About Population Health and Medical Sciences, BSc (Hons) - at Swansea University
Interested in the “next big thing in healthcare”? The increasingly developing field of Population Health is a great career choice for those who wish to be at the forefront of healthcare advancement. Put simply, Population Health is concerned with the wide range of factors that can determine the health and the health outcomes of individuals, groups and populations.
The growing pressures on healthcare systems globally are well documented, with chronic diseases, ageing populations and increased incidents of mental health. Advancements in medicine are improving health for more and more people, but inequalities in the healthcare received by people based on where they are born, live and work are prevalent. Population health aims to address these inequalities, by working to better understand the healthcare needs of groups of people, improving healthcare models and providing innovative solutions to meet people’s health needs.
Studying Medical Sciences and Population Health will give you a solid grounding in medical and life sciences, social sciences, epidemiology, demography, public health, and health informatics.
You will also develop the academic and professional knowledge needed to determine systematic variations in the health of individuals and populations, as well as the skills and experience to apply this knowledge to practical solutions to improve health, wellbeing, and the delivery of health services.
Why Medical Sciences and Population Health at Swansea?
Our Medical Sciences and Population Health programmes bring together a diverse range of subjects to provide you with a holistic understanding of the social, economic, medical and demographic factors that shape population health; from prevention and promotion, to health protection, diagnosis, treatment and care.
With your studies crossing over a number of disciplines, you will benefit from the state-of-the-art facilities at the Medical School, and also the dynamic research and learning environment.
The BSc versions of these degrees are part of our ‘Medical Science in Practice’ Pathway to Medicine programme. Provided you meet the minimum entry requirements for Graduate Entry Medicine, and have successfully completed the Pathway, you will be guaranteed an interview for our flagship Medicine (Graduate Entry) MBBCh course. The MSci equivalent is not part of this pathway.
Your Medical Sciences and Population Health Experience
You can choose to study Medical Sciences and Population Health as a:
- 3-year BSc,
- 4-year BSc with a year in industry in the form of a placement year,
- 4-year BSc with a year abroad, or a
- 4-year MSci with an integrated master’s level qualification
Studying the 3-year BSc, you will undertake a mix of compulsory and optional modules, giving you the flexibility to tailor your degree to your particular interests, career ambitions, or plans for further study.
The 4-year programme with a year in industry offers an additional placement year between your second and final year, giving you the opportunity to experience work in industry, build confidence and gain real-world experience.
Adding a year abroad, as part of the 4-year BSc option, allows you to add invaluable international experience to your CV while building intercultural communication skills that will improve your ability to interact with people from a variety of backgrounds.
Our 4-year MSci is an advanced undergraduate degree with an integrated master’s year, with the extra year spent undertaking a research project, allowing you to develop your skills and knowledge.
Our approach to learning encourages excellent analytical, research and communication skills, incorporating lectures, seminars, practical laboratory sessions, independent learning, and working in small groups.
In addition to your formal studies, we hold research talks at least weekly given by Swansea University staff or speakers from other universities or research institutions.
Don't think you meet the entry requirements? Why not consider our BSc or MSci in Medical Sciences and Population Health with a Foundation Year.
Medical Sciences and Population Health Employment Opportunities
Studying Medical Sciences and Population Health will open you up to a vast range of careers in the medical and life sciences sector including:
- Clinical practice
- Health education
- Health informatics
- NHS and Care management
- Patient advocacy (eg The Kings fund, World Health organisation)
- Policy development in health and governmental settings (Local, national and international)
- Research
Swansea University’s Medical Sciences and Population Health programmes also prepare eligible students for further professional training such as Physician Associate Studies and Graduate Entry Medicine.
