Master of Public Health

at University of New South Wales

Program structure

Core courses

• Health Promotion and Social Perspectives of Health

• Foundations in Public Health and Health Care Systems

• Foundations of Epidemiology

• Foundations of Biostatistics

Elective courses

You can choose four courses from the following:

• UNSW School of Population Health (SPH) courses

• Arizona State University (ASU) Medicine courses

Articulation

The graduate certificate and graduate diploma provide an articulation pathway into the Master of Public Health. 

• Graduate Certificate in Public Health

• Graduate Diploma in Public Health

Specialisations

You can choose to study a broad Master of Public Health or complete a specialised program of study.

• Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing
  
  Enhance the capacity of the primary health care, public health, allied health and community development sectors to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health. This specialisation equips people for careers developing interventions into the physical, psychosocial, cultural and environmental determinants of Indigenous Australians’ health and wellbeing.

• Epidemiology 
  
  Learn how implement the principles of epidemiology that underpin public health programs and policies. You’ll gain sector-needed advanced epidemiological and biostatistical skills. This specialisation is suitable for students who want to transition to a career in quantitative research methods in public health.

• Health Economic Evaluation
  
  Gain an understanding of the use and purpose of economic analyses in population health. You’ll learn how to apply economic evaluation to assess the costs and benefits of healthcare programs. This specialisation is suitable for students who want to transition to a career in health economics.

• Health Promotion
  
  Public health practice requires consideration of social determinants, health policies, equity gaps and social justice. This specialisation focuses on social understandings of health. It will equip you for a career taking a multi-sectoral approach to promoting health through research, practice, policy and advocacy.

• Infectious Diseases Control
  
  Learn the principles and practice of disease surveillance and fundamentals of outbreak investigation. This specialisation explores methods of disease control including vaccination, treatment programs and processes for containing emerging infections such as pandemic influenza.

• International Health
  
  Explore global health and development from a public health perspective. This specialisation provides students with the skills and knowledge to address key health issues in low and middle income countries. It also enables students to contribute effectively to international health development.

• Primary Health Care
  
  Learn how to contribute and respond to current developments in primary health care services. Primary care is a critical component of any health system, with the potential to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the whole health system. This specialisation explores the role of primary care and integrated care in improving the health of populations.

• Public Security
  
  Gain a strong grounding in public health combined with the health aspects of disasters, emergency management and crises. This specialisation is particularly aimed at first-responders, analysts or policy makers from health, emergency management, law enforcement, military or related backgrounds.

• Social Research
  
  The solutions to health problems often lie outside health systems or departments – in social policy, urban design or the penal system, to name a few.  This specialisation will provide you with expertise in the methods and practices needed to develop public health responses which meet community needs

Extension and dual degree options

You can choose to extend your Master of Public Health degree or combine it with another degree.

Extension degree: An extension to this degree includes a research component.

• Master of Public Health (Extension)

Dual degrees: Complete two degrees in 1.7 years of full-time study. 

• Master of Health Leadership and Management/Master of Public Health

• Master of Global Health/Master of Public Health

• Master of Public Health/Master of Infectious Diseases Intelligence

Dual degrees + research extension: Complete two degrees with a research focus in two years of full-time study. This option includes an extension component where you’ll complete additional electives including a research project or a research methodology course. 

• Master of Public Health (Extension)/Master of Health Leadership and Management

• Master of Public Health/Master of Health Leadership and Management (Extension)

• Master of Public Health (Extension)/Master of Global Health

• Master of Global Health (Extension)/Master of Public Health

• Master of Public Health (Extension)/Master of Infectious Diseases Intelligence

• Master of Public Health/Master of Infectious Diseases Intelligence (Extension)

For entry into this program, you must have one of the following:

• An undergraduate degree in a field relevant to public health or health management and two years full-time professional or volunteer experience. This may also include equivalent professional experience acquired as part of a degree of four or more years duration (e.g., MBBS, MD).

• An undergraduate degree plus an honours or postgraduate degree in a field relevant to public health or health management.

In exceptional circumstances, applicants with extensive relevant professional work experience (e.g., hospital-trained nurses, paramedics, Aboriginal health workers) may be considered. A minimum of five years full-time relevant professional experience is required and an interview with the School of Population Health may be conducted.

Relevant fields

Examples of relevant fields include, but are not restricted to:

• medicine

• nursing 

• allied health

• health sciences

• biomedical sciences

• dentistry

• sociology

• behavioural and social sciences

• psychology

• marketing

• human services

• emergency services

• environmental health

• veterinary science

• health administration

• business

• management

• engineering 

• law 

• science 

• mathematics and statistics

• economics

• policy studies

• development studies.

Indicative First Year Fee

AU $49,000

Future careers

There’s strong demand in Australia and globally for professionals with specialised interdisciplinary skills in Public Health. The Master of Public Health can lead to a career in:

• government departments and ministries of health

• public health networks

• local area health services

• universities and research institutes

• international health policy and funding institutions

• non-governmental agencies

• mental health services

• Indigenous health organisations.