Overview
- Degree awarded
- Master of Public Health
- Duration
- 1 year full-time (on campus)
- Entry requirements
-
We require a minimum of an Upper Second honours degree or the overseas equivalent .
If you have obtained a Lower Second class honours degree we may still consider your application if you have significant relevant research or professional experience (e.g. 3-years or more in a public health team).
BSc Public Health students
This course is available to you following successful completion of your BSc with an Upper Second classification.
- How to apply
Please apply via our online application form. See the application and selection section for details of the supporting documents we require.
We recommend you apply as early as possible. We reserve the right to close applications if the course is full.
Course options
| Full-time | Part-time | Full-time distance learning | Part-time distance learning | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPH | Y | N | N | N |
Course overview
"The team at Manchester exposed me to a highly effective manner of teaching and made learning worthwhile.
"The skills and knowledge that I have acquired are already impacting on my professional and personal development. I am definitely a better teacher, doctor and researcher as a result!"
Ogochukwu Okoye / Master of Public Health (2016 graduate)
- Learn the skills and knowledge you need to understand the concept of public health in the context of globalisation.
- Specialise in a highly topical subject area with consequences of relevance to all aspects of public health.
- Open up a career in health science research if you undertake a PhD after completing this course.
- Some units can be taken as credited CPD through our Public Health Professional Development programme.
- This is an on-campus, full-time course.
Open days
The University holds regular open days, where you will have the opportunity to tour the campus and find out more about our facilities and courses. On this day, you will find out more about the course and meet academic and admissions staff who will be able to answer any questions you have. For more information, see Open days .
Fees
For entry in the academic year beginning September 2025, the tuition fees are as follows:
-
MPH (full-time)
UK students (per annum): £13,000
International, including EU, students (per annum): £28,500
Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.
The fees quoted above will be fully inclusive for the course tuition and administration costs during your studies.
All fees for entry may be subject to a yearly review and incremental rises per annum are also likely over the duration of courses lasting more than a year.
For general fees information please visit postgraduate fees.
You may be eligible for a postgraduate loan if you choose the one-year full-time or two-year part-time course. Please check the government's eligibility criteria.
The course fees include all the tuition, technical support and assessments required for the course.
Costs may be incurred for travel, subsistence and accommodation charges during the optional Geneva Winter School.
Additional expenses
Cost of AP(E)L
The University permits applicants with comparable previous experience to submit an application for consideration of Accreditation Prior (Experiential) Learning (AP(E)L). The maximum AP(E)L is 15 credits to a certificate, 45 credits to a diploma and 60 credits to a master's. If an AP(E)L application is successful, the University charges £30 for every 15 credits of AP(E)L. The overall tuition fee is adjusted and administrative charges applied.
Policy on additional costs
All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).
Scholarships/sponsorships
Equity and Merit Scholarships
We offer Equity and Merit Scholarships to academically excellent students. Please see the Equity and Merit website.
Manchester Alumni Scholarship Schemes
If you're a current or recent student at The University of Manchester and plan to start a master's course, you may be eligible for our Manchester Alumni Scholarship Schemes.
For the latest scholarship and bursary information please visit the fees and funding page .
Contact details
- School/Faculty
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
- Contact name
- Postgraduate Admissions Team
- Telephone
- +44 (0)161 529 4563
- pgtaught.mph@manchester.ac.uk
- Website
- https://www.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/study/public-health-data/masters/
- School/Faculty
-
Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health
Courses in related subject areas
Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.
Entry requirements
Academic entry qualification overview
We require a minimum of an Upper Second honours degree or the overseas equivalent .
If you have obtained a Lower Second class honours degree we may still consider your application if you have significant relevant research or professional experience (e.g. 3-years or more in a public health team).
BSc Public Health students
This course is available to you following successful completion of your BSc with an Upper Second classification.
English language
International students must demonstrate English proficiency through a secure and approved testing system. We ask for English language proof from applicants from non-majority English-speaking countries (a list of majority English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Home Office ).
Specifically, we require a minimum of:
- IELTS: 6.5 overall (with minimum of 6.0 in all components).
- TOEFL iBT: 90 overall (with minimum of 22 in each component).
See further information about requirements for your country.
If the language of instruction of your first degree was English, but you obtained the degree from a university of a non-majority English-speaking country, the English language requirement may be waived for applicants on our Personal Professional Development CPD programme only, provided written evidence is submitted.
The Personal Professional Development CPD programme is not award-bearing and allows you to complete up to three units from the MPH syllabus. After successfully completing this level of the course, students could then be considered for progression to the award-bearing levels of our course, through re-application.
English language test validity
Application and selection
How to apply
Please apply via our online application form. See the application and selection section for details of the supporting documents we require.
We recommend you apply as early as possible. We reserve the right to close applications if the course is full.
Advice to applicants
Your application form must be accompanied by the following supporting documents:
- An academic reference on letter headed paper or sent from a work email. A professional reference can be provided in instances where you have been out of university for more than 3 years. We do not contact referees directly so please inform them yourself.
- Copies of official degree certificates (with translations if not in English) if you have already graduated.
- Copies of official university transcripts (with translations if not in English).
- A personal statement (approximately 300-500 words) about why you wish to take this course and how it will affect your personal and professional development. This statement should try and refer to your current role.
- Full CV including any voluntary experience.
