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Public Health (Global Health) MPH/PGDip/PGCert

Start date
September
Duration
1 year full-time, 2-year part-time, up to 5-year flexible
Course Type
Postgraduate, Taught
Fees

Annual tuition fee for 2024/25:
UK: £10,530 full-time
International: £29,340 full-time
More details

Master in Public Health

The MPH (Global Health) is a strand of the Master in Public Health programme and is aimed at professionals already working, or aiming to work, in healthcare settings in low-and middle-income countries.

The MPH (Global Health) is an exit qualification from our Master Public Health (MPH) programme. Applications for the MPH (Global Health) strand are made through the standard Master in Public Health programme.

This modular, multidisciplinary programme in public health offers a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or a Masters qualification. It is an exciting and engaging programme developed in response to demand from public health professionals around the world, and delivered by global academic and field experts in public health and health systems. The course builds upon our well-established and successful Master of Public Health through the addition of modules that contextualise and apply public health topics and skills in relation to low- and middle- income countries.

The course follows the same structure as the standard MPH but includes extra compulsory modules. As well as the three core MPH modules, you will study two additional core modules:

You will also carry out a dissertation based upon research conducted on low - and middle - income country health or health systems topics. These can be based in Birmingham, such as systematic reviews and data analysis of large datasets, or based upon original data collection in the field, such as in immigrant communities living in the UK or in a low - or middle - income country (either your own country or where a supervisor has links). Supervisors are experts in a range of internationally relevant public health topics with projects in numerous low - and middle - income countries. Field trip work may be covered by supervisor grants but in most cases must be paid for by you and/or your sponsor(s), as the tuition fees do not include travel and field work expenses.

The MPH (Global Health) programme can be studied either full-time, part-time or over a maximum of five years by flexible learning. International students may only study the MPH (Global Health) full-time. Teaching takes place in one-week blocks. The course covers many of the areas necessary for sitting the Part A examination of the Faculty of Public Health.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

We also offer the following public health programmes:

  • The Master in Public Health, designed to provide academic training to professionals currently working in, or who wish to work in, the public health field.
  • The MPH (Statement of Extra Accredited Learning) programme. This programme provides a broader version of the Master of Public Health programme (230 instead of 180 credits). By being formally assessed and accredited in more modules, the MPH (Statement of Extra Accredited Learning) allows you to demonstrate your wider competency range.

Why study this course?

Our programme is an internationally recognised qualification in public health. It will equip you with a broad range of skills that are invaluable for:

  • the planning, management and evaluation of health services, for disease prevention, health protection and for health promotion.
  • developing a career in a wide range of professional settings, both within and outside public health and epidemiology.

The course also covers many of the areas necessary for sitting the Part A examination of the Faculty of Public Health.

Modules

Masters students will take 120 credits from the lists below and complete a 60-credit dissertation. Postgraduate Diploma students will take modules from the taught options below but will not undertake a dissertation. Those studying for a Postgraduate Certificate will take the Epidemiology Statistics and Research Methods module along with 40 credits from tiers 2/3.

For full details of all modules click on the module title below.

Core modules

Introduction to Public Health (not assessed)
Epidemiology Statistics and Research Methods (20 credits)
Practical Epidemiology and Statistics* (20 credits)
Health Information and Health Informatics* (10 credits)
Global Health* (10 credits)
Further Global Health* (20 credits)

Option modules (Tier 2)

At least 20 credits from tier 2 (up to a maximum of 40 credits for tier 2 and tier 3 optional modules)

You will choose modules from the list below:
Health Economics* (10 credits)
Introduction to Leadership and Management in Health* (10 credits)
Healthcare Public Health (10 credits)
Health Protection* (20 credits)
Sociology and Social Policy* (10 credits)
Health Improvement* (20 credits) 

Option modules (Tier 3)

You choose modules from the list below or any other Tier 2 module not already claimed:
Systematic Reviews and Evidence Synthesis* (20 credits)
Qualitative Research Methods* (20 credits)
Clinical Trials (MPH)* (20 credits)
Advanced Statistical Methods* (10 credits)
Building Foundations for Primary Care Team Effectiveness (20 credits)
Principles of the Delivery of Primary Health Care
 (20 credits) 

*These modules are available on a stand-alone basis. For more details click on the module title.

Please note you will choose your modules of specialisation for global health once you are on the programme.

