Universities United Kingdom Cardiff University Courses Public Health (MPH)

Public Health (MPH)
at Cardiff University

Cardiff, United Kingdom

Tuition Fee £ 23,450
Country Rank-
Duration12 Months
Score IELTS: 6.5

Program Overview

The Master’s in Public Health programme is multi-disciplinary and trans-professional in both its content and the students it generally attracts. The MPH has been run successfully in Cardiff since 1989 and has a national and international reputation.

Delivered by leading experts in the broad field of public health, our Master of Public Health (MPH) programme provides a high quality, evidence based, multi-disciplinary learning experience.

A well-established and internationally renowned programme, the MPH develops public health professionals to become leaders in the protection and promotion of population and planetary health and wellbeing.

Applicants are encouraged to apply from a range of backgrounds, from medical and health professionals to analysts, computer and data scientists, engineers, architects, planners, environmental health officers, journalists, lawyers, economists, innovators, entrepreneurs and business professionals. This represents the interdisciplinary nature of public health research and practice, in line with the World Health Organisation Health In All Policies approach.

This is a full-time, face to face programme, delivered in 1 academic year. It consists of 6 core modules that will help you explore the fundamentals of epidemiology, critically apply statistical methods in public health and apply epidemiological principles in a public health context.

It will also provide you with the expertise to promote and lead change through engaging with health policy, leadership and management research and theory. It will support you in making strategic decisions about health protection and improvement and will allow you to apply your learning on the programme by the critical evaluation of relevant case study scenarios in this field.

To gain the Master’s qualification, you will be undertake a final dissertation project, agreed with your supervisor, on a suitable public health topic. Dissertation projects can be undertaken on a range of topics, from research, service evaluation, innovation or entrepreneurship across health protection, health improvement, or healthcare public health. You will be fully supported by a dissertation supervisor and the programme faculty.

The course aims to provide you with the knowledge to:

Quantitatively and qualitatively assess the population’s health and health needs, including the determinants and status of health and well-being and development of effective action
Critically evaluate the evidence relating to the effectiveness of health and healthcare interventions, programmes and services
Reflect on theory and evidence, synthesising findings to promote the health of populations by influencing lifestyle and socio-economic, physical and cultural environment through methods of health promotion, including health education
Synthesise contemporaneous evidence bases and key guidelines to protect the public’s health from communicable and environmental hazards
Collect, generate, synthesise, appraise, analyse, interpret and communicate intelligence that measures the health status, risks, needs and health outcomes of defined populations
Strategically develop, manage, and lead innovative and inter-sectoral solutions to tackle contemporary problems, such as global climate change, environmental pollution, antimicrobial resistance, obesity and non-communicable diseases.

Distinctive features

The MPH is a required course for public health trainees in Wales preparing for the examination for membership of the Faculty of Public Health.
Course content fits closely with the syllabus of the UK Faculty of Public Health Membership examination. A long-running programme with a national and international reputation, the curriculum takes account of the changing nature of public health practice globally.
Our public health case study workshops give you an opportunity to reflect on your learning to tackle a range of scenarios. We focus on contemporary issues that can be as far-ranging as planetary health, antimicrobial resistance, mental health, lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases, to Big Data, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain and digital health.
Uniquely, Cardiff University’s position in the heart of the Welsh capital provides students with access to a full range of public bodies including the Welsh Assembly Government, NHS Trusts and Public Health Wales.
Our collaboration with Public Health Wales offers opportunities to join the Health Intelligence Team and participate in real-world public health investigations and applied research.

Course Content
The full-time MPH lasts for a total of 50 weeks, and consists of two stages – “stage T” (taught stage) and “stage R” (research dissertation stage):a taught stage and a research dissertation stage.

Taught stage

This stage lasts for approximately nine months, and consists of six 20-credit modules, totalling 120 credits, at Level 7.

You will study four core modules plus choose two specialty modules.

You may exit after this stage with a Postgraduate Certificate if you have gained at least 60 credits, only where this includes the award of credit for three out of four of the required modules.

You may exit after this stage with a Postgraduate Diploma if you have gained at least 120 credits, only where this includes the award of credit for all required modules.

Research Dissertation stage

This stage lasts for a further three months, and includes a dissertation of 60 credits at Level 7, to achieve a combined total of 180 credits at Level 7 to complete the MPH programme.

