Master of Public Health, MPH

Master of Public Health, MPH

Introduction

Our Master of Public Health (MPH) provides a flexible programme that students can tailor to meet their own needs across a broad range of professional accreditation standards in public health and/or to pursue an academic career.

This programme is available to start in January or September. Apply now

This programme can also be studied part-time online.

Study Information

Study Options

Learning Mode
On Campus Learning
Degree Qualification
MPH
Duration
12 months, 24 months or 36 months
Study Mode
Full Time or Part Time
Start Month
January or September
Location of Study
Aberdeen

This MPH covers the core disciplines required for professional accreditation in public health that is relevant to both UK and international students. The programme also offers an excellent range of specialist elective options to allow you to tailor your learning to your needs and includes a flexible project component enabling you to gain experience oriented towards either the development of a professional career in public health practice or the pursuit of an academic career.

You will be taught by experienced lecturers from a broad range of disciplines including epidemiology, statistics, health data science, public health, global health, psychology, sociology, philosophy, economics and management. Lecturers include both renowned academics and expert practitioners to give you the holistic understanding of Public Health. Your learning is enriched by interaction with other students from varied clinical, non-clinical, professional and cultural backgrounds.

Undertaking this MPH does not require any particular specialist knowledge (e.g. clinical).

This programme is available to start in September or January.

*Students who would like to specialise in a research focused career, for example, through PhD or research jobs, may find that the September cohort is better aligned with their needs. The January cohort is more practice-based and has a stronger alignment with non-research intensive jobs such as working in the community or policy development, and our January start students will enrol on extended work-based placement in their second semester. They can also extend your learning by evaluating the existing policies and understanding their effects on public health practice. We recommend that students check the course details of September and January entries to make an informed decision.*

Available Programmes of Study

MPH

Master of Public Health

Qualification Duration Learning Mode Study Mode Start Month Location  
MPH 12 months or 24 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time September Aberdeen More
MPH 12 months or 36 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time January Aberdeen More

Fees for individual programmes can be viewed in the Programme(s) above.

We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.

Fee Information

Additional Fee Information

  • Fees for individual programmes can be viewed in the Programmes section above.
  • In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips. Any additional fees for a course can be found in our Catalogue of Courses.
  • For more information about tuition fees for this programme, including payment plans and our refund policy, please visit our Tuition Fees page.

Scholarships

Self-funded international students enrolling on Postgraduate Taught (PGT) programmes for January 2025 will receive one of our Aberdeen Global Scholarships, ranging from £3,000 to £8,000, depending on your domicile country. Learn more about these Aberdeen Global Scholarships here.

From September 2025 all eligible self-funded international Postgraduate Masters students will receive an £8,000 scholarship. Learn more about this Aberdeen Global Scholarship here.

To see our full range of scholarships, visit our Funding Database.

How You'll Study

Learning Methods

  • Individual Projects
  • Lectures
  • Seminars
  • Tutorials
  • Workshops

Assessment Methods

A variety of different approaches (e.g. essays, exams, poster presentation in mini conference style, oral presentation) are used to assess student understanding, progress and performance throughout the programme.

Why Study Master of Public Health?

  • The MPH will help you develop the knowledge and the skills to tackle Public Health challenges by providing a multi-disciplinary approach to health care and is set within the traditional strengths of an ancient Scottish University and a leading UK Medical School.
  • You will experience a supportive collegiate learning environment that offers interaction with both leading academic researchers and experienced public health practitioners.
  • The programme covers core topics in public health from a broad range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives that will set you up to respond to the needs of communities and populations around the world. 
  • You can create a tailor-made programme by selecting from a broad range of elective courses that include the traditional and emerging public health domains such as health informatics, challenges in global nutrition and public health ethics.
  • Co-ordinators will work with you to guide the selection of elective courses and topic area/length for your public health project at an early stage to ensure your MPH is aligned to your career aspirations.
  • Flexible options include projects based in academic and work-based settings; and extended research projects which provide career insights and opportunities for networking.     
  • Real life research projects in public health issues will provide you with opportunities to apply the skills gained from the taught elements of the course to influence policy and practice.
  • Full and part-time flexible study will help you navigate your learning effectively and have a good work-life balance.
  • Dedicated student support with ‘SUCCESS PLUS’ programme (with matched mentors) consistently achieves a successful completion rate of over 90% among enrolled students.
  • The Foresterhill Health Campus at the University is one of the largest clinical complexes in Europe which includes a Medical School, large teaching hospital, maternity and children's hospitals, and the Rowett Institute. 
  • Programme has APHEA Validated Curriculum, APHEA is the leading global accreditation agency for public health schools, programmes and training courses. 

What Our Students Say

Cindy Zheng

Cindy Zheng

Cindy Zheng

I am enjoying the degree as it gives me the opportunity to learn more about Public Health which is a field that I am very interested in. I am really excited to be able to gain more understanding about academia and evidence-based medicine.

Adegoke Alabi

Adegoke Alabi

Adegoke Alabi

I like that the modules encourage a practical thought process rather than a focus on 'reeling out information'. The staff are incredibly supportive and always willing to help. I honestly wouldn’t trade this opportunity for anything!

Entry Requirements

Completion of our PgCert in Research Methods for Health allows you to enter the PgDip stage of the programme.

Qualifications

The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.

Applicants will usually possess a health-related Honours degree (at a 2:2 level or at least 60%) or be able to demonstrate evidence of equivalent experience in health care practice or research. Students from non-health backgrounds who have Honours degrees (as above) in science, social science or humanities subjects and who are interested in a public health related career will also be considered for the programme.

