Public Health MPH
Develop an understanding of the challenges facing public health and health care services. You’ll gain skills of a high level to progress in public health settings.
You are currently viewing course information for entry year:
Start date(s):
- September 2025
Overview
This master's in Public Health (MPH) evaluates and critically appraises approaches to health and disease. You can pursue a career in public health in the UK and internationally with:
- the UK National Health Service (or its equal abroad)
- local government
- the voluntary sector
- academic healthcare
A public health doctor must consider issues at many levels, including:
- societal (eg health inequalities)
- demographic (ageing and long term conditions)
- cultural (eg changing public attitudes to health and wellness)
- social (eg drug and alcohol abuse)
You'll address these issues with a range of advanced research skills. You'll study how to apply research findings to improve health and health services
You'll study in the Population and Health Sciences Institute in the Faculty of Medical Sciences.
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Important information
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What you'll learn
You'll explore challenges in public health such as:
- tackling and challenging health inequalities and other social determinants of health
- the role of behavioural interventions in public health
- public and patient engagement and involvement, and shared decision making
- health systems and healthcare policy
Continued Professional Development (CPD) study option
You can study stand-alone modules as CPD on programme code 6017P (CPD Public Health).
You need to apply at least 6 weeks before your chosen module starts. Fees are charged per 10 credits. The fee changes each year with inflation.
To find out more about the modules available, visit our Continuing Professional Development site.
For details on when modules run, and this year’s fee, please email pghealth@newcastle.ac.uk.
Modules
You will study modules on this course. A module is a unit of a course with its own approved aims and outcomes and assessment methods.
Module information is intended to provide an example of what you will study.
Our teaching is informed by research. Course content changes periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback.
Full details of the modules on offer will be published through the Programme Regulations and Specifications ahead of each academic year. This usually happens in May.
To find out more please see our terms and conditions.
Optional modules availability
Some courses have optional modules. Student demand for optional modules may affect availability.
Compulsory modules
Principles of Public Health (20 credits)
Research Methods for Public Health (20 credits)
Introduction to Health Statistics and Epidemiological Analysis (20 credits)
Social Determinants of Health (20 credits)
Dissertation (60 credits)
Optional modules
Introduction to Global Health (20 credits)
Applied Epidemiology and Data Science (20 credits)
Ageing across the Life Course(10 credits)
Health Economics (10 credits)
Health Improvement: Theory, Policy and Practice (10 credits)
Public Health Protection (10 credits)
How you'll learn
The programme can be studying full time for one year or part time over two or three years.
The course consists of taught modules and a supervised project and dissertation. You'll produce a project and dissertation that is a reflection of your learned skills.
You'll receive various methods of teaching including:
- lectures
- seminars
- practical sessions
We encourage active learning through discussion, problem-solving and group work. Some teaching sessions may involve student presentations, and preparation or further reading.
Some of the health issues that you'll cover include:
- Why does behaviour matter in public health and which behaviour change techniques contribute to effective interventions?
- What are the key attributes of quality healthcare and how can we make healthcare safer?
- What are the principles of public health surveillance?
Depending on your modules, you'll be assessed through a combination of:
- Case study
- Dissertation
- Essay
- Oral examination
- Oral presentation
- Report
- Written exercise
Your teaching and learning is also supported by Canvas. Canvas is a Virtual Learning Environment. You'll use Canvas to submit your assignments and access your:
- module handbooks
- course materials
- groups
- course announcements and notifications
- written feedback
Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to support from:
- peers
- academics
- personal tutors
- our University Student Services Team
- student representatives
You'll also be assigned an academic member of staff. They will be your personal tutor throughout your time with us. They can help with academic and personal issues.
Our staff tackle public health issues from a large range of disciplines, including:
- public health
- primary care
- political science
- medical and applied health specialities
- psychology and behavioural science
- anthropology
- law
- biostatistics
- applied epidemiology
- data science
- health economics
Our staff lead high-impact research as part of the Population Health Sciences Insititute.
Research themes include Public Health and Health Inequalities.
Our lead teaching staff includes:
- Degree Programme Director - Dr Shelina Visram
Your development
You'll develop specialisms through the public health research project. You'll work in collaboration with our expert staff to decide your project specifics. You can choose from a wide range of projects put forward by our academics, or propose your own.
Projects vary and can involve:
- primary data collection (quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods)
- secondary analysis of a wide range of available datasets
- systematic review
You'll learn introductory and advanced research methods. You'll also have regular research supervision throughout the course.
Your future
Our graduates have gone on to work in:
- government
- international organisations
- the voluntary sector
- healthcare and service delivery
- consultancies
- the private sector where there is involvement with providing healthcare and public services
Our Careers Service
Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest and best in the country, and we have strong links with employers. We provide an extensive range of opportunities to all students through our ncl+ initiative.
Quality and ranking
All professional accreditations are reviewed regularly by their professional body
From 1 January 2021 there is an update to the way professional qualifications are recognised by countries outside of the UK
Facilities
You'll have access to:
- open plan workspaces
- meeting rooms of all sizes
- 'breakout' areas for informal discussions
- Walton Library
Fees and funding
Tuition fees for 2025 entry (per year)
As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee to increase in each subsequent academic year of your course, subject to government regulations on fee increases and in line with inflation.
Depending on your residency history, if you’re a student from the EU, other EEA or a Swiss national, with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you’ll normally pay the ‘Home’ tuition fee rate and may be eligible for Student Finance England support.
EU students without settled or pre-settled status will normally be charged fees at the ‘International’ rate and will not be eligible for Student Finance England support.
If you are unsure of your fee status, check out the latest guidance here.
Scholarships
We support our EU and international students by providing a generous range of Vice-Chancellor's automatic and merit-based scholarships. See our searchable postgraduate funding page for more information.
What you're paying for
Tuition fees include the costs of:
- matriculation
- registration
- tuition (or supervision)
- library access
- examination
- re-examination
- graduation
Find out more about:
If you are an international student or a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland and you need a visa to study in the UK, you may have to pay a deposit.
You can check this in the How to apply section.
If you're applying for funding, always check the funding application deadline. This deadline may be earlier than the application deadline for your course.
For some funding schemes, you need to have received an offer of a place on a course before you can apply for the funding.
Search for funding
Find funding available for your course
Entry requirements
The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.
Qualifications from outside the UK
English Language requirements
Admissions policy
This policy applies to all undergraduate and postgraduate admissions at Newcastle University. It is intended to provide information about our admissions policies and procedures to applicants and potential applicants, to their advisors and family members, and to staff of the University.
University Admissions Policy and related policies and procedures
Credit transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) can allow you to convert existing relevant university-level knowledge, skills and experience into credits towards a qualification. Find out more about the RPL policy which may apply to this course
How to apply
Using the application portal
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You can choose to start your application, save your details and come back to complete it later.
If you’re ready, you can select Apply Online and you’ll be taken directly to the application portal.
Alternatively you can find out more about applying on our applications and offers pages.
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Get in touch
Questions about this course?
If you have specific questions about this course you can contact:
Public Health Programme Team
Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 2337
Email: pghealth@newcastle.ac.uk
Online
For more general enquiries you could also complete our online enquiry form.
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