The modules shown are an example of the typical curriculum and will be reviewed prior to the 2022/23 academic year. The final modules will be published by September 2022.

Teaching for core modules is delivered on a Wednesday of each week and all students need to attend. In addition, full-time students will attend teaching sessions for two optional module across the academic year, days dependent upon module choices.

The Course Handbook will provide the course content for these days and in addition to attendance, independent study is also required.

The final optional module details including their days of delivery will be published by September 2021.
Entry Requirement
The course is suitable for those from a wide range of health backgrounds, including dentistry, environmental health, health information, health planning, health promotion, health service evaluation, health service management, social work, medicine, veterinary medicine, nutrition, and nursing. In addition to satisfying the Cardiff University General Entrance Requirements, including English Language requirements, applicants will normally possess an initial degree in Medicine, Dentistry, Public Health or other related field or a cognate subject, awarded by a recognised Institution, at 2:1 level or higher.

Non-graduates may also be accepted provided the applicant is able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Head of School or nominee that they have held, for a minimum period of two years, a position of responsibility relevant to the programme.

You will also need to provide an academic or professional reference to support your application. Your referee should comment on your academic ability, motivation for public health, work ethic, and general character. References should be signed, dated and less than six months old at the time you submit your application.

English Language Requirements

IELTS with at least 6.5 overall with 6.0 in all subskills, or equivalent.

All applications will be considered on an individual basis by the selection committee. Overseas applications should be received in good time before the start of the programme, preferably by June. UK-based applicants may be invited to attend for an informal discussion.
Fees & Scholarships
Fees for home status

Tution Fees - £10,200
Deposit - £1000

Fees for overseas status

Tution Fees - £23,450
Deposit-£1,000
Career Prospect
MPH graduates can choose to enter the workforce, either in the public health or healthcare sector, or indeed apply public health principles in any other sector (e.g., housing, engineering, urban design, architecture, computer science, business, entrepreneurship, law, or journalism). Graduates may also apply for further training in research (e.g., PhD) or practice (e.g., fellowships, specialist training, etc).

The course helps students in their preparation for the UK Faculty of Public Health Part A examinations, enabling graduates to pursue professional careers in public health as well as a wide range of other careers, including postgraduate research.

This Masters programme enables you to demonstrate you are taking the opportunity to develop your abilities in critical analysis, problem-solving, decision-making, finding and using evidence and in dealing with complex issues. The programme is not a substitute for a formal specialty training programme but studying at this level should help successful students demonstrate numerous academic skills that should be highly regarded in relation to their career development and progression. In particular, the programme offers opportunities to demonstrate the development of knowledge and skills in relation to the application of evidence-based medicine and the potential enhancement of services and governance frameworks. As such, it should provide evidence of commitment and potential that may assist you in relation to taking on greater responsibilities or perhaps seeking management, research, scholarship, or leadership roles.

"Studying the Master of Public Health (MPH) course at Cardiff University provided me with invaluable knowledge and skills when it came to applying for Public Health Specialty Training. I recently secured a place to start the specialty training, and I'm certain that having already commenced study of the MPH made the difference between being successful or not."

Oliver Williams, MPH student (enrolled 2018)

‘With a background in Environmental Geoscience I had a lot to learn about Public Health. However, with the enthusiasm and supportiveness of staff and public health experts, I completed the MPH feeling proud of what I had achieved. The comprehensive nature of the taught modules provided a detailed grounding, enabling me to apply and explore the wider context based on this knowledge. The culmination of my studies was the dissertation, where I had the opportunity to analyse raw data from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), to explore risk factors in severity and death from Hepatitis E in refugee camps in South Sudan. Upon completion of my MPH, I was motivated to continue my Public Health research and took up a PhD studentship at the University of Birmingham, with the objective to inform health interventions for indoor air pollution in Urban Rwanda. The skills and knowledge gained from the MPH have been invaluable during my first months of my PhD, enabling me write a paper for publication using pilot data.’

Katherine Woolley, MPH 2017-18

Cost Of Studying At Cardiff University

Interest rates as low as 8.9% ^*

250K+

Students Assisted

800Cr+

Loan Amount Disbursed

5000+

Loans Sanctioned

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Public Health (MPH) at Cardiff University