Overview

The Master of Public Health (MPH) programme online has been designed for busy health professionals looking to gain a recognised qualification from a top UK university while continuing to work at the same time.

This course will provide students with a systematic and critical understanding of the key concepts underlying public health. Through its alignment with the Public Health Skills and Knowledge Framework this course will develop your ability to undertake independent research culminating in a dissertation project as a capstone to your studies.

The MPH course is the most comprehensive of our Public Health programmes, incorporating the opportunity to complete an independent piece of original research.

Building on the Postgraduate Diploma module base, you will also study research design and critical appraisal and complete a dissertation project of your choosing. In addition, you will have the opportunity to complete two further optional modules to tailor your study further. The course culminates in the completion of a dissertation research project where you will have the opportunity to put what you have learned into practice and demonstrate your ability to undertake independent research.

Funding for health professionals

Please see our tuition fee discounts and scholarships page for information on possible sources of funding.

Course structure

The Master of Public Health (MPH) programme is made up of the following modules and, upon completion, is equal to a total of 180 credits at Level 7.

Level 7 modules:

• Health Promotion (20 Credits)
• Topics in Public Health (20 Credits)
• Health Needs Assessment and Priority Setting (20 Credits)
• Epidemiology (20 Credits)*
• Advanced Practice in Healthcare (20 Credits)*
• Research Methods (20 Credits)*
• Dissertation (60 Credits)*

* These modules are core and must be completed in order to achieve the award.

Learning and assessment

Introduction

Studying online gives you the freedom to study when and where it suits you – at home, during your lunch hour or anywhere else you have internet access.

All of our online courses have an indicative study duration which is a guide to how long your course will take to complete. The actual duration may be longer or shorter depending on your speed of study, study options chosen and module availability. It’s possible to complete your studies faster than the indicative course duration by doubling up on modules at certain times; however, minimum study durations do apply.

All of our courses have regular start dates throughout the year. Our academic year is organised into modules, typically with a one- or two-week break between modules and a structured three-week break for the Christmas period. Students will receive a course timetable during the application process.

Teaching methods and style

As we are a 100% online university, we utilise a Virtual Learning Environment instead of a traditional campus. The system tracks and manages the learning process in real-time and provides you with immediate access to your learning materials.

This learning platform allows both students and tutors to actively take part in real-time conversations and you can listen to, and view, live lectures and seminars over the internet. All courses are delivered in English only.

You are supported throughout your course by a dedicated Student Adviser and have the opportunity to regularly interact with fellow students and your tutor. To ensure you receive the support you need from your tutor, we cap our class sizes at 20 students.

Assessment

Our MPH course includes both compulsory and optional modules, so you can tailor the content of your course to more closely fit your interests and aspirations.

We adopt an assignment-based approach to assessment instead of exams. Assessment for the MPH will be based on a combination of written assignments, engagement in online discussion forums and the completion of a dissertation based on an individual research project.

You will be able to see your current provisional marks from the start of the programme, allowing you to evaluate the success of your current study methods and clearly identify areas to improve. We believe that this transparency gives you the information you need to make the most of your Masters course.

We achieve this by:

• showing your marks clearly in your gradebook, which can be viewed whenever you log onto the learning platform;
• the rapid turnaround of work assessed to ensure that your gradebook is always up to date;
• assessing your work throughout the module rather than waiting for end of year exams;
• ensuring you have regular contact with your Student Adviser; and
• the simplicity and transparency in the design of our assessment criteria.

We also have a policy of ensuring that work submitted by students is authentic. As well as the fact that all work is frequently assessed, we use a well-established electronic monitoring system to check for plagiarism.

On successful completion of your MPH qualification, you will be invited to attend a graduation ceremony at the University of Essex, Colchester Campus.

Career prospects

We are dedicated to improving employability amongst our graduates. Our online courses give you the opportunity to improve your career prospects and earning potential with a mix of key skills that are directly transferable to the workplace.

As an MPH graduate, together with your previous experience , knowledge, skills and training, you will be well prepared to enter an array of roles in professions revolving around public health. These include:

• Public Health Project Officer
• Public Health Project Manager
• Public Health Research Assistant
• Public Health Research Associate/Fellow
• Public Health Intelligence Officer
• Data Analyst
• Health Communication Officer
• Health Improvement Officer
• Health Improvement Manager
• Health Protection Specialist
• Strategic Health Officer
• Policy Officer
• Public Health Consultant
• Service Improvement Manager
• Academic
• Healthy Living Officer
• Health and Well-being Project Officer
• Health Visitor
• Allied Health Professional Leader
• Community Health Officer
• Health Promotion Officer
• Health Promotion Manager

This is not an exhaustive list of roles available and many others exist, though these job titles are indicative of the most common roles offered within Public Health. In addition, depending on your previous study or training, further opportunities may exist.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

We have flexible entry requirements that look at both your academic and work-based experience as well as your motivation to do the course. There are two entry routes onto our MSc Public Health (MPH) programme:

1. Academic Entry Route

In order to satisfy the Academic Entry Route requirements for our MPH programme you must have the following qualifications as a minimum:

• An undergraduate degree from an approved institution equivalent to a UK Honours degree or a relevant professional qualification.

English language proficiency should be at a level equivalent to IELTS (Academic) 6.5. If you do not hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification, we require students to pass a free online English test.

You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of, or if you have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.

2. Work Experience Entry Route

We recognise that you can gain skills in a wide variety of ways and that prior academic performance is not the only indicator of an applicant’s ability. Therefore, if you do not meet the minimum academic standards above, you may still be eligible to enrol via our Work Experience Entry Route.

In order to satisfy the Work Experience Entry Route requirements for our MPH programme you must meet the following criteria as a minimum:

• At least 5 years’ relevant senior level work experience.
• English language proficiency should be at a level equivalent to IELTS (Academic) 6.5.
• If you do not hold an IELTS or equivalent qualification, we require students to pass a free online English test.

You don’t need to prove your knowledge of English if you’re a national of, or if you have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.

Your application will be considered on an individual basis taking into account your motivation for doing the course, prior work experience, CPD and other relevant qualifications that demonstrate your ability to successfully complete the programme.

21-day money back guarantee

If you enrol on our MPH programme but decide that online learning isn’t for you, we will allow you to withdraw within 21 days of the start date stated on your offer letter. If you have paid an initial deposit up front, you will receive a full refund.

Related courses

• PG Cert Public Health
• PG Dip Public Health