Master of Public Health

The University of Melbourne is ranked 9th in the world for clinical, pre-clinical and health and number 1 in Australia (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020) and is ranked 17th globally for public health (Academic Ranking of World Universities 2020).

Download the Master of Public Health flyer

We are excited to announce that in 2021 we will launch an option to study the Master of Public Health online. Core subjects and all large elective subjects will be available online in 2021 and into the future. Our on-campus Master of Public Health will continue within the confines of any COVID-19 restrictions for those of you wishing to study with us at the beautiful Parkville campus.

The program will appeal to those who want to move into the field of public health, as well as those who already work within a public health or health related field and are preparing for advancement in their organisation or field, or seeking to broaden their knowledge and skill set.

Within the course students are exposed to the core foundations of public health theory and practice and also have the opportunity to specialise in the advanced public health training specialisations offered through the University of Melbourne. The Master of Public Health programs at the University of Melbourne are delivered by academic staff with extensive experience and depth of knowledge, who are leaders in their chosen fields of public health.

The Master of Public Health has three components:

The core component includes up to six subjects that provide students with a rigorous, multidisciplinary foundation in public health theory and practice, that is essential to all aspects of public health practice;

The specialist component offers students the opportunity to focus on one or more key fields in public health and gain the skills and knowledge required for practice in the area. Specialisations are offered in the fields of:

1. Epidemiology & Biostatistics
2. Evaluation and Implementation Science
3. Gender and Women's Health
4. Global Health
5. Health and Society
6. Health Economics & Economic Evaluation
7. Health Policy, Systems and Practice
8. Indigenous Health
9. Infectious Disease Epidemiology
10. MD(Doctor of Medicine)**
11. Sexual Health

** Restricted Entry Program

The capstone experience offers students the opportunity to consolidate their specialist training and apply the knowledge gained in the course to real world scenarios. Students may apply to undertake a Research Project with an expert in their field; a Professional Practice placement with a recognised agency, institution or community organisation concerned with health; a university based subject in which public health professionals work with students to solve current and active public health problems, titled 'Public Health in Practice'.

The Master of Public Health is an internationally recognised degree and the most common pathway for people wishing to work in the field of public health. The Master of Public Health at the University of Melbourne is focused on the development of skills for future work in public health.

The three different components of the degree (the core subjects, the specialisation/elective subjects, the capstone subjects) target the development of skills for a public health career in different ways; more specifically:

• The core subjects offer each student the opportunity to learn the core aspects of working in public health, for example, every public health practitioner requires an understanding of the workings of health systems and needs to be able to identify solutions to health problems in communities. Additionally, within these core subjects vital professional skills are taught, such as communication, working in a team, and using data.
• The specialisation/elective subjects allow students to choose their own path through the degree and develop the skills required to work in their chosen public health field. At the University of Melbourne there are ten specialisations to choose from and over 60 elective subjects.
• The capstone subjects offer student the opportunity to apply what they have learned across the core subjects and specialisation/elective subjects in real world projects, through:
  • Completing a project in a local, national or international public health organisation, or
  • A research project under the supervision of one of the School of Population and Global Health's academic staff and/or
  • An university-based subject in which public health professionals work with students to solve current and active public health problems.