Advanced Social Marketing for Public Health

About This Programme

Advanced Social Marketing for Public Health is a non-credit continuing professional development (CPD) course run by the University of Birmingham at its Dubai campus, combining an in-person workshop with an optional online, self-paced course. Social marketing is a framework for health promotion included in the World Health Organization's European policy for health and well-being, Health 2020, and is named by the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) and the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH) as a key competency for the public health workforce. The course develops strategic thinking and communication skills and applies them creatively to public health problems. In the workshop, groups design a social marketing plan for a real issue of their choice; the online units then teach the social marketing planning framework at each participant's own pace, with personalised feedback from the tutor and other participants.

Course Highlights

• Social marketing is part of the World Health Organization's European Health 2020 policy and a public health workforce competency named by ASPHER and ASPPH.
• A hands-on, in-person workshop in Dubai in which groups design a social marketing plan for a real issue.
• An optional online course with one-to-one asynchronous discussion and personalised feedback from the tutor and other participants.
• A Certificate of Participation for participants who complete the course and take part in its discussions and exercises.

What You'll Study

The course opens with an in-person workshop at the University of Birmingham Dubai, where participants work in groups to design a social marketing plan addressing a real issue of their choice. An optional online, self-paced course follows over three to six weeks: three units, each with explanatory videos and readings leading to short knowledge checks, the chance to draft an outline plan for a social marketing campaign for feedback, one-to-one asynchronous discussion with the tutor, personalised feedback from the tutor and other participants, and a timetabled discussion hour with the tutor at the start and at the end. Assessment is by online quizzes. A Certificate of Participation is awarded to participants who complete the course and contribute to its discussions, exercises and assignments. Teaching staff listed on the course page are Dr Marco Bardus (Assistant Professor in Public Health, researching how to influence behaviours to prevent public and environmental health problems) and Dr Khalifa Elmusharaf (Associate Professor in Public Health and Director of the Public Health Programme, researching maternal health and the economics of non-communicable diseases).

Entry Requirements

Accreditation & Professional Recognition

Non-credit bearing: the course does not lead to an academic award and is not listed on the Commission for Academic Accreditation register. Participants who complete it receive a Certificate of Participation.

Programme Details