Please check the In My Country pages to find out if your degree is equivalent.

Please enter your country to view country-specific entry requirements.

English Language Requirements

To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:

IELTS Academic:

OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 6.0; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0

TOEFL iBT:

OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 21; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21

PTE Academic:

OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59

Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:

OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 169; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Read more about specific English Language requirements here.

Document Requirements

You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.

CV
an up-to-date CV/Resumé
Degree Certificate
a degree certificate showing your qualifications
Degree Transcript
a full transcript showing all the subjects you studied and the marks you have achieved in your degree(s) (original & official English translation)
Personal Statement
a detailed personal statement explaining your motivation for this particular programme

Aberdeen Global Scholarship

Eligible self-funded Postgraduate Taught (PGT) students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Explore our Global Scholarships, including eligibility details, on our dedicated pages.

January 2025 September 2025

Careers

Completing the MPH at the University of Aberdeen will equip you with a cutting-edge knowledge of Public Health and essential research skills relevant for application in both academic and workplace practitioner environments across the globe, including:

  • Career in Public Health Sector: Pursue a career in world ranking academic research institutions for projects commissioned by coordinating authorities of health such as WHO, Ministries of Health and NGOs. You will be able do this by developing a critical awareness of the wide public health domains and demonstrating evidence based knowledge.
  • Influence Public Health policy: Influence public health policies through independent research with publication in peer reviewed journals; and contribute to translating research evidence to practice in professional and health authority settings.
  • Become an independent researcher: Identify research priorities and goals set by global and national health authorities. You will learn to address these priorities by understanding the key concepts of Public Health through taught courses and translate them to formulating research questions, developing appropriate research methodology, conducting research, analysing data and writing a report.
  • A pathway to a PhD and/or Public Health role: With its emphasis on a knowledge of relevant research disciplines, skills in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, critical thinking and scientific writing - an MPH is a common entry pathway to undertaking further research including a health-related PhD.

Students starting the programme in Jan 2024 may be able to apply for the Post-MPH Internship, gaining experience of working in a service Public Health Directorate and interacting with the NHS Board and Local Authorities. This internship is open to home and international students and will take place from February 2025 to May 2025. Please contact Prof A Poobalan (a.poobalan@abdn.ac.uk) and Dr S Hanley (sharon.hanley@abdn.ac.uk) for more information.

Industry Links

The University has excellent links with NHS Grampian and the City Council which is responsible for providing health and social care to a population of just over 500,000 in the Northeast region of Scotland and employs around 17,000 staff.

What our Alumni Say

Dr Gajarishiyan Rasalingam

Dr Gajarishiyan Rasalingam

Graduated 2020

I surely recommend Masters in Public Health here at the University of Aberdeen for the future students, you will surely develop professional skills and you will feel very competitive to tackle the global health crisis.

Mohammed Talha Bashir

Mohammed Talha Bashir

Mohammed Talha Bashir

Graduated 2020

I enjoyed studying with such a diverse and interesting group of people! Being surrounded by individuals from different backgrounds and perspectives broadened my understanding beyond what I had expected. The Masters of Public Health programme in Aberdeen gave me the skills and experience to undertake my own research and I feel a lot more confident in my endeavour to pursue academic medicine.

Elaine Whitely

Elaine Whitely

Elaine Whitely

Graduated 2018

I am a medical student and studied for my Masters in Public Health as an intercalated degree. The MPH has opened loads of new doors for me both within clinical medicine and public health, and I now feel I have so many more career options than I did before.

John Handal

John Handal

John Handal

Graduated 2018

My favourite part about studying at the University of Aberdeen is the diversity you experience not only in students, but lecturers as well. This gave our lectures a dynamic environment that allowed us to discuss topics from various perspectives and backgrounds. The supportive environment helped foster a strong student community within our programme. My classmates became new lifelong friends!

Our Experts

Our MPH is delivered by experienced academic researchers and public health specialists from across various disciplines, professions and research methodologies.

If you have any questions regarding our September start programme please contact Dr Kathryn Martin. For queries on the January start programme please direct these to Dr Sharon Hanley or Dr Andrew Maclaren.

Other Experts
Dr Amudha Poobalan
Professor Corri Black
Dr Miriam Brazzelli
Professor Vikki Entwistle
Dr Patricia Norwood
Professor Ioannis Theodossiou
Dr Zoë Skea
Dr Daniel Powell
Dr Leone Craig
Dr Mairead Black
Dr Kirsty Kiezebrink
Dr Heather Morgan
Professor Jennie Macdiarmid
Professor Shantini Paranjothy
Programme Coordinators
Dr Kathryn Martin
Dr Sharon Hanley
Andrew MacLaren

Information About Staff Changes

You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.

Facilities

Image for Health Sciences Building
Health Sciences Building

Health Sciences Building

The Health Sciences building, located on the Foresterhill Health Campus, houses the purpose built Clinical Research Facility, researchers from the Institute of Applied Health Sciences and the Imaging Department which boasts state-of-the-art equipment

Image for Foresterhill Health Campus
Foresterhill Health Campus

Foresterhill Health Campus

The Foresterhill Health Campus is one of the largest clinical complexes in Europe which includes the Medical School, large teaching hospital, the Institute of Medical Sciences and the Rowett Institute.

Get in Touch

Contact Details

Address
Student Recruitment & Admissions
University of Aberdeen
University Office
Regent Walk
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX