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The Population Health Sciences BSc is a multidisciplinary degree set within the social sciences that will prepare you for a career in global health and beyond.
There has never been a more relevant time to study population health. The world needs scientists who can understand a broad prospective of health.
The Population Health Sciences BSc will provide you with the ability to progress to the next step in public health, non-governmental international organisations, health consultancy and a broad range of professional careers that require critical thinkers who can effectively communicate data.
To find out more information about this degree, such as entry requirements, programme length and cost, visit the UCL prospectus webpage. To hear from our current and former students, visit the meet our students page.
About the course
Population Health studies the wide ranging factors influencing health: the social and physical environment, individual behaviour, medical care and genetics. It will develop excellence in disciplines from across health and social sciences including epidemiology, sociology, human geography, social statistics, psychology and economics.
The degree programme has two routes for those wishing to specialise in advanced data science and population health sciences broadly. Both routes share up to three-quarters of the same modules each year.
- The BSc Population Health Sciences comprises further specialisation in a chosen topic within population health on graduation.
- The BSc Population Health Sciences (Data Science) comprises cutting-edge social statistics modules that will enable you to become part of an elite group on graduation.
Both routes will provide you with the skills in population health methods, with an emphasis on quantitative social science.
You will learn from world-leading researchers, as recognised in the Research Excellence Framework, the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.
You will develop skills through small group, hands-on teaching. Your educational experience will require you to engage with real world data from the first day of the programme and culminate in your own original research enquiry as part of your dissertation.
These and other skills developed on the programme will be invaluable for your career prospects, as a thorough understanding of the wider determinants of population health and strong quantitative data science skills are increasingly prioritised by employers. View the Careers and Employability page to view information about our graduates destinations.
Course information
Module information is available via the links below (pdf/link).
Year 1
Compulsory modules
- Epidemiological Transition (IEHC0025)
- Measuring Population Health (IEHC0026)
- Social Determinants of Health (IEHC0027)
- Research Methods in Population Health (IEHC0028)
- Perspectives on Global Health (IEHC0079)
- The Life Course (IEHC0030) – Population Health Science route
- Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods (POLS0008) – Data Science route
- Principles of Social Science Research (POLS0007) – Data Science route
The Data Science Pathway modules are part of the UCL Q-Step centre.
Year 2
Compulsory modules
- Frontiers of Knowledge in Population Health (IEHC0029)
- Acute and Chronic Infectious Diseases (IEHC0031)
- Health Demography (IEHC0032)
- Data Analysis (POLS0010) – compulsory for Data Science route
- The Life Course (IEHC0030) – Data Science route
Optional modules
You will select at least one of the following.
- Health and Behaviour (IEHC0056)
- Social Theory (IEHC0054)
- Statistics for Population Health (IEHC0080) – Population Health Science route
- Qualitative Research methods (IEHC0082)
In addition, students will be able to choose a module from other UCL departments.
Year 3
Compulsory modules
- Population Health Dissertation (IEHC0034)
- Causal Analysis in Data Science (POLS0012) – Data Science route
- Measurements in Data Science (POLS0013) – Data Science route
Optional modules
You will select 60 credits of optional modules from the following
- Population Ageing (IEHC0035)
- Genomics, Health and Society (IEHC0036)
- Health Economics (IEHC0002)
- Health Psychology (IEHC0058)
- Child and Adolescent Public Health (IEHC0038)
- Study Abroad (IEHC0003)
- Sexual Health (IEHC0037)
- Digital Health (IEHC0015)
In addition, students will be able to choose from a wide range of modules in other UCL departments.
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.
