Campus
Birmingham (Edgbaston)
Course overview
This short course will equip you with the skills to plan, procure and monitor healthcare services and the appraisal of evidence, with emphasis on Health Needs Assessment and how these concepts apply to healthcare delivery.
The course takes the planning cycle used in many healthcare systems as its focus. It will introduce students to the three key areas of planning, procuring and monitoring healthcare services.
The module is underpinned by teaching on the critical appraisal of evidence and the use of economic appraisal in health settings. Particular emphasis is placed on Health Needs Assessment and the ways in which this can be carried out. Students are exposed in particular to these concepts as they apply to healthcare delivery.
Course delivery
The course is delivered by a mixture of internal academic experts and external experts experienced in service delivery.
On completion you should be able to:
- Describe the planning cycle in the context of the provision and funding of health care
- Demonstrate an understanding of the principles and practice of healthcare needs assessment and its application in public health practice
- Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of economic appraisal of healthcare
- Critically analyse healthcare policy implementation, in particular through the prioritisation of services and interventions
- Demonstrate an understanding of and be able to analyse critical steps in service design or redesign such as service specifications, care pathways and models of care
- Evaluate and audit health services to assure and improve quality.
Course dates
1st - 5th December 2025
Assessment
Single assessment of 2,500 words
Credits
10 credits
Teaching staff
Academics involved in the delivery of this module
Professor Tom Marshall
Professor of Public Health and Primary Care
Staff profile for Tom Marshall, Professor of Public Health and Primary Care, Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham.
Dr Shamil Haroon
Associate Clinical Professor of Public Health
Staff profile for Shamil Haroon, Clinical Senior Lecturer at the Department of Applied Health Sciences, University of Birmingham.
Entry requirements
Degree level entry requirement.
For further information, please contact the programme team at mph@contacts.bham.ac.uk
Fees and scholarships
Fees for 2025 entry
Microcredential (Home): £605
Microcredential (International): £1,630
Non-credit: £505.60
Application process
You can choose to study this course as either a microcredential or a non-credit CPD short course.
Why choose a Postgraduate Microcredential short course?
- Microcredentials offer the perfect opportunity to boost your CV without the commitment of a full degree
- Usually taken from existing modules within a Masters, they can be used as standalone credentials with some also counting as academic credits at postgraduate level
- Add a postgraduate level qualification to your CV
- Develop the specialist skills you need for your career goals
- Alumni status with the University of Birmingham
- Learners will have the same access to our student support and campus facilities as our students on full degree programmes.
Please note the deadline for submitting an application:
- Applicants eligible for Home fees are to apply a minimum of 6 weeks before the module start date.
- Applicants eligible for Overseas fees are to apply a minimum of 3 months before the module start date.
Please note that once registered for the microcredential you cannot swap for the non-credit short course version.
Non-credit short course
The microcredential and the non-credit short course follow the same course structure, the difference between them both is with the non-credit short course you do not take the assessment at the end therefore you will not receive credits but will receive a certificate of completion, this certificate cannot be converted to credits.
Please note if you apply for the non-credit short course, you cannot swap to the microcredential version once registered.
Places on the non-credit short course are limited so please enquire before if spaces are available.