Course options
Key information
Duration: 3 years full time
UCAS code: B900
Institution code: R72
Campus: Egham
The course
Health Studies (BSc)
BSc Health Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London is a new degree with a focus on promoting healthier populations and environments, an exciting area leading to a huge variety of career pathways for graduates who are prepared to make a difference in the world.
Delivered by our new Department of Health Studies, this course is designed to equip a new generation of health practitioners with the skills to address health protection, health promotion and sustainable living frameworks to address 21st -century issues that impact human and environmental health.
Study BSc Health Studies and you will benefit from stimulating, interdisciplinary teaching to inspire and challenge you, and the flexibility to explore your own interests. You’ll be part of a supportive learning environment with small group seminars and tutorials encouraging development, cooperation and effective team-working.
Your course will include challenge led placements across all three years with community, national and international partners, plus frequent opportunities to network and collaborate with local and national partners in the sector.
The Health Studies department builds on world-class research and interdisciplinary collaborations at Royal Holloway and is developing new areas of growth with leading experts in health and environmental sectors, including the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Harvard-led Planetary Health Alliance. We are partners with the Royal Society for Public Health and our BSc Health Studies students get free membership in their first year.
Through a collaborative approach to learning and practical experience, you will learn how to evaluate, discuss and practice solution-focused approaches to various challenges that affect health and wellbeing in society. You’ll develop your understanding of the relationship between health frameworks and the environment through a global health focus and systems approach thinking.
From navigating and influencing systems, writing policy, managing data and developing research skills, to having the confidence to build partnerships and drive essential projects, you will graduate with the knowledge and exposure to go on to a rewarding career promoting the value of health for our communities and environment, and to bring about lasting changes that save lives.
We offer
- Teaching by multidisciplinary staff who are experts in their fields, drawing on their links with international research networks, human and environmental health collaborations across the world.
- Placement opportunities to gain real-world skills and experience that will enable you to connect knowledge to global health-related challenges.
- A portfolio development for employability built over three years to demonstrate skills acquired.
- An ideal preparation for a wide range of employment in roles such as Public Health Practitioners, Health Improvement Practitioners, Health and social care managers, Commissioners, Clinical managers, Health advisors, Health researchers, or in the Charity sector.
From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
Course structure
Core Modules
Year 1
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The aim of this module is to provide a holistic overview of the human structure and functioning through an interdisciplinary approach which enables students to understand the interconnecting perspectives across the biological, psychological, social and environmental sciences.
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This module will provide students with an understanding of the wider social and environmental determinants of health and how the determinants impact health attitudes, behaviours, and health outcomes. This will also address strategies and interventions at the individual, community, national and global levels.
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This module aims to provide an overview of health systems from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Students will gain understanding of the role of public and environmental health policy, organisational structures, technology and management on the health and wellbeing outcomes. It will equip students to be effective health leaders.
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The aim of this module is to provide an understanding of the different health professional roles and how they play a vital role in treatment, rehabilitation and improving health and wellbeing in health and social care.
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This module will have some structured lectures and seminars to prepare, guide and supervise students before, during and after the four weeks of professional placement attendance. This module enables students to synthesize the knowledge and understanding gained from theory into practical application to gain and enhance skills required of a competent and reflective practitioner. The focus will be on experiential learning supported by reflection and critical analysis. The Professional Placement1 will focus on equipping students with communication, influencing, health practice competencies and team working skills for career development. Evidence of skills gained, a SWOT analysis and Personal Development Plan (PDP) will be collated into an E- Portfolio.
Year 2
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This module aims to provide students with an understanding of physical and mental health conditions. It explores the relationships between physiology, physical health, lifestyle factors and mental health and wellbeing.
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The aim of the module is to provide students with concepts and theories of health promotion and health protection frameworks. This will give students an understanding of the determinants of health, strategies and interventions that can be undertaken at the global, community, or individual levels to improve health.
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This module aims to provide an interdisciplinary understanding of sustainability and the way organisations and individuals can impact the environment and the population health outcomes. This will equip students to adopt a critical approach to solutions and strategies for sustainable living.
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The module aims to develop knowledge and an understanding of the purpose and process of research and enable students to demonstrate research awareness and evidence-based practice to support services and the wider healthcare outcomes.
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The module aims to explore the policy priorities in the health and social care sector and the impact policy has in key areas of local, national and global health and social care settings.
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The module aims to provide students with knowledge, understanding and skills essential for partnership working and ethical practice at organisational and individual practitioner levels. It addresses the theoretical, policy and practice challenges and provides students the opportunity to analyse and develop more effective inter-professional working.
