Public Health MPH



This course is experiential, and the learning is contextual and authentic: principles taught can be applied to your public health practice.

Overview

This programme aims to develop your interest in, and knowledge and understanding of, Public Health Theory and Practice in a Global context. By global health we mean health issues impacting across the world including locally, regionally and nationally in Scotland and the UK. 

The programme is relevant to UK and international students aiming to develop careers within public health as well as for those wishing to promote the health of the public as part of their current professional role. The programme takes a practical and applied approach and will equip you with the relevant transferable academic skills, professional/practical skills and knowledge to practice in a manner that achieves the purpose of public health i.e., dealing with pandemics, epidemics, reducing health inequalities and prolonging life through the implementation of a broad range of interventions to improve public health outcomes. 

Many words related to public health on a colourful background.

Mode of Study:

Full-time

 

Duration:

1 years

Course details

The programme has been designed to be relevant to UK and international students aiming to develop careers within public health as well as for those wishing to promote the health of the public as part of their current professional role.

Subjects include:

JANUARY START

Tri 2: Epidemiology for Public Health (20 credits)

Research Methods (20 credits)

Epidemiology for Public Health (20 Credits)

 

Tri3: Leadership & Collaborative Working in Public Health (20 Credits)

Globalisation & Public Health (20 Credits)

Dissertation (60 Credits)

 

Tri1: Statistics for Public Health (20 credits)

Dissertation (60 Credits)

 

SEPTEMBER START

Tri1: Statistics for Public Health (20 credits)

Dissertation (60 Credits)

 

Tri2: Epidemiology for Public Health (20 credits)

Research Methods (20 credits)

Epidemiology for Public Health (20 Credits)

 

Tri3: Leadership & Collaborative Working in Public Health (20 Credits)

Globalisation & Public Health (20 Credits)

Dissertation (60 Credits)

 

The programme is also offered as a fully online/distance learning programme as part of our Global Online suite of programmes.

Lead academics:

Dr Isabel Nyangu is Programme Lead for the MPH. Isabel is a senior fellow of the higher education academy. She has years of expertise as a public health researcher, leading and providing technical assistance on programme monitoring and evaluation, baseline assessments, and disease surveillance and screening for infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, COVID-19, and Sexually transmitted infections) and health interventions (on digital solutions, sexual and reproductive health and rights, sexual and gender-based violence, health nutrition, and substance abuse) among various population groups including adolescents, young people, vulnerable adults, key populations, and the elderly. 

Dr Martin Sharp is Deputy Programme Lead for the MPH and Research Degrees Lead for the School of Health and Social Care. Martin is an experienced academic, lecturing in endocrinology, public health and epidemiology. His research interests centre around the endocrine reactivity to social defeat, female reproductive health (precocious puberty/contraception//menopause), and most aspects of social epidemiology. Martin has published extensively in peer reviewed journals, is reviewer for high impact endocrine journals, external examiner, and grant reviewer.

Dr Yvonne Greig has been a midwife for over 30 years. She is passionate about maternal, fetal and public health issues and has a particular interest in developing professional practice and optimising maternal health for those who live with obesity. Yvonne has delivered education to communities in Kenya, East Africa as part of the World Millennium Goal project to improve maternal health and in turn population health where both maternal and infant mortality are high. Yvonne has also been advisor to the British University of Egypt and has supported colleagues in Athens to develop a midwifery BSc programme. She joined Edinburgh Napier in January 2021 having previously combined academic and clinical work. She looks forward to supporting you during your MPH programme.

Dr Andrew Maine is a lecturer and researcher. He is also responsible for mentoring and supporting early career researchers within School of Health and Social Care. Dr Maine lecturers on the Bachelor of Learning Disability Nursing programme at Edinburgh Napier University. His areas of research/teaching expertise include critical perspectives of learning disability nursing, systematic reviews, and quantitative methodological approaches.   

Dr Mary Abboah-Offei is a lecturer, researcher, and a nurse by profession. Mary’s teaching and research interests are in global health, quality improvement in health and social care, health and wellbeing across the lifespan, palliative care and developing and evaluating complex interventions using the Medical Research Councils’ framework, with a particular interest in person-centred interventions. Mary also has expertise in systematic, intervention and policy reviews, with special interest in policy issues relating to early childhood development in the context of the Nurturing Care Framework. Mary has published in peer reviewed Journals in the areas of expertise mentioned and has been a reviewer for a number of journals including reviewing a grant application for NIHR. 