- Proof of English language proficiency (if required).
Supporting documents can be uploaded with the online application form or sent directly to pgtaught.mph@manchester.ac.uk .
After applying, please do not submit documents in any other way without telling us first so we can provide you with the most efficient service.
Please make sure you include your University ID number on any correspondence and do not send any documents before you have submitted your application
How your application is considered
The Programme Director will review your application on receipt of all required supporting documentation.
Applicants are considered on an academic and relevant professional experience basis, based on all information provided.
Interview requirements
Deferrals
Re-applications
Course details
Course description
Our face-to-face, campus-based Master of Public Health course meets the training needs of health professionals around the world who are interested in a career in public or global health, or those seeking new skills in this area.
Contemporary public health practice requires practitioners to be adaptable and flexible, with a broad experience of a range of subject areas.
As public health is a rapidly changing and interdisciplinary field, our course is constantly evolving with new units and topics being introduced regularly to ensure that you are at the forefront of contemporary public health practice. We also have additional learning opportunities through our research and CPD programme that deal with the hot topics in public health and primary care.
This course will equip you with:
- the skills and knowledge to apply to public health concerns at local, national and international level;
- the ability to apply relevant theory and scientific principles to practical situations;
- the capability of meeting core-competencies in public health;
- an understanding of health, disease and health systems in a wider global context.
You can see what our Student Ambassadors have to say about our MPH course and contact them with any questions.
PhD with integrated master's
If you're planning to undertake a PhD after your master's, our Integrated PhD programme will enable you to combine your postgraduate taught course with a related PhD project in biology, medicine or health.
You can also visit this page for examples of projects related to integrated master's courses.
Special features
Expert teaching
You will be taught by professionals working in the field of local, national and international public health. There is an emphasis on applying your learning to real life public health issues.
Learn with students from around the world
You will be able to mix with students from a range of disciplines from all over the world. We have over 2,000 alumni from more than 80 countries.
Additional course information
We run induction sessions for all new students starting our Public Health and Primary Care courses.
Face-to-face induction
A face-to-face induction is held at the University at the beginning of the academic year.
The induction is designed to introduce you to the content and technology used throughout the course. It is also an opportunity for you to meet academic and support staff.
You are required attend the face-to-face induction.
The face-to-face induction includes:
- an introduction to the course units;
- an opportunity to meet tutors and administrators;
- an introduction to the online learning environment;
- an introduction to the library and e-resources at Manchester;
- an opportunity to present your work and hear about work undertaken by other students
Confirmation of attendance on the face-to-face induction will be sought once you have applied for the course.
Teaching and learning
Our course units are delivered using a mixture of online content supplemented by face-to-face seminars and lectures. A learning structure with a recommended pace is in place throughout the course unit, with specific deadlines for all summative assessments.
Our course units require your participation throughout, which require a mandatory face-to-face element.
Coursework and assessment
You will use a number of assessed and non-assessed activities to develop key skills and expand your knowledge base. There are no written exams; assessment is based on assignments and other activities such as group work.
Course unit details
You will be required to take ten compulsory 15 credit units and a critical review for 30 credits, across the three semesters. This is to allow you to benefit from the full breadth of public health practice.
All face-to-face activities will be planned in advance and will be compulsory, including the induction.
You will have the opportunity to conduct a detailed critical reflection and evidence-based review relating to a public health question or topic. It shares some similarities to the preliminary sections of a dissertation, but with a lower word count.
Course unit list
The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.
| Title | Code | Credit rating | Mandatory/optional |
|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Review (F2F MPH) | POPH63190 | 30 | Mandatory |
| Evidence Based Practice (On Campus) | POPH67101 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Communicable Disease Control (on campus) | POPH67201 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Global Health into the 21st Century (on campus) | POPH67301 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Intercultural Public Health | POPH67401 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Health Improvement (on campus) | POPH67502 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Business, Media & Health on campus | POPH67602 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Climate Change and Health (on campus) | POPH67702 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Practical Statistics for Population Health | POPH67802 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Nutrition & Public Health (on campus) | POPH67902 | 15 | Mandatory |
| Displaying 10 of 12 course units | |||
| Display all course units | |||
What our students say
See blog posts from our students about public health on the Biology, Medicine and Health Student Blog .
You can also see what our student ambassadors have to say about our MPH course and contact them with any questions.
Facilities
Disability support
CPD opportunities
We offer a number of our units as standalone credited CPD courses through our Personal Professional Development programme in public health and primary care.
Careers
Career opportunities
A career in public health offers diverse opportunities in a variety of settings. If you take this specialism, you will be prepared to pursue a career in a diverse range of settings. This course will allow you to understand health systems in different contexts and settings, providing you with an understanding of global health that will prepare you for careers around the world.
Some of our students use their expertise and qualifications to help them move into predominantly public health-related roles. You can see the occupations that some of our MPH students and graduates work in on the student ambassadors page . You can also get in touch with them to ask questions about the course.
There are a range of resources offered by the University and the Faculty of Public Health, a membership organisation for public health professionals in the UK and around the world, to help you think about how a Master of Public Health can aid your career path.
- Healthcare Careers (University Careers Service)
- Finding international jobs - information for students looking for opportunities outside the UK (University Careers Service)
- Public Health training scheme (Faculty of Public Health)
International resources