BA (Hons) in Health Promotion
Course code: WD124

What is Health Promotion?

Health Promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health.

What is the BA (Hons) in Health Promotion course?

The BA (Hons) in Health Promotion is a full-time four year honours degree course, which prepares students for employment in the health or allied health sector.  The overall aim of the course is to educate health promotion specialists who have the core skills to work with a wide variety of population groups, and in a wide range of settings.

Career Opportunities

• Health Promotion Posts (Physical Activity, Smoking Cessation, Sexual Health, Men’s Health, etc) in the Health Service Executive
• Community Development
• Corporate wellness/workplace health promotion
• Primary Care Setting/Public Health
• School Setting - Social, Personal, Health Education
• Youth Work
• Working with agencies for the Older Adult, Disabled, Disadvantaged and Marginalised Groups
• Health Promotion Leadership
• Local Authority Initiatives/County Councils

Work Placement

There is a 16 week placement in third year of the course.  The primary aim is to introduce the student to practical health promotion settings and provide the student with a broader skill base. 

To date students have been placed in the following settings: Health Service Executives, Health Promotion Depts, Hospitals e.g. Occupational Health Dept, Youth Services, Adolescent Health and Information Projects, Community Projects and Adult Education Service, V.E.C.s. 

Students can also organise an international placement in Voluntary Organisations. e.g. The Future Factory, Cape Town, South Africa or Corporate Wellness e.g. Well-being Centre @ Microsoft Ltd, Reading, England.

Study Abroad

WIT has study abroad agreements for students on the BA in Health Promotion. The aim of study abroad is to develop international understanding and to share knowledge through full-time study at a foreign university.

Follow on Study

Opportunities for postgraduate research exist in WIT in the health promotion field and in Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE).

Course Outline

Semester 1	Semester 2
Social Personal Health Education 1 Written Communications Introduction to Research Methods Human Anatomy & Physiology Principles of Health Promotion Health Promotion Leadership	Lifespan Development Communication & Presentation Skills Data & Measurement Biomolecules & Cells Lifestyle Skills for Key Populations Physical Activity & Wellness
Semester 3	Semester 4
Sociology of Health Behaviour Nutrition Communication Media Physical Health & Disease Social Personal Health Education 2 Lifestyle Guidance	Psychology of Health Behaviour Mental Health & Wellness Research Methods & Statistics Practical Communication Media Skills Health Promotion in Key Settings Working with Key Populations
Semester 5
Work Placement
Semester 6 - 8
Other topics of study in semester 6 to 8 include: Philosophy of Health, Lifestyle Modification Skills, Advanced Research Methods & Statistics, Community Development, Communications and Marketing, Health Screening & Assessment, Placement, Dissertation, Public Health, Health Psychology, Health Promotions Marketing, Food, Health & Lifestyle and Advanced Health Promotion in Key Settings.  Electives on offer are: Health Promotion for at Risk Youth, Disabilities & Advocacy, Gender & Health, Workplace Health Promotion, SPHE, GP Exercise Referral and Older Adult. *Elective options are subject to numbers applying

Course Facts

Course Title: BA (Hons) in Health Promotion
Course Code: WD124
Course Level: 8
Duration: 4 years

Course Entry

Leaving Certificate:

• Number of subjects at grade D or better: 6
• Number at higher level grade C or better: 2

Required Subjects:

• English/Irish: OD3/HD3
• Mathematics: OD3/HD3

For further information:

Course Leader: Dr Niamh Murphy
Email: nmurphy@wit.ie

Recent Entry Points

Year	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Minimum Points	300	305	300	320	305

See also

• WIT Admissions Office