SHN7153 - Health Promotion, Behaviour Change and Public Health Interventions

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1 - Critically evaluate contemporary theories, models and evidence underpinning health promotion, behaviour change and public health intervention design;
2 - Critically analyse how social, cultural, commercial, environmental and political determinants of health influence health behaviours, health inequalities and intervention effectiveness across diverse populations;
3 - Design an evidence-informed, equitable and sustainable public health intervention that addresses an identified population health priority using appropriate behaviour change theory and stakeholder insight;
4 - Critically justify the design, implementation and evaluation of public health interventions using appropriate evidence, theoretical frameworks and evaluation approaches; and,
5 - Communicate evidence-informed public health recommendations effectively to professional audiences, demonstrating consideration of ethics, cultural competence, environmental and financial sustainability and health equity.

Content:

You will explore the principles and practice of health promotion, behaviour change and public health intervention design in response to contemporary population health challenges. Drawing on current theory, qualitative and quantitative research, policy and practice, you will critically examine how the wider determinants of health, health inequalities and behavioural science influence health outcomes across diverse communities. You will explore how different forms of research evidence can be used to understand population needs, lived experiences and community perspectives, before applying this knowledge to the design, implementation and evaluation of evidence-informed public health interventions. Throughout the module, you will consider health equity, environmental and financial sustainability, ethics, cultural competence, community co-production and the value of Global Majority perspectives, alongside national and international approaches, to develop interventions that are inclusive, responsive and capable of addressing complex public health challenges.

The module aligns with the UKPHR Practitioner Standards (2026), supporting the development of capabilities in health promotion, behaviour change, community needs assessment, intervention planning, evaluation, stakeholder insight, ethics, sustainability and public health communication.

Learning and Teaching Information:

You will learn through a combination of interactive lectures, seminars, workshops and case-based learning activities that encourage you to apply public health theory to real-world challenges. Teaching will be research-informed and practice-focused, enabling you to critically explore contemporary issues in health promotion, behaviour change and intervention design across local, national and global contexts. Workshops will provide opportunities to analyse public health data, evaluate existing interventions and collaboratively design evidence-informed solutions to population health challenges.

Throughout the module you will engage with authentic public health case studies, drawing on examples from the UK and Global Majority settings to consider how social, cultural, economic and environmental contexts influence health behaviours and intervention effectiveness. Independent study will support deeper engagement with current research, policy and professional guidance, while formative learning activities will enable you to develop and refine ideas that contribute directly to the module assessments. By the end of the module, you will have developed the knowledge and practical skills required to design, justify and evaluate an equitable and sustainable public health intervention.



Interactive Lectures
Hours: 15
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Seminars
Hours: 15
Intended Group Size: Cohort

Workshops
Hours: 20
Intended Group Size: 25

Guided Independent Study
Hours: 250



Further Detail Relating to Assessment

The assessments are designed to reflect the process of planning and developing a public health intervention. In the first assessment, submitted in Term 1 (mid-term), as a group you will complete a Community Health Needs Assessment, where you will identify a public health priority, analyse the target population and critically evaluate the wider determinants of health, health inequalities and the research evidence supporting the need for intervention. You will draw upon both qualitative and quantitative research to develop an understanding of population needs, lived experiences and community perspectives.

Building on feedback from the first assessment, as a group you will complete an Evidence-Informed Public Health Intervention Proposal, submitted at the end of Term 1. You will design, justify and critically evaluate a public health intervention, demonstrating the application of an appropriate behaviour change model or framework to support intervention design, implementation and evaluation. Your proposal will be informed by current research evidence and will consider stakeholder engagement, sustainability, ethics, cultural competence and approaches to evaluating intervention effectiveness.

Formative assessment opportunities will be embedded throughout Term 1 and will include case study discussions, critical appraisal of qualitative and quantitative public health research, intervention design workshops, peer feedback activities and tutor feedback on intervention proposals. These activities are designed to support your progress towards both summative assessments and encourage the development of ideas over the course of the module.

The assessments have been designed to provide an early opportunity for feedback before the final submission, helping you build confidence while avoiding unnecessary assessment overload. Ethical approval is not normally required, as assessments are based on the critical use of published literature, policy and publicly available datasets. Where alternative approaches involving primary data collection are exceptionally approved, you will be required to obtain ethical approval in accordance with University procedures.

Full assessment guidance, marking criteria and submission requirements are provided in the Module Handbook.

Assessment:

Fact File

Module Coordinator - PRS_CODE=
Level - 7
Credit Value - 30
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered -

Click here to go back to previous page