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    How you’ll be taught

     The programme adopts an authentic approach with emphasis on meeting real-world challenges such as, health improvement initiatives and complex interventions, multi/interdisciplinary working with a strong focus on implementation and evaluation for health improvement. This aims to support future practice that is underpinned by a sound understanding of relevant theory and evidence-based knowledge
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    Assessments

    Formative and summative assessments are used to evaluate your learning against the module learning outcomes. Formative feedback is provided to guide you on how you are progressing and to give constructive guidance to inform development for your final summative assignment.

    Summative assignments take the form of authentic assessments and include editorials, literature review protocols, posters and presentations and briefing documents

Disclaimer

Study modules mentioned above are indicative only. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.

Full information is available in our disclaimer.

Entry requirements

What are the entry requirements for Public Health?

To apply you will need a Bachelor (Honours) Degree at 2:2 or above in a Health or Health Sciences related subject. 

Other qualifications/experience which demonstrate through our recognition of prior learning process that you have appropriate knowledge and skills may be considered on an individual basis.

Can I get admission into Public Health based on my working experience in this sector?

This course has academic entry requirements which are assessed alongside relevant work experience. Full details of any relevant work experience, including references should be submitted with your application and may be considered for entry where the minimum academic entry requirements are below those required.

Usually, unrelated work experience is not considered sufficient for entry without meeting the minimum academic entry requirements. Please contact us with your specific circumstances by submitting an enquiry form above and we will be happy to discuss your options.

Can I make an appointment with an advisor to discuss further about the admission process?

If you want to get more information on the admission process, please get in touch with the postgraduate admissions team by submitting an enquiry form above.

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test.  The English Language requirements for this programme are IELTS (Academic) with an overall score of 6.5 with no individual component score of less than 6.5.  For guidance on the acceptability of other English Language tests please contact pgadmissions@napier.ac.uk

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English, or your undergraduate degree was taught and examined in English (within two years of starting your postgraduate course). Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

We welcome applications from students studying a wide range of international qualifications.
Entry requirements by country

Please note that international students are unable to enrol onto the following courses:
  • BM Midwifery/MM Midwifery
  • MSc Nursing courses
  • All Graduate Apprenticeship courses

See who can apply for more information on Graduate Apprenticeship courses.

We’re committed to admitting students who have the potential to succeed and benefit from our programmes of study. 

Our admissions policies will help you understand our admissions procedures, and how we use the information you provide us in your application to inform the decisions we make.

Undergraduate admissions policies
Postgraduate admissions policies

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

Tuition fees
Students from 2025/26 2026/27
Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland £7,650 £8,030
Overseas and EU £21,430 £22,285
Tuition fees are subject to an annual review and may increase from one year to the next. For more information on this and other tuition fee matters, please see our Fees and Funding links above.
The University offers a 20% discount on Postgraduate Taught Masters programmes to its alumni. The discount applies to all full-time, part-time and online degrees. The discount can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount. For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount. Please read our full T&C here.
Please note that the tuition fees liable to be paid by EU nationals commencing their studies from 1 August 2021 will be the Overseas fee rate. The University offers a range of attractive Tuition Fee bursaries to students resident in specific countries. More information on these can be found here.


Please note:

The discount for Edinburgh Napier alumni can only be applied to year one of a full-time Postgraduate degree, any additional years are exempt from the discount.

For part time Postgraduate degrees the discount will apply to years one, two and three only and any additional years will be exempt from the discount.

Please read our full T&C here

Careers

close-up of a patient's arm as a nurse takes their blood pressure

What can you do with a public health degree?

By studying public health at Edinburgh Napier University, you will gain the skills and practical knowledge to work in public health at local, national and global level. The course will prepare you for a range of public health roles as well as doctoral level study. A Master of public health offers you the opportunity to progress in your current health related field of practice as part of the wider public health workforce or allow you to progress in a core public health role i.e., public health intelligence analyst, public health practitioner, public health research assistant or epidemiologist. You will become an excellent communicator, and also hone your teamworking and interpersonal skills. If you have an interest in improving public health and enjoy working with other people, then this might be the right course for you.

What does an epidemiologist do?

As an epidemiologist you will have strong report writing, analytical and communication skills, with the ability to collect and analyse complex data. You will be responsible for understanding how disease is spread and the risk it poses to the public. You will create strategy to reduce spread and control the spread of disease and current viral outbreaks.

Daily tasks and responsibilities in this role may include:

  • Collecting data
  • Data analysis
  • Fieldwork
  • Report writing
  • Outbreak surveillance
  • Advising on public health policy with government and local health authorities
graduating female is throwing her graduation hat in the air outside Usher Hall