Master of Public Health (MPH) | PGDip | PGCert – Online Course

Programme duration: approximately30 months for MPH(part-timeand online)
Upcoming starts: 9 Apr 2024, 9 Jul 2024 and 8 Oct 2024
Entry awards: MPH/PGDip/PGCert
Awarding body: University of Liverpool
Delivered by:

Equip yourself with the key expertise required to address public health concerns on a national and international level.  

About the programme

The online MPH programme is fully accredited by APHEA (Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation). APHEA is an independent body which is committed to assuring and improving the quality of public health educational activities throughout Europe and the globe.  

APHEA accreditation logo from the University of Liverpool online MPH

Our MPH offers a global multidisciplinary public health approach. You will work in small groups with your peers to discuss public health issues and engage in collaborative activities. Our international faculty and students bring a breadth of perspectives to our classroom which provides you with unique insight into public health best practices across the world.  

Through the programme, you will explore key topics within public health such as principles and practice within a global context, as well as methodologies and approaches from an ethical, social and economic standpoint. You will learn to critically appraise the complexities of health and social systems from different stakeholder perspectives and evaluate options for strategy development and programme interventions.  

You can elect to study specialist modules to advance specific expertise in public health, such as managing crises and disasters, programme and policy challenges in low-income countries, and health economics. The modules you choose could enable you to pursue our specialist pathways in Global Mental Health, International Public Health or Management of Health Systems.

Download a prospectus for more details on this programme. 

Programme structure

What will I study?

This programme consists of the following modules. You are required to complete 180 credits to achieve a full Master of Public Health (MPH), 120 credits to achieve the postgraduate diploma (PGDip) and 65 credits to achieve the postgraduate certificate (PGCert).

Students can additionally choose to take specialist pathways through the programme, which are Global Mental Health, International Public Health or Management of Health Systems. Students on these pathways must select specific modules (details below) and choose a dissertation topic reflective of their specialist pathway.

ModulesMPHPGDipPGCert
Practising and Promoting Public Health in a Global Context (15 credits)
x
x
x
Generating and Evaluating Public Health Evidence (20 credits)
x
x
x
Integrated Research in Public Health: Epidemiology and Qualitative Methods (20 credits)
x
x
x
Leading and Managing Health Systems (10 credits)
x
x
x
Monitoring and Evaluation of Systems and Programmes (10 credits)
x
x
Optional modules (choose two from):

Health Protection: Preventing and Managing Communicable Diseases (10 credits)

Managing Crises and Disasters (10 credits)

Programme and Policy Challenges in Low Income Countries (10 credits) ‡

Health, Economics and Governance (10 credits) §

Global Mental Health: Contemporary Issues (10 credits) Ω

Global Mental Health Practice & Research (10 credits) Ω
x
x
Core research methods module (choose one from):

Applied Epidemiological Research for Public Health; or (15 credits)

Applied Qualitative Research for Public Health (15 credits)
x
x
Health Inequalities: Integrating Public Health Practice (10 credits)
x
x
Dissertation (60 credits)
x

Guidance for those studying a pathway

‡ This module must be taken for the International Public Health pathway. § This module must be taken for the Management of Health Systems pathway. You will then pick one optional module – either Health Protection: Preventing and Managing Communicable Diseases, Global Mental Health: Contemporary Issues, or Managing Crises and Disasters. Ω These two modules must be taken for the Global Mental Health pathway. The Global Mental Health: Contemporary Issues module must be taken before Global Mental Health Practice & Research.

For more information on the modules, including syllabus and learning outcomes, please download our programme booklet

Entry requirements

All applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. If you want to discuss your previous qualifications and experience before applying, please contact us now via LiveChat.

Applicants should possess either◊:  

  • A master’s or bachelor’s in medicine, equivalent to a UK degree, coupled with at least one year experience in a public health related field; or   
  • A minimum of a 2:1 class degree in a public health related discipline, equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, coupled with two years’ professional experience in a public health related field; or 
  • A minimum of a 2:1 class degree in a non-public health related discipline, equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree, coupled with two years’ professional experience in a public health related field. 

Applicants should also have: 

  • A minimum GCSE grade C or equivalent in English language and mathematics. 

All applicants must provide evidence that they have an English language ability equivalent to an IELTS (academic) score of 6.5 (overall) and 7.0 (reading and writing).