Fees

2024/25

MPH

  • UK: £10,530 full-time; £5,265 part-time
  • International: £29,340 full-time

PGDip

  • UK: £7,020 full-time; £3,510 part-time
  • International: £19,560 full-time

PGCert

  • UK: £3,510
  • International: £9,780

Please note: there is a £50 non-refundable application fee for the full time course.

Home applicants will need to pay a £500 non-refundable deposit at the point of accepting an offer to study on a public health programme. The deposit is deducted from the fee balance when students join the course.

International applicants will need to pay a £2,000 non-refundable deposit to secure their place to study on a public health programme. The deposit is deducted from the fee balance when students join the course.

Learn more about fees and funding.

 

Postgraduate Loans for Masters students

As a UK resident you can apply for a government loan for postgraduate Masters study. This is a contribution towards the costs of study and whether the loan is used towards fees, maintenance or other costs will be at the discretion of the student.

Find out more about the Postgraduate Loan

How To Apply

How to apply for our taught postgraduate programmes

Application deadlines

The deadline for international students (including EU) to apply is 7 May 2024. The deadline for UK students is 30 August 2024.

Making your application

Applications must be made through the general Master of Public Health programme. You will then choose your modules to specialise in Global Health once you start the course.

Our Standard Requirements

2:1 Honours degree in a subject relevant to public health, including most clinical, life sciences and other quantitative degree programmes relevant to the practice of public health.  This also includes geography, sociology, economics, psychology, and many other relevant first degrees.

Applications are also welcome from medical students in the UK who wish to intercalate.

For the Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate certificate, applications are also considered from those without a relevant Bachelors degree but who hold a relevant professional qualification or have sufficient public health experience.

If you are unsure about your suitability for the programme, please get in touch with us at mph@contacts.bham.ac.uk

International Requirements



International Students

Academic requirements

We accept a range of qualifications, our country pages show you what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements

You can satisfy our English language requirements in two ways:

English to IELTS 6.5 (with a minimum of 6.0 in each component).

If you need help with your English language skills then support is available.

The English for Academic Purposes Presessional course is for international students who have a conditional offer to study at the University, but who do not currently meet the English language requirements. The course is tailored to your level of English and allows you to meet the English language requirements for your programme without retaking IELTS. The EAP programme runs throughout the year and offers different programme lengths ranging from 42 weeks to 6 weeks. The length of course you need depends on your future course, your existing IELTS score and the English level you need for your university degree.

Find out more about the English for Academic Purposes Presessional course.

As a Birmingham student, you will be joining the academic elite and will have the privilege of learning from world-leading experts, as well as your peers. From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.

We have two teaching terms per year, the autumn term and spring term. Term dates can be found on our website.

As a full-time student, you will typically take three modules in each term, followed by a dissertation. Depending on the modules you take, you can typically expect six to nine hours of classroom time per week, two or three per module. If you are a part-time student, you will typically take three modules across each year, followed by a dissertation for Masters students.

Each module represents a total of 200 hours of study time, including preparatory reading, homework and assignment preparation.

Teaching takes place in one-week blocks, and you will participate in a range of teaching styles such as lectures, small group tutorials, presentations, peer group learning, self-study etc.

You will have access to a comprehensive support system that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues.

Assessment Methods

Assessment is via a mixture of exams and assignments. If a module is assessed by assignments, you will usually have around four to five weeks to complete it after the module has finished. If a module is assessed by examination, these will take place at the end of May, except for the module 'Epidemiology and Statistics' which takes place before Christmas.

MPH Students complete their Masters degree by also undertaking a research project and writing a 10,000 - word dissertation. This provides an opportunity to pursue a specific area of public health in depth and to demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired during the taught part of the course. It is therefore undertaken only once the taught modules have been successfully completed.

Careers Support for Postgraduate Students

Careers Network – We can help you get ahead in the job market and develop your career

We recognise that as a postgraduate student you are likely to have specific requirements when it comes to planning for your next career step. Employers expect postgraduates to have a range of skills that exceed their subject knowledge. Careers Network offers a range of events and support services that are designed for all students, including postgraduates looking to find their niche in the job market. The Careers Network also have subject specific careers consultants and advisers for each College so you can be assured the information you receive will be relevant to your subject area. For more information visit the Careers Network website