布里斯托大學(xué)

Programme overview

Health and wellbeing research asks how we can improve human health and wellbeing by reducing health inequalities, tackling the social determinants of poor health, increasing healthy behaviours and improving public health. Understanding how the conditions in which people are “born, grow, live, work and age” (World Health Organisation, Social Determinants of Health) act to protect or harm their health requires an interdisciplinary approach at the interface of social and biomedical sciences.

This programme is one of five South West Doctoral Training Partnership interdisciplinary pathways that are delivered in partnership with the University of Bath, University of the West of England and University of Exeter.

Students on this pathway acquire a range of skills to develop and evaluate strategies to improve health. Core training in research methods supports optional units drawn from a diverse field including public health interventions, public health law, psychology of health behaviours, disability studies, poverty and inequality, global health and gendered violence. We hope our students’ work will make a major impact on our understanding of the social science that underpins health and wellbeing.

Careers

The MRes in Health and Wellbeing offers useful preparation for a number of careers. Foremost, the MRes is the academic basis and preparation for students choosing the Health and Wellbeing interdisciplinary pathway at the SWDTP (the first year is the MRes and the +3 the PhD).

The MRes emphasises ESRC-accredited research methods training, the ability to plan, research and write a sophisticated dissertation, and the ability to think in broad theoretical and interdisciplinary terms about grand challenges in health. These provide an ideal introduction to a career in research.

The skills of research and writing, which are central to the programme, are invaluable for work in policy and planning. Our students are well placed for research and information careers with local government, Public Health England, national or international charities or other health organisations.

Many of our students already have established careers as health providers, and this programme has allowed them to progress in these roles or shift their focus to research and communications careers.