Public Health, Master of MPH
Awards: MPH
Study modes: Full-time
Funding opportunities
Programme website: Public Health, Master of
Empower your career and master the skills necessary to innovate and lead in public health with a Master of Public Health from the University of Edinburgh.
This comprehensive programme will help you deepen your knowledge and engage with cutting-edge research and practical insights, learning from world-leading academics and practitioners across a spectrum of public health disciplines.
From epidemiology and global health to health promotion and policy, our programme equips you with the tools necessary to address pressing health issues and drive meaningful change in communities worldwide.
Why choose this programme?
- Global influence and recognition: Interact with some of the world's leading public health experts, who have helped to shape clinical guidelines and government policy.
- Leadership development: Build essential strategic thinking and communication skills that empower you to take on senior roles in public health organisations, driving impactful health initiatives and influencing health outcomes globally.
- Interdisciplinary expertise: Gain access to a broad spectrum of public health knowledge through our multidisciplinary approach, learning from experts in areas such as epidemiology, sociology and health protection to develop versatile skills applicable in various sectors.
Our Master of Public Health programme is designed to equip you with a comprehensive understanding of public health. The programme structure includes:
- Core courses: Build a solid foundation with a core curriculum covering epidemiology, statistics, qualitative research, systematic reviews, health promotion and research design.
- Elective courses: Tailor your study to your interests with elective options covering topics such as communicable disease control, global health and health policy.
- Dissertation: Apply your knowledge in a substantial research project on a public health topic of your choice, guided by expert supervision.
This structure ensures that you will gain both the breadth and depth of knowledge needed to advance your career in public health.
Find out more about compulsory and optional courses
We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
| Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPH | Master of Public Health | 1 Year | Full-time | Programme structure 2024/25 |
The Master of Public Health programme aims to equip students with evidence-based conceptual and practical tools, to take a critical interdisciplinary approach to public health challenges.
You will:
- Demonstrate a critical understanding of the theories, concepts and principles underpinning public health practice, policy and research.
- Apply knowledge and skills and engage with relevant literature, in qualitative and quantitative disciplines.
- Apply critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis to develop effective responses to contemporary public health challenges.
- Communicate complex public health concepts and issues to both public and professional audiences using a range of media and methods.
- Exercise autonomy, take responsibility for own work and work constructively with peers on complex public health issues.
Graduates of the Master of Public Health (MPH) programme at the University of Edinburgh will be well-equipped to pursue a variety of impactful careers in diverse sectors.
Sectors and roles
- Public sector: Graduates can influence public health policy and programme implementation as epidemiologists, project managers, policy analysts or other roles within government agencies and international health organisations.
- Non-profit organisations: Drive initiatives focused on disease prevention, health education and community health improvements as project coordinators, programme managers or research officers in NGOs dedicated to health promotion.
- Academic and research institutions: Contribute to groundbreaking public health research and education as academic researchers and educators, shaping future public health strategies.
- Private sector: Conduct health impact assessments, manage public health projects or consult on public health strategies for corporations, consultancy firms or healthcare providers.
Each sector offers unique opportunities to apply the skills and knowledge gained through the MPH program to real-world challenges, enhancing health outcomes on a global scale.
Support for career advancement
The University of Edinburgh’s Careers Service offers extensive support, from CV workshops to personalised career advice, ensuring you are fully equipped to make an impact in your chosen field.
These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.
A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in medicine, nursing, social science, science, biomedicine, or other related discipline.
Students from China
This degree is Band B.
International qualifications
Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:
English language requirements
Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.
English language tests
We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:
- IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.5 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
- TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 23 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
- C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 176 in each component.
- Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
- PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 65 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
- Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 7 in each component.
Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.
Degrees taught and assessed in English
We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:
We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).
If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.
Find out more about our language requirements:
Deposit
Successful applicants will be required to pay a deposit before an unconditional offer can be made.
- £750 (this contributes towards your tuition fees)
Find out more about tuition fee deposits:
Living costs
You will be responsible for covering living costs for the duration of your studies.
Tuition fees
| Award | Title | Duration | Study mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPH | Master of Public Health | 1 Year | Full-time | Tuition fees |
Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.
Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:
- borrowing money
- taking out a loan
- family support
- personal savings
- income from work
- employer sponsorship
- scholarships
Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study
The department does not hold any funding for this programme and only a small number of applicants are awarded other scholarships annually. Please ensure that you have sufficient funding available to cover your studies before submitting an application.
UK government postgraduate loans
If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.
The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:
- your programme
- the duration of your studies
- your tuition fee status
Programmes studied on a part-time, intermittent basis are not eligible.
Other funding opportunities
Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:
- Postgraduate Administrator, The University of Edinburgh
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 7990
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Professor Devi Sridhar
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 7990
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Usher Institute
- Usher Building
- 5-7 Little France Road
- Little France
- Edinburgh
- EH16 4UX
Applying
Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.
MPH Public Health - 1 Year (Full-time)
| Programme start date | Application deadline |
|---|---|
| 8 September 2025 | 22 August 2025 |
You can apply for this degree during a number of periods through the year. We limit the time we accept applications due to the high level of demand for places.
When you are able to apply depends upon your fee status.
If you don’t hear from us by the award deadline, your application is carried forward to the next admissions round for further consideration.
Deadlines for all fee statuses
| Round | Application Deadline | Places awarded by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 December 2024 | 24 January 2025 |
| 2 | 21 February 2025 | 21 March 2025 |
| 3 | 25 April 2025 | 23 May 2025 |
| 4 | 20 June 2025 | 25 July 2025 |
Deadlines for UK/Scotland fee status
This round is only open to applicants who are eligible for the UK/Scotland fee rate, including the EU/EEA Pre-settled Scotland fee status.
If you apply with another fee status in this round your application will be rejected.
| Round | Application Deadline | Places awarded by |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 22 August 2025 | 29 August 2025 |
You must submit one reference with your application.
We will be looking for evidence in your personal statement that you have thought carefully about what you can bring to the programme and what impact you feel it will have on your future career.
Please ensure that you address the following issues in your statement, to help us select the students who will benefit most from the programme:
- What skills, qualities and experiences have prepared you to undertake this programme?
- What value do you think you can add to the learning community as part of an internationally diverse group?
- What impact do you hope to make in your future career, and how will this programme contribute to your aspirations?
Your personal statement should be around 500 words in length.
Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:
Further information
- Postgraduate Administrator, The University of Edinburgh
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 7990
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Programme Director, Professor Devi Sridhar
- Phone: +44 (0)131 651 7990
- Contact: futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
- Usher Institute
- Usher Building
- 5-7 Little France Road
- Little France
- Edinburgh
- EH16 4UX