If you don’t have an IELTS or equivalent certificate, you can take our free online English test to assess your proficiency. You don’t need to prove your English ability if you are a national of, or have completed a qualification equivalent to a UK degree in, any of these countries.

Fees and funding

Fees for the academic year 2023/24

MPH: £16,065
PGDip: £10,710
PGCert: £5,355

Fees for the academic year 2024/25

MPH: £16,868
PGDip: £11,246
PGCert: £5,623

These fees* are fully inclusive of all costs, including all teaching materials, core textbooks, assessments and resits.   

Executive Scholarship

An Executive Scholarship of 20%** is available for our remaining intakes in the 2023/24 academic year for the MPH award. This reduces the total fees from £16.065 to £12,852. Contact our admissions team  for more information.   

Other scholarships and discounts

You may be able to benefit from the following scholarships and discounts:

  • Regional Scholarships of up to 20%. To find out the scholarship offered in your region, please make an enquiry now
  • 10% discount for University of Liverpool alumni
  • 5% discount for up-front full tuition fee payment 

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship

If you are a Commonwealth resident, you may be able to apply for a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship to fund this online MPH programme.  

Applications for candidates open on 16 February 2024 and close on 28 March 2024, with this programme eligible under the ‘strengthening health systems and capacity’ theme. 

See the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission (CSC) website for details of how to apply.  

Please note that you must also submit an application to study for this programme as well as completing the CSC application.  

Further support

We aim to make it as easy as possible for you to cover the costs of your studies. You could benefit from:

  • Simple monthly payment plan provided to spread the cost over the duration of study 
  • Students living in England may be eligible for a postgraduate loan to cover some of the programme cost. 

Please speak to our admissions team for more details of fees, scholarships, discounts and support.

*All tuition fees shown are net of any applicable sales tax payable by you in your country of residence. Where we are required to add sales tax at the local statutory rate, this will be added to the tuition fees shown and confirmed.

**Please note that the Executive Scholarship for healthcare professionals can only be used with the Up-Front Payment Discount. 

Applying

Apply for this course by completing a simple online form

In order to apply, you will need to provide copies of the following supporting documentation: 

  • School or college transcripts/certificates 
  • University transcripts and certified translations if applicable 
  • Degree certificates 
  • Evidence of English language proficiency (EU and international applications only) 
  • Personal statement 
  • An up-to-date CV 

Acknowledgement of your application 

The admissions team will acknowledge receipt of your application and will pass it to the Department Head and/or appropriate academic department(s) for consideration. 

Students with disabilities 

We welcome applications from students with disabilities and consider them on the same academic grounds as those of other students. If you have a disability, medical condition and/or support needs it is important that you inform the University so that you receive appropriate support. 

Deadlines 

We have regular start dates throughout the year with regular application deadlines. Applicants are encouraged to apply in good time, particularly if they have special requirements. 

Career prospects

This programme has been designed with the professional development needs in mind of a wide range of health practitioners – from those interested in improving the health and wellbeing within communities, to individuals working for NGOs in developing countries, or in developed countries – to help them progress to the next stage of their career ladder. 

You will be equipped with the expertise to put public health principles into effect in a variety of settings including research, practice and policy. This could open up senior roles for you in public health research and practice within a range of sectors, such as health organisations, governmental organisations, charities and NGOs. 

Our students work for a range of national and international organisations including Action Against Hunger, International Rescue Committee, Medecins Sans Frontiers, Partners in Health and UNICEF.

Download this PDF to see our class profile for 2024.

Organisations of our Public Health students
About us

The Department of Public Health, Policy and Systems is one of the largest of its kind in the UK and has a world-leading status for excellence in research and education. Our activities are underpinned by the social model of health and its application to health inequalities, and to health and social care systems. We inspire people to learn and achieve – and do things that they never thought possible. The latest Research Excellence Framework 2021 rated 97% of our research as world leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*), making us joint 3rd in the UK. 100% of our impact and environment is world-leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*). 

By studying online with Liverpool, you can gain a highly regarded qualification from a prestigious redbrick university and a member of the Russell Group, a group of 24 research-led UK universities committed to maintaining the highest possible standards of research and education. You will acquire new skills and knowledge, all while continuing to work in your current role.  

The University of Liverpool has been offering online programmes since 2000. We are recognised as one of Europe’s leading providers of wholly online postgraduate degrees. All our programmes are designed for online delivery, and our state-of-the-art learning platform encourages collaboration with fellow professionals from around the world.

Study Online with the University of Liverpool