language (CEFR-Level A2.1) (5) 3 | |
| German Language (CEFR-Level A2.2) (5) 3 | |
| International Politics (5) | |
| Spanish Language (Beginner Level) (10) 4 | |
| Spanish Language (Post Leaving Certificate) (10) 5 | |
| Introducing Medical Students to Irish as a Spoken Language (5) | |
| Special Study Module: Advanced Irish Language (5) 6 | |
| Fundamentals of Physiology (5) | |
| |
| EH2003 | Principles of Social Research | 5 |
| EH2006 | Epidemiology II | 5 |
| EH2007 | Public Health Research Report | 5 |
| EH2008 | Introduction to Theories and Practices of Health Promotion | 5 |
| EH2009 | Public Health Issues | 5 |
| MB1001 | Introduction to Food and Industrial Microbiology | 5 |
| MG2004 | Management and Planning of Public Health Systems | 5 |
| NT2013 | Fundamentals of Nutrition Part 1 | 5 |
| SS2021 | Critical Perspectives on Irish Health Policy | 5 |
| ST2005 | Social Research and Survey Methods | 5 |
| 10 |
| Biomolecules (5) 7, 8 | |
| Principles of Metabolic Pathways (5) 7, 8 | |
| Introduction to Sustainable Livelihoods Analysis (5) | |
| Towards Vantage French (5) 9, 10 | |
| French for Reading Purposes II (5) 10 | |
| Integrated German Language Course (10) | |
| Cities of Diversity (5) | |
| Spanish Language (Improver [01] Level) (10) 11 | |
| Second Year Spanish Language Course (Ex-Beginners) (10) 12 | |
| Humanitarianism and the Law (5) | |
| Introduction to Human Rights Law (5) | |
| Introductory Molecular Biology (5) | |
| Advanced Irish Language II (5) 13 | |
| Philosophy of Science (5) | |
| Sociology of the Body and the Mind (5) | |
| |
| EH3000 | Epidemiology III | 5 |
| EH3014 | Data Analysis for Public Health Research | 5 |
| EH3015 | Behaviour Change for Healthy Populations | 5 |
| EH3016 | Public Health in Practice | 5 |
| MB3012 | Transmission and Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases | 5 |
| NT2008 | Nutrition in Growth, Development and Ageing | 5 |
| PH3042 | Professional Ethics | 5 |
| SC3025 | Health and Scientific Deviance | 5 |
| EH3004 | Work Placement 15 | 10 |
| 10 |
| Health Impact Assessment (HIA) (5) | |
| Gender and Development (5) | |
| Global Political Economy - Trade (5) | |
| Medical Microbiology (5) | |
| Social Movements and Health (5) | |
| |
| EC4302 | Health Economics | 5 |
| EH4003 | Health Protection | 5 |
| EH4005 | Health Services | 5 |
| EH4008 | Public Health Advocacy | 5 |
| EH4010 | Final Year Project | 10 |
| GP4000 | Primary Health Care | 5 |
| SS4000 | Science, Technology and Public Controversy | 5 |
| 20 |
| Biochemistry of the Central Nervous System (5) 16 | |
| Advanced Applied Epidemiology (5) | |
| Promoting Health with Communities (5) | |
| Contemporary Global Health Issues (5) | |
| Health Impacts of Climate Change (5) | |
| Gender and Development (5) 17 | |
| Advanced Programme Planning and Policy Processes (5) | |
| Humanitarian Action in Development (5) | |
| Global urbanism: sustainable cities and communities (5) 17 | |
| Public Health Nutrition (5) 18 | |
| Nutritional Epidemiology (5) | |
| Total Credits | 240 |
Note
The following conditions apply to Language modules:
- Students may not select a Language module where there is a timetable clash with core modules.
- The level at which a student is permitted to take a particular language module will be determined by the relevant department.
Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.
Programme Learning Outcomes
Programme Learning Outcomes for BSc (Hons) Public Health Sciences (NFQ Level 8, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:
1
1-1
Demonstrate detailed knowledge of the field of population health and its constituent disciplines including epidemiology, health promotion, health protection and public health advocacy;
1-2
2
Demonstrate good knowledge of the biological basis of disease, the social influences on patterns of health and ill-health, as well as quantitative and qualitative research methodologies;
1-3
3
Investigate complex public health/health promotion problems including developing a research protocol and applying the relevant quantitative and/or qualitative methodologies;
1-4
4
Critically appraise the quality of primary and secondary research;
1-5
5
Discuss strategies to design, plan, implement and evaluate services, programmes and interventions to address public health issues;
1-6
6
Analyse the relevance of national and international health related policy, at local, national and international levels;
1-7
7
Work effectively as an individual, in teams and in multi-disciplinary settings together with the capacity to undertake lifelong learning;
1-8
8
Communicate effectively with colleagues in public health, health promotion and the wider health system, and with society at large.
*** Only for Incoming First Years and Repeat First Years 2024/2025 ***
*** Click here for Marks and Standards for all other years ***
Marks and Standards
These Marks and Standards should be read in conjunction with the Programme Requirements and the Book of Modules.
Fitness to Practise
All students on programmes subject to Fitness to Practise in UCC will be required to comply with the Fitness to Practise Policy and meet the relevant Fitness to Practise standards, in order to progress to the next year of his/her/their programme. Click here for a list of programmes subject to the Fitness to Practise Policy.
Marks and Credits
Students are required to take modules to the value of 60 credits.
