Course overview
Make a real difference to the world by studying a programme that will improve healthcare provision and address modern global health challenges.
This Masters programme is designed to provide health professionals with an advanced understanding of global health needs, alongside the skills to strengthen health systems and services to achieve universal health coverage. Delivered by the Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development at the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, the course is taught by leading experts in international health.
This course addresses pressing global health challenges and prepares professionals to contribute to improving healthcare systems worldwide, with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries. It equips you with the knowledge and practical understanding needed to develop effective, real-world solutions to complex public health issues. The course is particularly valuable for those seeking to make a meaningful impact in global health and to respond to evolving international health priorities.
Graduates will be ready to advance their careers in both international and national health systems, NGOs, and global health organisations. You will develop key skills in research, critical thinking, and applied public health practice, enabling you to work effectively in policy development, programme management, and health system strengthening.
Additionally, flexibility in study options means you can pursue this subject at Postgraduate Certificate (4 months) or Postgraduate Diploma (9 months) level, depending on your lifestyle and what’s right for you.
Please contact the programme lead if you need further advice on which course would be best for you.
“The Geneva study tour is easily one of the best things to have ever happened during my time in the UK. In just a week, I felt my horizons expanding. It was an excellent opportunity to get to know my classmates and teachers better before graduating. The best is yet to come!”
Why study at Leeds:
- Broaden your horizons abroad: Experience a study abroad trip to Geneva where you’ll attend workshops and meetings with the World Health Organisation various and other health-related UN and other international organisations.
- Learn in an international environment: Work with leading figures in international health from around the globe, with a focus on low and middle-income countries and contexts.
- Tailor your course to fit your own skills and interests: with a choice of optional modules. Take on a dissertation project, where you will apply public health and research skills to a topical issue from an international and national context.
Explore Leeds
Discover our campus, facilities and accommodation with our 360 virtual experience platform.
With immersive 360 experiences, image galleries, virtual tours, videos and day-in-the-life content, you can take a personalised, interactive tour of campus and explore the University's academic, social and residential environments from anywhere in the world.
You can get a feel for what it's really like to live, learn and belong at the University of Leeds – all from the comfort of home.
Course details and modules
This course has two streams, meaning you can choose the one that best suits your professional goals:
- Stream A - a focus on public health interventions and services.
- Stream B - a focus on health policy and health systems.
You’ll also be able to select from a wide range of modules to further customise your course. The taught compulsory modules lay firm foundations for your learning throughout the course:
- Introduction to Global Health and Epidemiology – introduces global health issues, public health strategies and health systems for Universal Health Coverage.
- Health Systems Research Methods – looks at how to plan research, choose research methods, evaluate findings and present results.
- Master of Public Health International: Dissertation – apply public health and research competence to a topical public health issue from an international and national context. Your dissertation is the culmination of the MPH[I] course.
- Principles of Public Health (Stream A) – analyses public health problems from a multidisciplinary perspective, dissects and explores how to strengthen existing and to build new health services, programmes and related management systems in order to improve the health of populations and communities.
- Principles of Health Management (Stream B) – planning and policy – analyses types of policies and management systems in the health sector with particular focus on the changing roles of the government.
The MPH(I) also includes a wide range of optional modules which allows you to focus your study to match your interests and experience. Optional modules are currently being reviewed for the programme and there is potential for optional module choices to change.
At Leeds you’ll have the opportunity to take part in a study visit to Geneva, attending workshops and meetings with the United Nations (UN) and other international health organisations. In the past organisations have included:
- World Health Organisation.
- UNAIDS.
- UN High Commission for Refugees.
- United Nations High Commission for Human Rights.
- International Labour Organisation.
- International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies.
- Médecins Sans Frontières.
- GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance.
The dissertation you write in your final semester gives you space for in-depth examination of an area of public health that’s relevant to your work and career aspirations.
Course structure
The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.
Year 1 compulsory modules
| Module Name | Credits |
|---|---|
| Master of Public Health International: Dissertation | 45 |
| Introduction to Global Health and Epidemiology | 30 |
| Health Systems Research Methods | 15 |
Learning and teaching
Under the guidance of our academic staff, who've all worked in low-and middle-income countries, you'll develop core skills and knowledge from day one. You’ll build on your learning with your chosen modules in specialist fields of public health, policy, planning and management. In addition, your dissertation gives you the opportunity to plan, initiate, execute and complete a substantial piece of independent research, with support and guidance from academics with substantial expertise on the subject of studies.
The course introduces essential learning skills for postgraduate level study, with particular emphasis on the challenges facing those returning to study. A reflective learning approach will form the basis of career-long independent learning and continued professional development.
You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, seminars, group work, workshops, tutorials and case studies.
You will learn in an international and diverse classroom environment, with students from different countries and academic staff with lived and work experiences outside the UK. You will contribute to an active learning environment, which invites you to reflect on and share your own experiences while learning from others.
