MSc Public Health
Overview
This MSc will prepare you for a public health career in settings such as health services, government, research and the not-for-profit sector. You will gain core skills and knowledge that are applicable for public health work in the UK and internationally. These include critically appraising evidence, analysing and interpreting data, research methods, and applying methods to protect health, prevent ill-health and improve health services. The programme is suitable for students from clinical and non-clinical backgrounds.
The MSc covers the principles and practice of public health, health improvement, health protection, epidemiology and statistics, research methods and evaluation, health economics, ethics and healthcare services. You will learn from public health professionals, including colleagues from Public Health England, including colleagues from UK Health Security Agency local government and the National Health Service, in addition to research-led teaching from multidisciplinary academic experts.
Your dissertation - which can be based on either the ALSPAC cohort, a literature review, qualitative data or your own research topic - will take the form of a journal article and opens the possibility of publication. The programme covers many parts of the Faculty of Public Health's Diplomate Exam.
The Department of Population Health Sciences has international excellence in research methods, health protection research, and developing and evaluating public health interventions. The Centre for Public Health is a member of the National Institute of Health Research's School for Public Health and Health Protection Research Unit in Behavioural Science and Evaluation.
Watch our video to learn more about the programme, discover what you'll be studying and hear from postgraduate students.
Programme structure
Teaching methods include lectures, practicals, group work, workshops and seminars. Teaching will take place on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays for full-time students.
For part-time students studying over two years, teaching will take place on Mondays and Tuesdays in year one and on Thursdays in year two.
All taught units are compulsory, as is the dissertation, which is undertaken in the final term and over the summer. Taught units will contribute 120 credits to the overall degree, while the research dissertation contributes 60 credits.
Visit our programme catalogue for full details of the structure and unit content for our MSc in Public Health.
Entry requirements
An upper second-class honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant degree: medicine, veterinary science, dentistry, pharmacy, biomedical and biological sciences, statistics, geography, politics, psychology, and social sciences. Preference will be given to candidates with excellent academic results in their undergraduate degree and demonstrated interest in public health through work experience, volunteering or research. Additionally, evidence of numeracy skills is required (for example, a minimum of GCSE mathematics at grade B or evidence of strong numeracy skills from an undergraduate degree).
See international equivalent qualifications on the International Office website.
Read the programme admissions statement for important information on entry requirements, the application process and supporting documents required.
If English is not your first language, you will need to reach the requirements outlined in our profile level B.
Further information about English language requirements and profile levels.
Fees and funding
- UK: full-time
- £11,300 per year
- UK: part-time (two years)
- £5,650 per year
- Overseas: full-time
- £24,900 per year
Fees are subject to an annual review. For programmes that last longer than one year, please budget for up to an 8% increase in fees each year.
More about tuition fees, living costs and financial support.
Alumni discount
University of Bristol students and graduates can benefit from a 25% reduction in tuition fees for postgraduate study. Check your eligibility for an alumni discount.
Funding for 2023/24
International scholars from Chevening, Commonwealth, Fulbright and Marshall are welcome to apply for this MSc.
Further information on funding for prospective UK and international postgraduate students.
Career prospects
Graduates from our MSc are working for UK Health Security Agency, local government, charities and universities in a range of public health roles including health improvement, health protection, systematic reviews, cohort studies and data analysis.
The MSc prepares students to move into careers which, with further work experience and training, would enable them to work in roles such as consultant in public health, director of public health, strategic director of health charities, public health government policy advisers, and lecturers, senior lecturers and professors of public health.
Contact us
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- choosebristol-pg@bristol.ac.uk
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