Total Marks for year: 1200.
First Year - Pass and Progression Criteria
To pass first year and progress to second year, students must achieve:
- An aggregate mark of 40% across all modules,
- A pass mark in modules to the value of at least 50 credits, and
- A module mark of at least 30% in any remaining modules.
Pass by Compensation: Students who satisfy each of the above criteria are allowed to compensate in modules to the value of 10 credits and pass the year overall.
Award of Honours in the Degree Award
An honours classification is awarded for the final degree using the final year examination results and marks carried forward from the penultimate year. The aggregate of 33.33% of the penultimate year marks plus 66.67% of the final year marks will be used to calculate the final degree award.
Honours will be awarded as follows:
- First Class Honours: ≥ 70%
- Second Class Honours, Grade I: ≥ 60% and <70%
- Second Class Honours, Grade II: ≥ 50% and <60%
- Pass: ≥ 40% and <50%
Award of Honours when a student undertakes Study Abroad
When students study abroad as part of his/her/their degree programme, the calculation of the final degree award is based on modules in the Book of Modules only.
Examination Boards
- Provisional marks for Semester 1 examinations are released in January/February of each year. These marks are subject to approval at the University Examination Board.
- Marks for all modules taken in Semester 1 and 2, including those wholly assessed by Continuous Assessment, will be presented to the University Examination Board at the end of Semester 2.
Supplemental Examinations and Assessment
- Students who fail to achieve the progression standard for the year at the Summer Examination Board must complete Supplemental Examinations and/or Continuous Assessment for those specific module(s), where there is provision to do so.
- Please refer to the Book of Modules for requirements governing the Supplemental Examination and Assessment for individual modules. Note: For some modules there is no Supplemental Examination and Assessment.
- The marks achieved in the Supplemental Examinations and/or Continuous Assessment of a repeat module are considered at the Autumn Examination Board.
- The actual mark achieved by the candidate in the Supplemental or Repeat Year Examination will be recorded on the student record (Academic Transcript).
- The maximum mark that will be taken into account for aggregation and progression purposes is a pass level, unless the student has been granted a cap waiver or deferral by the University Mitigation Committee, or a University Examination Board, or has been approved to defer the previous attempt by the University Mitigation Committee.
- At the Autumn Examination Board, marks from all passed modules approved at the Summer Examination Board are carried forward and are combined with the marks achieved in Supplemental Examinations and/or Assessments. The pass and progression criteria are applied to the aggregate mark achieved.
Note: The mark achieved at the last examination/assessment attempt is the mark that is included in the calculation of the aggregate mark for pass and progression purposes.
Study Abroad
- When students study abroad as part of his/her/their degree programme, they will be assessed by his/her/their host university.
- To pass the study abroad period and progress to the subsequent year, a student must achieve a pass standard as applied by the host institution.
- A Pass/Fail judgement will be presented to the UCC Examination Boards:
- At the Summer Examination Board for students spending Semester 1 abroad.
- At the Autumn/Winter Examination Board for students spending the full academic year abroad or Semester 2 only.
- For students failing to achieve a pass mark, Supplemental Assessment will be prescribed by the School in UCC, and these results will be presented at a Winter Examination Board.
Exemptions
All passed modules carry an exemption, which is limited to a period of five academic years (or two in the case of Computer Science modules) subsequent to the award of the exemption.
Repeat Year Examinations
Students repeating the year may do so choosing one of the following mechanisms:
1. Students retain module exemptions, if any, and must repeat all failed/absent modules, including those modules where the failing mark previously achieved was greater than the level of compensation (≥ 30%) but who failed to achieve the progression standard for the year (see above). The pass and progression criteria are then applied to the combination of full marks achieved in modules passed at the first attempt, plus capped marks achieved in modules in the Repeat Year Examinations.
Note: For students selecting different modules not previously taken, there are no restrictions on the marks awarded for those modules at the first attempt in a repeat year. The selection of different modules by the student means that the student foregoes any previous marks achieved in the original modules (including previously passed modules).
2. Students may forego all module exemptions achieved and repeat the year choosing modules to the value of the full 60 credits. In determining pass and progression, there is no restriction on the marks awarded for modules taken at the first attempt of the Repeat Year. Modules taken at the subsequent Supplemental Examination and Assessment are capped at the pass mark.
Subject to capacity, all students - whether they have failed or passed - are allowed to choose this second option, in an attempt to improve his/her/their grade.
Students repeating the final year are eligible for the award of Honours in the first Repeat Year only. Final year students wishing to repeat the year with a view to improving his/her/their degree result may do so only if they have not been conferred.
Three Year Rule
Students must pass/progress within three academic years of the date of first registration for a year, otherwise they cannot continue in the programme.
Terms and Definitions
Programme Description
Module Descriptions/Assessment
- Module descriptions, including the pass standard for a module, special requirements to pass a module, and assessment elements and their weightings, are contained in the Book of Modules.
Marks and Credits
- A maximum of 100 marks may be awarded for every five credits of a programme.
- Some modules are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis only, i.e. marks are not awarded.
Pass and Progression
- Progression is defined as the permission granted to a student to register in the subsequent academic year for the next set of modules within his/her/their programme of study.
- Compensation is defined as the process by which a student, who fails to satisfy some of the regulations for credit in a specific module, is nevertheless recommended for credit to be awarded on the grounds that the failure is offset by his/her/their performance in the other modules on his/her/their programme of study.