Some study sessions use the University's computer resources, with support to enhance your competence in the use of information technology. You'll have access to our Virtual learning environment, which includes teaching materials and resources to help you prepare for you assignments and research.
You’ll be able to use University facilities for independent study, such as computing facilities and the Health Sciences library, with its extensive collection of online journals. You will also have access to the newly refurbished Worsley Building with new teaching spaces and a social space specifically for post-graduate students.
On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.
Assessment
You are assessed by using a range of assessments. Examples include essays, group and individual presentations, reflective logs, posters, development of programme plans, policy briefs, analysis of research papers, research project reports, oral and written examinations and a dissertation.
This range of coursework develops your academic skills and supports your future career. They are designed to assess your understanding and application of international health and also help you develop essential workplace skills, including analysing and synthesising contemporary research-based knowledge and presenting evidenced-based thinking in a coherent manner in a variety of formats.
Collaborative work is also an important part of the course. You will be encouraged to work and interact with academic staff and classmates and develop teamwork skills.
Your research can also have potential real-world impact. A number of our students have gone to publish work that has been carried out as part of their course.
Applying
Entry requirements
This course provides health and related professionals with the ability to improve public health, essential health care and preventive interventions, and strengthen health services and systems in local and global contexts. You will interact with staff and fellow professionals from a range of countries and areas of expertise.
In order to be accepted onto the MPH program, an applicant must:
a) hold a Second Class Honours degree or above in medicine, health, social sciences, or other relevant disciplines together with a minimum of one-year (full-time) relevant experience in health or related sectors either in private, public or non government organisations, such as NGOs and charitable organisations.
OR
b) hold a professional diploma in health or other relevant disciplines, together with five years of relevant experience in health or related sectors either in private public or non-government organisations, such as charitable organisations. In addition:
Work experience is preferred to be in a low or middle-income country. These include working as doctors, dentists, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, district health officers, community nurses or midwives, environmental health officers, health education and health promotion, and working in health management, administration, or health promotion. Our alumni include people with different backgrounds, e.g. health economics, anthropology, social sciences, journalism and media whose work focused on health. If you are not sure about the relevance of your experience, please contact us.
English language requirements
IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in all components. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.
Improve your English
International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.
This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Science (6 weeks) and Language for Science: General Science (10 weeks).
We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional and our 10 week online pre-sessional.
You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.
How to apply
The deadline for applications is 30 July 2027.
All applicants for taught postgraduate courses should apply online. Applicants can track the application at each stage of the process through the applicant portal and it is recommended that they check the portal regularly for updates.
Certificate and transcripts
As part of your application, please upload a copy of your degree certificate (if you have graduated) and your official degree transcript. Your degree transcript must be signed and stamped. If you have not yet graduated, please provide your official interim transcript, showing the modules you are currently studying and the marks you have achieved to date.
Work Experience – CV/Resume
CVs are mandatory. Applicants must upload their CV upon submission of their application, which must contain details of their work experience.
You must meet the minimum work experience requirement at the time of submitting the CV for the application. Acceptable work experience is generally:
- Paid professional positions
- Structured voluntary work (whilst part-time employment is insufficient to satisfy the work experience requirement, it may contribute to it)
- National Service is acceptable if it is related to publish health.
Appropriate professional and work include:
- Public Health workers/researchers
- Clinical professions (Doctors, Nurses, Midwives, Dentists)
- Academics in educational and research institutions (with a focus on public health or health management)
- Managers/Officers of health programmes in Governmental or non-governmental organisations.
- Health Policy makers/advocates (with a health or social science background)
- Health Educators
- Environmental Health/Water/Sanitation Officers
- Other allied health professional with experience in public health which may include nutritionists, veterinarians, occupations health practitioners, health economists, sociologists, anthropologists, social workers, etc.
Work experience in the following areas is generally not counted:
- Work that is undertaken in a high-income country unless it focuses on working in: international public health/refugee/migrants
- Entirely lab-based roles
- Solely clinical experience (unless it is linked to public health)
- Teaching at a level below higher education (e.g. school, college)
- Work in Alternative Medicine or Traditional Medicine
- Internship roles of any kind – for medical degree this includes house officer (or equivalent) roles
At a minimum, your CVs should include:
- Months and dates for each role
- The position, company and country where the work experience took place
- A brief description of the tasks conducted during that role to demonstrate the experience gained working in a health service, program, intervention or health system.
Supporting Statement
Strong supporting statements include:
- Personal reflections integrated with information about previous work and academic experiences.
- How the course will contribute to future career goals
- Evidence that you have engaged with and understood the course's learning objectives, or some of the modules in the course. This information is available on Course Search and The Nuffield Centre’s website.
The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page will take you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.
If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.
Please see our How to Apply page for information about application deadlines.
International students
Our courses welcome students from around the world from a diverse range of backgrounds. International postgraduate students in the UK are now able to apply for a further two-year VISA to stay in the UK after completing their studies. Find out more.
Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.
Admissions policy
University of Leeds Admissions Policy 2027
This course is taught by
Contact us
School of Medicine Postgraduate Admissions
Email: pgmed-admissions@leeds.ac.uk
Fees
UK: To be confirmed
International: To be confirmed
Finding funds to study at the Nuffield Centre
If you would like to find out more information about scholarships at the Nuffield Centre, you can discover the relevant postgraduate funding options here.
Read more about paying fees and charges.
For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.
Additional cost information
Fees for the optional one-week study tour
The cost of the optional one-week tour to Geneva (see Course overview) is not included in the course fees.
Students who choose the study tour as an optional module pay approximately £575. Students who attend the study tour for their professional development pay approximately £750. These fees include travel and accommodation.
As these costs are only approximations, The Nuffield Centre shares information about these fees in offer letters and during the first semester of the course.
Other costs associated with visas (such as visa handling and transport to the visa centre in Manchester), meals in Geneva and any other personal costs are not included in the fees above.
Fees for dissertation fieldwork overseas
While doing the dissertation, you have the option of doing primary data collection fieldwork overseas in a low- and middle-income country. The costs associated with this fieldwork depends on your dissertation and interests, and is not included in the course fees.
There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.
Scholarships and financial support
If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government. Learn more about Masters funding.
Scholarships are also available to help fund your Masters. Find out more and check your eligibility below:
If you are interested in studying at the Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development, you can also access relevant information about postgraduate funding and funders here.
JJ/WBGSP Scholarship
If you are offered an unconditional offer on our MPH course you may also be eligible for the JJ/WBGSP scholarship. You must fulfil the following criteria:
- Hold a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) earned at least 3 years prior to the MPH application deadline date
- Hold 3 years or more of paid professional work experience in public health
- Be a national of an eligible developing country
- Not hold dual citizenship of a developed country
If you are eligible for the JJ/WBGSP scholarship, you will be nominated by the programme team and relevant information will be sent to you. You will then need to submit a separate application to JJ/WBGSP. You must apply for this programme and upload all the required documentation to the applicant portal before submitting an application by 1st March to be considered for this scholarship.
Please note the internal deadline for nominations to the World Bank and Commonwealth scholarship has passed for 2026 entry.
The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship 2026
Funded jointly by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the University of Leeds, these scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.
Other funding options
Studying in the School of Medicine at Leeds is an amazing opportunity, but we know that the cost can be difficult for many people to meet. If you are keen to join us, a range of funding opportunities are available.
Career opportunities
Where this degree could take you
The Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development has taught international health and development programmes at Leeds for over 30 years and has a large alumni network of:
- public health specialists
- health systems experts
- health managers
- immunisation experts
- experts in water, sanitation and hygiene
- senior planners across the globe
Here’s an insight into the organisations some of our MPH Public Health graduates have gone on to work in:
- World Health Organisation
- Ministries of Health
- international organisations
- civil society organisations
- universities
- consulting firms
- private health providers
My (Geneva study) visit inspired me to want to work for the WHO, the United Nations or another of the other organisations we visited.”
Top 10 most targeted for 10+ years
By the UK's leading employers
“From my class, two of us now are working at the WHO and many others have continued to have fantastic careers in public health or health services all around the world. I look back at [the course] with a huge appreciation because everything in the academic study was immediately tested in the practice environment.”
Jim Campbell, Leeds graduate and Director of the Health Workforce Department at the World Health Organisation (WHO)
Read more about Jim’s job at the WHO and his link to Leeds
Careers support
At Leeds, we help you to prepare for your future from day one.
Our Careers Service has the global expertise and sector-spanning industry partnerships that, combined, go way beyond simply helping you get a job. They provide you with the resources you need to upskill and achieve the future you aspire towards – even in the face of lightning-paced change.
- Dedicated Employability Team – meet with our qualified careers consultants and specialist employability and placements officers, on hand to help you choose the right path and develop the skills to get there. They can support with CV and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile building, mock interviews and navigating AI: get confident with tailored advice and techniques.
- Employability and networking events – get involved in a full range of events, including careers fairs and specialist industry talks with employers who are actively recruiting. You’ll also benefit from mentoring and a supportive careers community, helping you make connections, build your network, and shape your journey as a future professional.
- Skills training – we embed transferable skills training in all our programmes to support your transition to the workplace. Gain expertise employers value, such as communication, problem-solving and research and data analysis.
- MyCareer system —– access a dedicated portal where you can book careers appointments, view helpful resources and browse vacancies and events. Access digital tools, including LinkedIn support, video‑interview preparation, plus global job market and visa guidance. We also offer pre‑arrival support to help you prepare for career planning in the UK and make the most of your time with us.
- Exclusive opportunities – bring your enterprise to market with our award-winning business advice service, Spark. Apply for vacancies only available to our students. And hone your skills further with Leeds University Union, home to volunteering opportunities and over 300 clubs and societies.