More than six months’ work to rethink the degree programmes at the Department of Public Health is now finished at the strategic level. Work now continues in the boards of studies, who must translate the new vision into actual academic regulations and course descriptions.

2018.06.28 | Sabina Bjerre Hansen

After the summer holidays, the boards of studies will begin the next stage of the process. They will assess whether the department’s degree programmes should be adjusted so they live up to the vision and the strategic basis. Photo: Lars Kruse/AU.

The focal point in the task of developing the ten basic and further degree programmes that the Department of Public Health currently offers or makes a significant contribution to is that the programmes need match the reality that graduates meet after completing their education – also many years later.

Graduates from public health science, sport science and nursing, among others, need to be equipped to succeed in a changing world, and this requires that they are ready to deal with premises such as lifelong learning and constantly changing organisational frameworks.

For this reason, the key points in the new vision for the degree programmes at the Department of Public Health – which have just been approved by the Dean's Office at Health – include sharper profiles for the individual programmes, improved opportunities for interaction with the outside world and strong core expertise.

Individual degree programme need to stand out

The degree programmes at the Department of Public Health have a wide range of individual profiles and specific tracks, but also a certain degree of overlap. The department's portfolio of degree programmes therefore needs to be simplified, and the particular characteristics of each degree programme must be clearly defined.

"Taking the degree programme in public health science as an example, it’s important that we clarify the interdisciplinary competences which give our graduates an understanding of healthcare issues at individual, group and system level. We must also highlight their unique prerequisites for analysing and implementing health-promoting initiatives in society – both nationally and internationally," says Vice-dean for Education Charlotte Ringsted.

The new vision also prepares the ground for the degree programmes to provide greater support for entrepreneurship in the future. The programmes also need to contain elective elements and flexibility so that the individual student can pursue their own interests within the special subject areas.

"We are ambitious with our vision. Both for the sake of our students, but also for the population in general and for the healthcare sector as a whole. It is our responsibility to future-proof our degree programmes so that our graduates are always as prepared as possible for the labour market that awaits them. We also have an obligation to society in attempting to predict the future requirements for developments in the healthcare system and in contributing to better health and well-being in the population," says Charlotte Ringsted.

Next phase: implementation
The vision and the strategic basis, together with the consultation responses that were received, have been passed on to the boards of studies for the degree programmes at the department. They will now assess whether the strategic aspects provide grounds for changing the structure, content and composition of the programmes.

The steering committee headed by the vice-dean, which has worked on the strategic level, will continue to monitor this work and will keep the Dean's Office and the faculty management team informed.

Read the complete vision for the Department of Public Health’s degree programmes and read more about the ongoing work in the articles The vision for the department’s degree programmes are in consultation (in Danish only), Public health's degree programmes have great potential and Public health begins its vision and strategy work.

The vision for the degree programmes at public health is the final one at Health. Earlier this year, the new vision for the degree programmes at the Department of Dentistry and Oral Health was approved, while in December last year, the new vision for medicine was completed. 

Which degree programmes are included?

The Department of Public Health has eight degree programmes which are represented by three boards of studies, and which also contribute to the medical degree programme at both Bachelor’s and Master's level:

• The Bachelor’s degree programme in public health science
• The Master’s degree programme in public health science

• The Bachelor’s degree programme in sport science
• The Master’s degree programme in sport science

• The Master’s degree programme in health care
• The Master’s degree programme in optometry and visual science
• The Master’s degree programme in nursing
• The Master’s degree programme in clinical nursing      

Contact
Vice-dean for Education Charlotte Ringsted
Aarhus University, Health
Mobile: (+45) 9350 8222
Email: charlotte.ringsted@au.dk