5 reasons to study sexual and reproductive health

Whether you already work in sexual and/or reproductive health or HIV or you simply want to develop expertise in this field, a postgraduate qualification in sexual and reproductive health could see you advancing healthy sexuality, increasing reproductive health and diminishing taboos in this field.

A healthy sexuality is more than a lack of diease. It includes a positive and respectful understanding of sexuality and sexual relationships, where expressions of sexuality can be pleasurable, free of coerscion and discrimination. A healthy sexuality can also include reproductive health.

Prepare for a career in sexual and reproductive health

Prevention and treatment of sexual and reproductive health issues requires a thorough understanding of the psychological and social contexts in which they occur as well as the biological and diagnostic aspects of sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing. Our postgraduate courses give you the skills to address these issues and enable you to specialise in one of four pathways which include HIV and STIs, Psychosexual Thearpy (Sexology/Sexual Health Counselling), Reproductive Health and Fertility, and Public Health.

Break taboos

Many people find the idea of a sexual or reproductive health check awkward or embarrassing. After all, it’s not every day someone you barely know asks you intimate details about your sex life or asks to examine your genitals. Gain the understanding to help people make informed choices about their sexual and/or reproductive health and the confidence to seek advice.

Educate

It is a human right of all people to decide if, when and with whom to have sex, and if and when to have children – free from discrimination, coercion and violence. By studying sexual and reproductive health you’ll be able to educate people about sex, sexuality and fertility.

Help address unwanted pregnancy

Over a third of all women who die from pregnancy-related causes did not want to be pregnant in the first place. Meeting the needs for effective contraception would avert 30 per cent of maternal deaths and 20 per cent of child deaths by supporting health timing and spacing of births and preventing unwanted pregnancy. Gain the understanding to address this area of reproductive and sexual health and improve the lives of women and children.

Make a difference in developing countries

Every year, millions of adults and children become infected with HIV and sexually transmitted infections resulting in considerable costs to society and in some cases death. These rates of infections present major public health concerns for developed and developing nations. A qualification in sexual and reproductive health can lead you to ease this burden-of-disease.

This course is available at a graduate certificate, graduate diploma, master's and advanced master's level. Courses are available online but involve some compulsory face-to-face teaching sessions.