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This module will have some structured lectures and seminars to prepare, guide and supervise students before, during and after the mandatory four weeks of professional placement attendance. This module enables students to synthesize the knowledge and understanding gained from theory into practical application to gain and enhance skills required of a competent and reflective practitioner. The focus will be on experiential learning supported by reflection and critical analysis. The Professional Placement2 will be building up on the previous year and focus on the student’s preparedness to navigate health systems, apply health policy, evaluating evidence and set targets for own development towards professional career. Evidence of skills gained (certificates of completion, induction records), an updated SWOT analysis and Personal Development Plan (PDP) will be collated into an E- Portfolio.
Year 3
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This module aims to provide knowledge and understanding of the issues and concepts relating to population health wellbeing and risk by investigating determinants of health and assessing causality. This will give students evidence-based understanding of the complexities and risk to human and population health from social, economic and environmental factors.
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The aim of the module is to provide students with an understanding of the influence of the determinants of health, power and discrimination, and the impact on social inclusion and exclusion. The students will use social theory and lived narratives to understand social issues and learn ways to challenge inequality in health across the population.
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The aim of this module is to enable a student to carry out their research plan drafted from the previous research methods module. This allows the student to plan, manage and carry out the research process using the methodology selected for investigation. Students will immerse themselves in the current literature to develop their research and navigate systems like ethics applications or access to resources for implementation as appropriate. They will manage their timeline and resources to be able to complete their project. Students will be able to choose their area of interest and will be provided with a supervisor for the duration of their project.
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This module will have some structured lectures and seminars to prepare, guide and supervise students before, during and after the mandatory four weeks of professional placement attendance. This module enables students to synthesize the knowledge and understanding gained from theory into practical application to gain and enhance skills required of a competent and reflective practitioner. The focus will be on experiential learning supported by reflection and critical analysis. The Professional Placement3 will focus on equipping the students to lead, manage and facilitate change in health settings and set targets for own development towards professional career. Evidence of skills gained (certificates of completion, induction records, project plans), an updated SWOT analysis and Personal Development Plan (PDP) will be collated into an E- Portfolio.
Teaching & assessment
The course has a modular structure, with a mix of teaching modules each year. Some larger modules will address holistic areas in more depth or allow for extra time for project development and management, including a dissertation module.
You will be taught by staff from multidisciplinary backgrounds to allow exposure to diverse and global perspectives of health as well as innovative and creative application of theory.
A programme of lectures, seminars, tutorials and independent learning, both online and in-person will include a large emphasis on experiential and case based learning with peer support and group discussions. This ensures that all students are exposed to a professional environment in a safe space where you can develop your communication and networking skills in preparation for placements. Placements will be organised by the course team for all students and can be hybrid in nature depending on the placement provider and the demand for the project. You will undergo placements in small groups and therefore will also have peer support during this period as well as placement mentor and an academic supervisor.
Entry requirements
A Levels: BBB-BBC
At least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9-4 including English and Mathematics.
Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A-levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required. For students who are from backgrounds or personal circumstances that mean they are generally less likely to go to university, you may be eligible for an alternative lower offer. Follow the link to learn more about our contextual offers.
T-levels
We accept T-levels for admission to our undergraduate courses, with the following grades regarded as equivalent to our standard A-level requirements:
- AAA* – Distinction (A* on the core and distinction in the occupational specialism)
- AAA – Distinction
- BBB – Merit
- CCC – Pass (C or above on the core)
- DDD – Pass (D or E on the core)
Where a course specifies subject-specific requirements at A-level, T-level applicants are likely to be asked to offer this A-level alongside their T-level studies.
Your future career
Designed to equip a new generation of health practitioners with the skills to address health protection, health promotion and sustainable living frameworks, this degree will lead to rewarding career paths promoting the value of health for our communities and environment.
Our commitment to your future career is reflected in the diverse topics you will study on your degree course and through other initiatives.
You will graduate with the knowledge, transferable research and employability skills that will make you a highly desirable candidate for employers in a variety of sectors.
From roles in public health advice, voluntary services, wellbeing counselling, and community development projects to planetary health organisations and ecology, NGOs, private sector or higher education, your degree can lead you to a rewarding career in a diverse world.
Fees, funding & scholarships
Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £9,250
EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £19,600
Other essential costs***: TBC
How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students who have already taken out a tuition fee loan for undergraduate study should check their eligibility for additional funding directly with the relevant awards body.
**The tuition fee for UK undergraduates is controlled by Government regulations. The fee for the academic year 2024/25 is £9,250 and is provided here as a guide. The fee for UK undergraduates starting in 2025/26 has not yet been set, but will be advertised here once confirmed.
**This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25, and is included as a guide only. The fee for EU and international students starting a degree in 2025/26 has not yet been set, but will be advertised here once confirmed.
Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually for overseas fee-paying students. Please be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree. The upper limit of any such annual rise has not yet been set for courses starting in 2025/26 but will be advertised here once confirmed. For further information see fees and funding and the terms and conditions.
***These estimated costs relate to studying this specific degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year, and are included as a guide. General costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing etc., have not been included.
