Information for people interested in enrolling for courses

Peoples-uni is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about public health. There are two different ways of learning from People-uni, and we have identified two streams:
 

1.  Academic Awards (Masters level) You can enrol in the modules in April and September. These modules are 10 weeks long and have 5 topics. In these modules you will learn how to reflect critically on the course materials. This is assessed through discussion forums and essay writing. There will be a compulsory discussion forum for each topic and you can talk to other students about the learning materials and how these apply to your own country. You will need to write an essay for the final assessment. (Note: this is slightly different for the Biostatistics module). If you pass the assignment and participated in the discussions, you will get an academic transcript in the form of a certificate at the end of the module. If you complete 4 modules you will receive a Certificate in Public Health, and if you complete 8 modules you will receive a Diploma in Public Health and may be eligible to upgrade to a Masters in Public Health.

    

2. Continuing professional development You enrol in the modules April and September, but within the module, you do not need to stick to a strict timetable. You can download the course materials and work through these in your own time. You should take and of the quizzes that you find in the module so that you can show how you have improved your knowledge and skills. You will get a certificate of attendance at the end of the module from People-uni showing that you have completed an e-course. Please note this will not be a certificate for academic credit, and will depend on showing that you have looked at the resources and taken the quizzes.
    

What will I get out of doing this course? Click here to find out what former students have to say about their experience

Which is the right course for me? This guide will help you chose the method that is right for you. Answer the questions below which look at the style of learning best suited to you.
 

Why do you want to study at Peoples-uni?

1. I want to improve my knowledge of public health
2.  I want to apply what I learn to my current/future work
3.  I want to improve my career opportunities and this will help me in future job/course applications
4. I want to learn how to think critically and to critically review published literature
5. I want to learn how to write in an academic style, using referencing and writing structured essays
6. I want to join in online discussions with other students and tutors to contribute my reflections and experience to the topic and learn from others.

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions then you will benefit from learning at Peoples-uni!

Is the Continuing Professional Development stream the right choice for me?

If you answered 'no' to questions 4, 5 or 6 then the academic award stream is not the right choice for you at this stage and we suggest that you chose the Continuing Professional Development stream. You could always change to an academic award stream at a later stage when you have more time or want to improve your academic skills (critical reflection, essay writing etc).

Am I ready/do I have time to commit for an Academic Award?

If you answered ‘no’ to Questions 4, 5 or 6 then a Masters module is not the right choice for you at this stage. If you answered 'yes' to question 4, 5 and 6 then the academic award stream would be a good choice for you. It’s important to be realistic and think about whether you can commit the time for learning. The majority of those who in the past have not competed the course modules have given lack of time as the main reason. Have a good think about whether you can commit at least 5-10 hours a week to a module before you sign up.

Think about which of these might apply to you:

Characteristics of those who would benefit form learning in the Continuing Professional Development stream:

• I would prefer to learn at my own pace when I have free time
• I would like to access all the learning materials for a module at the same time and work through them at my own pace
• I would prefer to work through the materials on my own

Characteristics of those who would benefit form learning in the Academic Award stream:

• I would prefer to access the learning topic by topic over a 10 week period
• I would like to have a tutor to support my learning through discussion forums
• I have the time to participate in weekly discussion groups with other students

You may find this link to the Open University section on study skills useful

Support is available so don’t be put off if you don’t have the skills but would like to develop them.

Note: the enrolment process is the same for each stream, you can decide on your level of involvement after enrolment. 

If you have any questions about whether you are ready to enrol, and in which stream you should consider, please send a question through http://www.peoples-uni.org/contact