Foundations of Public Health Practice: The Public Health Approach

National Chiao Tung University via Coursera

Overview

Embark on your journey into the realm of public health with the "Foundations of Public Health Practice: The Public Health Approach" course, offered by Imperial College London through Coursera. This course serves as the introductory module for the comprehensive Global Master of Public Health (MPH) specialisation and is meticulously crafted by a blend of seasoned academics and field practitioners. Their collective expertise spans decades of public health experiences, ensuring a rich learning foundation.

Leveraging short video lectures, insightful interviews with practitioners, and a variety of interactive exercises, this immersive course is structured to introduce newcomers to the vast field of public health. Across four detailed modules—designed to span four weeks—participants will delve into the discipline's origins, ethics, core principles, and prevailing paradigms. In addition, practitioners with prior experience will find value in the foundational insights offered.

At the heart of this course is the "Public Health Approach," a concept embracing preemptive, values-driven, and evidence-based strategies to bolster population health. Learners, by course end, will confidently navigate and articulate public health challenges using the sector's language and frameworks. This foundational knowledge sets the stage for subsequent courses, where learners will explore health needs assessment, evaluation methods, behaviour change, and health protection strategies in depth.

This course is part of the wider offerings on Coursera, covering Public Health Courses and aligning with Sustainable Development Goals including SDG 1: Poverty, SDG 2: Hunger, and SDG 3: Health, presented in collaboration with National Chiao Tung University.