Masters (Coursework)
Develop an advanced and integrated understanding of public health practice. The Master of Public Health will prepare you to identify, understand, prevent and contain disease in populations.
Develop an advanced and integrated understanding of public health practice. The Master of Public Health will prepare you to identify, understand, prevent and contain disease in populations. You'll also learn to identify and address the social determinants of population health inequities to improve collective health outcomes.
The topics covered in this degree reflect the multidisciplinary nature of the field. The program will equip you with core skills in:
This degree provides both the foundational skills necessary to launch a career in public health and the education needs of public health specialists for career progression.
Tailor your degree to your interests
Tailor your degree to suit your goals through a broad program of study or a focused public health specialisation. We offer nine specialisations in areas where we have extensive expertise, including:
Gain international connections through the PLuS Alliance
The PLuS Alliance combines the strengths of three leading research universities - Arizona State University, King's College London and UNSW - to solve global challenges. You'll have the opportunity to take online courses with Arizona State University to bring a global perspective to your education. Moving away from the traditional classroom, this degree will immerse you in a global learning environment, where you'll study alongside students from Australia, the United States and around the world.
Join a sector-leading population health community
Join a community that's playing a key role in enhancing population health and healthcare systems. This program is delivered by the School of Population Health - a dynamic, international community of staff, alumni, practitioners and students. Our multi-disciplinary teaching and research staff have research and practitioner experience in local, national and international settings. Research and collaboration opportunities are available for students in our internationally recognised research centres and institutes. You will be part of a community involved in translating ground-breaking research into disease prevention and response strategies and informing health policy.
Build your professional network
Join an engaged cohort of like-minded students and a successful alumni community. Our graduates currently hold leadership roles in public and private services spanning ministries/departments of health, local health districts, public service roles relevant to social determinants of health, non-government organisations across Australia and around the world, in addition to graduates who bring population health expertise to their clinical work.
For entry into this program, you must have one of the following:
OR
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:
Aimed at redressing the imbalance of access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to population health programs, this scheme provides entry to our postgraduate coursework degrees based on your interest in public health and relevant educational and/or professional experience.
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you're completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College's Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
For entry into this program, you must have one of the following:
OR
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:
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you'll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College's Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
Graduates of the Master of Public Health are recognised as leaders in disease prevention and control, program and policy formulation, implementation and evaluation, health promotion, population health research and management of health programs. Many occupy key positions in health departments, population health units, universities and non-government organisations in Australia, the Western Pacific and Asian regions.
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:
"The lessons I've learnt from UNSW have already added immense value to work I've done at all levels of the health sector, including working with federal and state governments. This has not only fostered my professional development but has helped fuel my passion for improving the health of all Australians by making change at a systematic level."
Dr Lesh Satchithananda
Senior Consultant, KPMG
"My MPH has already assisted me in my career, affording me the opportunity to quickly make the transition from research and disability sector work into a Health Promotion position with NSW Health. Day to day, my MPH has given me the solid theoretical foundation upon which to build my career in population health, as well as an eagerness to use all available resources to full advantage."
Arlita Willman
Operations Manager, Health Promotion at Northern Sydney Local Health District