Course syllabus
Welcome to the course MPH211 Public Health Science: foundations and applications!
Course dates: 2 September - 4 November 2024
Course registration may be done during the following period 26 August - 2 September, by using Ladok services via Student portal. However, for this option, you will need to activate your student account. To activate your student account, contact any Student servicecenter or follow these instructions: Student account activation.
Programme page on studentportal - Here you will find applications form, examen information, course information
The presentation of the MPH program will be held on the 2nd of September, starting at 13:15 p.m and the presentation of the course on the 3rd of September at. 13:15. Please be on time, much of the information that you need for the upcoming weeks in the course as well as the program as a whole, will be given during these two days.
Before the course starts:
Before the course starts, please prepare yourself by reading the following documents:
Course overview
- Please note the date (and time if indicated) of the compulsory examinations and modules. These are listed in the schedule and on the 3rd of September we will discuss these further.
- Please review the literature in the literature list above. If you wish to prepare yourself for the two first lectures you can read chapter 1-3, pp.1-67 & Chapter 6-10, pp.104-199 in Liamputtong, P. (2022) Public health: local & global perspectives, 3rd edition. Cambridge University Press (available as e-book at the Gothenburg University Library).
- You can also take a look at the course evaluation from 2023
Contact information
- Overall course responsible: Solveig Lövestad, solveig.lovestad@gu.se
- Course administrator: Teresa Petersson publichealth@medicin.gu.se Please write the course code in the subject line when sending an e-mail!
General student information
- Find your way to and on campus
- Programme information on Studentportal
- Check list for new students
- Course registration, results and certificates
- Study Environment and Rules
- Written examination
- Disability study support
Important about student health care and sustainable student life
As a student at the University of Gothenburg you have access to support if you are experiencing health issues related to your studies. On this page, you can find the information you need if you are in need of support. You can get more information about a sustainable student life on this page.
Course content
Source: Dahlgren and Whitehead, 1991
MPH211 is a required course as part of the Masters in Public Health Science, and is also available as a stand-alone course. The course is an introduction to the foundations and applications of Public health sciences.
The program attracts a large variation of students, both regarding nationality and professions. Although a large part of the students are experienced health care professionals there are also students from other disciplines. Consequently, the course will include students with a pre-knowledge of Public health science from zero to fairly knowledgeable. Therefore, this course aims to create a common platform for further development in the upcoming courses in the program.
The course will provide an introduction to public health science and its fundamental theories and concepts, including health equity, social determinants of health, public health interventions, life- course perspective, and public health ethics. The students will also gain knowledge about academic writing and how to avoid plagiarism and other disciplinary offences.
The aim of this course is to support your ability to work independently and in group with analysis and writing, and thus, to prepare you for upcoming courses. Each course week is given full-time, meaning approximately 40 hours study per week, including reading, lectures, seminars and group-work.
Each week has time scheduled for self-studies (reading the course literature, writing on assignments, etc.) and group-work. It is important that you read the course literature and prepare your-self for all live-sessions.