Public Health (International) MPH

This course is designed to provide public health professionals with an advanced understanding of the health needs of populations and how to effectively intervene to strengthen international health systems.

Make an impact

Through our course, you’ll gain a detailed insight into innovative solutions to address modern global health challenges. Through studying with our expert staff, you can benefit from their real world knowledge and experience, positioning you to join the global community of professionals working to improve the provision of healthcare around the world.

Course highlights

• Analyse health policy and health service issues using epidemiological and statistical tools to critically review evidence.

• Develop the essential skills to improve existing (and build new) health services programmes and management systems.

• Evaluate different strategies for disease control to select the most effective and feasible programmes.

• Discuss ethical issues to adopt and justify appropriate ethical stances.

• Benefit from an international learning environment, with fellow-professionals from a range of countries and areas of expertise.

At Leeds, you’ll also have the opportunity (dependent on travel restrictions) to take part in a study visit to Geneva, attending workshops and meetings with various health-related UN and other international organisations.

The course is delivered by Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development, based in the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences. You can also study this subject at Postgraduate Diploma (9 months) or Postgraduate Certificate (4 months) level.

Please contact the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences admissions team if you need further advice on which course would be best for you. Alternatively, you can watch our recent international student webinar recording below to find out more.

This course has two streams allowing you to follow the one that is most suitable for your career aims :

• Stream A - focuses on health interventions and services
• Stream B - focuses on health policy and systems

You’ll also be able to select from 10 optional module choices to further customise your course. The taught compulsory modules lay firm foundations for your learning throughout the course:

• Introduction to global and public health – introduces global health issues, public health strategies and health systems.

• Health systems research methods – looks at how to plan research, choose research methods, evaluate findings and present results.

• Principles of public health (Steam A) – analyses public health problems from a multidisciplinary perspective, informs 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 wide range of optional modules allows you to focus your study to match your interests and experience.

At Leeds, you’ll have the opportunity (dependent on travel restrictions) to take part in a study visit to Geneva, attending workshops and meetings with various health-related UN and other international organisations. In the past these 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 Alliance.

The 10,000-word 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 plans.

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.

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

Under the guidance of academic tutors who have all worked in low and middle income countries, you'll develop core skills and knowledge early in the course, which you build on with your chosen modules in specialist fields of public health, planning and management. Your dissertation gives you the opportunity to plan, initiate, execute and complete a substantial piece of independent research, with support and guidance.

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, tutorials and case studies. Some study sessions use the University's computer resources, with support for students to enhance their competence in the use of information technology. You have access to electronic copies of all teaching materials through our Virtual Learning Environment.

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 space and post-graduate social space.

You’ll benefit from the international learning environment on our international health and development programmes, where you learn and discuss with fellow-health professionals from a range of countries and professional backgrounds.

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

Each module is assessed through a combination of written assignments, group and individual presentations, reflective logs, written examination on epidemiology and statistics and a 10,000-word dissertation on your original research project.

Entry requirements

The Master of Public Health (International) is designed for you if you are a health professional with diverse experience in national health systems. For example you may be a district and provincial medical officer, disease control, reproductive and child health and other programme officer, health service manager, community nurse, health educationalist or general medical practitioner. Our entry requirements are:

• A medical degree or bachelor degree with a 2:2 (hons) or equivalent qualification in a related discipline (eg medicine, health, science, social sciences, management or administration).

• All applicants must have a minimum of two years’ full-time professional work experience in a health service or developing health system in a low-middle income country (please note that we cannot count internships, lab-based positions or work-based training towards the entry requirement).

• OR exceptionally a professional diploma in a health-related discipline with 5 years relevant experience in public health

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 are now offering online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals.  To find out more, read Online Academic English pre-sessional (10 weeks) and Online Academic English pre-sessional (6 weeks).

Read about differences between our online and on-campus summer pre-sessionals.

If you need to study for longer than 10 weeks, read more about our postgraduate pre-sessional English course.

How to apply

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.

Deadline for applications is 31 July 2022.

One reference must be supplied at the point of application that can indicate your relevant work experience such as: health service or developing health system in a low-middle income country. The reference should be provided on a headed document with either a stamp from the institution or an electronic signature.

On application (personal statement), you must show the following:

• Work experience in relation to public health in Low or middle income countries
• Why you have selected the program in terms of your learning expectations and career plan

Apply

This link takes 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.

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 2 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

School of Medicine Taught Postgraduate Policy 2022

Fees

• UK: £10,500 (total)
• International: £23,250 (total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Additional cost information

The cost of the optional one-week trip to Geneva (see Course overview) is not included in the course fees. Students pay a contribution towards their travel, accommodation, visa and insurance costs, and the Nuffield pays the rest of these costs. (Students who choose the study trip as an optional module pay a smaller contribution than students who attend the study trip for their professional development only.) Other costs, including meals and any personal costs, are paid by the student. We send more information with offer letters.

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 about additional costs.

Graduates of this course have gone on to work in:

• ministries of health

• international organisations

• civil society organisations

• universities

• consulting firms

• private health providers

The Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development has taught international health and development programmes at Leeds for over 30 years and so has a large alumni network of:

• public health specialists

• health systems experts

• health managers

• planners holding senior positions around the world

Careers support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.