Environmental Health with Professional Practice

Course description

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**Environmental Health with Professional Practice**
The Environmental Health sector is increasingly important throughout the UK and Europe and this programme aims to train individuals to support this development. The guiding principle that underpins Environmental Health comprises Public Health in its totality. The guiding ethos for the course therefore comprises this aspect and in particular the epidemiological relationships that exist between the physical/biological environments and human health. Environmental Health is an area of Public Health activity that strives to improve, protect and maintain health and well-being through actions on the physical environment and on life circumstances.

Graduates who successfully complete all elements of the course, gaining first or second class honours, are eligible, subject to registering to do so, to sit the REHIS professional examination, the qualification required in order to be an Environmental Health Officer in Scotland. The course incorporates the essential practical training element for this qualification and is therefore vocational in nature and supports the university mission of providing vocationally relevant training within the Health sector in Scotland.

The theoretical aspects are fully integrated with a high proportion of practical, on the job training, so that much of the student's experience involves 'learning by doing'. Experience from other programmes within the University has shown that students value this approach and become more involved with the subjects so that their motivation to produce high quality work increases. The Honours level research project, following the first professional practice placement, further refines practical abilities and intensifies the development of independent learning skills, providing an excellent introduction to research-based skills. This is ideal for those intending to pursue a career in environmental health or a higher degree and consequent research orientated career.

Graduates with an appropriate classification of honours degree will be well placed to continue their studies at M.Sc. or Ph.D. level. Graduates gaining first or second class Honours degrees, may progress to undertaking the REHIS professional exams which, on successful completion, can lead to individuals being able to qualify and practice as an Environmental Health Officer (EHO).

The curriculum and content of the programme have been specifically designed to meet the requirements of REHIS. The programme seeks to foster the following:

To develop critical, analytical problem-based learning skills and the transferable skills to prepare the student for graduate employment.
To enable the student to engage in lifelong learning, study and enquiry, and to appreciate the value of education to society.
To assist the student to develop the skills required for both autonomous practice and team-working.
To develop in the student a knowledge and understanding of the principles governing the environmental health sector.
To enable the student to extend knowledge and understanding to a critical assessment of current views and developments in the environmental health sectors.
To enable the student to acquire competence in a range of practical methods in environmental health.
To practice in ways, which show an ability to follow due process, however, maintain a flexibility in approach whilst utilising various interpersonal skills.

All of the modules that support the above utilize a blend of formal lectures and practical work. Practical work includes both laboratory work and field trips in the first two years. The programme is additionally supported by a number of external professionals working as EHOs, Safety Advisors and Waste and Environmental Managers.

Subjects

• Environment
• Environmental health
• Environmental science