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Master of Public Health MPH

Distance learning programme

Set yourself up for a meaningful public health career on this flexible, interactive online Master’s degree. Taught by a world-leading university for public health, you’ll get to grips with pressing global health challenges and develop essential in-demand skills to deliver practical public health solutions. 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£20,500
£10,250
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£20,500
£10,250
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
All applicants: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of upper second-class degree or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in a relevant subject (social, life, biomedical or clinical sciences). Applicants are recommended to have a background in a numerical subject (e.g. AS/A level Mathematics/Statistics or a mathematical/statistics/quantitative undergraduate module). Candidates who do not meet the academic standard and/or subject backgrounds but who have more than two years relevant professional experience (can be a combination of voluntary and paid work) may be considered for admission.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree



If you’re looking to make your mark in public health, this online Master’s degree is an excellent foundation. 

A contemporary programme sitting at the leading edge of this field, you’ll get to work with UCL’s renowned academics, public health practitioners and citizens who’ve been affected by public health issues.

The degree blends classical population health sciences with an innovative interdisciplinary approach to help you explore the big picture. Using research and evaluation methods in health, you’ll learn about diverse preventative approaches for improving and protecting the health and wellbeing of populations.  

With a strong emphasis on equity and inclusion, you’ll get to grips with understanding and tackling health inequalities. You’ll also hone your skills in leadership and communication, and learn how to take a practical, comparative and creative approach to solving public health issues in high-, middle- and low-income countries.  

Who this course is for

This programme is for new or recent graduates looking for a career focused Master’s degree that will enable you to bring knowledge and expertise to your future public health careers. The programme is also suitable for individuals already working in the public health field, who are pursuing career progression and further learning and development. 

It is ideal preparation for those planning to take the UK Faculty of Public Health Diplomate Examination. We have students from all over the world taking advantage of our flexible and interactive fully online programme. 

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

  • Study at a university ranked 9th in the world (QS World Rankings 2025), 6th in the world for public health (ShanghaiRankings 2023) and number one for research power and impact in medicine, health and life sciences (REF 2021).
  • Flexible online teaching with regular live online classes, events and meetings with staff and students around the world. 
  • Teaching is delivered by experienced UCL academics from a wide range of backgrounds, as well as public health practitioners, policy makers, advocates and people with lived experience.
  • A varied, modern and comprehensive public health curriculum, with a strong emphasis on applying knowledge and developing in-demand skills for your career. 
  • Study through a mix of multimedia asynchronous learning activities, live online class discussions, group work, and work-place based assessments centred around real-world public health problems. 
  • Access to a highly interactive and engaging learning community. 
  • A strong emphasis on interdisciplinarity and practical experience.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

As a graduate of this programme, you’ll be in a strong position for working with government, the healthcare sector or non-governmental organisations. You could progress as a public health practitioner, policy analyst, intelligence officer or advisor.

In particular, your skills will be well suited to working on programmes to improve health, prevent disease outbreaks, or ensure equal access to health services and medicines.

Graduates of the Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care have gone onto work for organisations such as the NHS, Ipsos MORI, the Department of Health and Social Care, NatCen Social Research, Public Health England, the UK Health Security Agency, the Lancet and the Health Policy Partnership.*

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 cohorts.

UCL’s public health programme is unique as it is designed to provide students with a solid grounding in the key concepts and skills of public health such as epidemiology, health leadership, and health policy, preparing students for diverse career opportunities.

Fanuel

Master of Public Health MPH

Read more

Employability

Our Master of Public Health MPH has been designed around the competency frameworks of the world’s most prestigious healthcare organisations. These frameworks include the UK Faculty of Public Health Specialist Training Curriculum, the UK Faculty of Public Health Diplomate Exam Curriculum, and the WHO-ASPHER Core Competency Framework for Public Health in the European Region. As such, you’ll graduate from the programme with a variety of skills employers working on public health issues need, including how to assess health inequalities and interventions, and how to work with different stakeholder groups, including communities and patients.

With opportunities to hone your leadership style, produce original project work, and develop evidence-based recommendations, the transferable skills you develop will be applicable to many settings.

Networking

Our students come from diverse academic and professional backgrounds from all over the world, providing great online networking opportunities within the programme. Students also have the opportunity to join the newly formed Population Health Sciences Student Society and the UCL Online Student Society, which was founded by MPH students. 

During the year, online and hybrid seminars are hosted by the research departments within the Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care and UCL Health of the Public. These cover a variety of topics and provide an opportunity to hear from national and international experts and to network with attendees and speakers. MPH students based in or visiting London are also welcome to use UCL campus facilities, attend in-person events, and meet academic staff face-to-face.

Teaching and learning

The MPH prides itself in making students learning in an online environment feel connected and part of the UCL community. On this programme, you will be undertaking the equivalent of a face-to-face Master’s degree, but with the flexibility and accessibility of being fully online. This is particularly beneficial for those who have work, family, and lifestyle commitments. You will undertake a wide range of different learning opportunities to keep you feeling motivated and engaged throughout your learning journey.

As a student on this programme, you will be provided with self-study materials, such as videos, readings, discussion forums, and independent research tasks, which you complete on your own at your own pace. These ‘asynchronous’ materials form the backbone of your learning and will need to be completed before we come together in a weekly live online class for each module. These ‘synchronous’ live online classes will provide you with opportunities to consolidate and deepen your learning from the asynchronous materials. You will do this through interactive, collaborative, and discussion-based activities with your peers, lecturers, and special guests including interdisciplinary academics, public health leaders, practitioners, and people with lived experience of public health problems. Live online classes will be held on four days of the week (one day for each module) and you will be offered a choice of attending either the morning or afternoon session to fit with your other commitments and time zone.

There is also regular group work throughout the programme to strengthen our student community, enhance learning, and to develop team working and leadership skills. Group projects are designed to simulate real world multi-agency working groups or project committees, providing insights and hands-on practice relating to the actual work of public health practitioners.

The programme involves four phases of learning: foundation, expansion, specialisation, and integration, corresponding to the different modules taught in each of the teaching terms on the programme (autumn, winter, spring, and summer). For part-time and flexible students, we have kept pre-requisite modules as minimal as possible to ensure maximum flexibility and we will help to guide you through your module selection to optimise your learning journey.

Meet the academics currently leading this programme on the UCL IEHC website.

Focussing on the skills that you will need in your future career, this programme will give you the opportunity to develop and practice a range of skills through our innovative assessment methods which include 24 hour take-home examinations, written papers, class participation, and individual and group presentations. You will work on assessments related to public health strategy, policy, implementation, stakeholder analysis, and coproduction. You will develop robust plans for research and evaluation and analyse and interpret data. You will hone your critical appraisal and critical thinking skills by applying your knowledge to real life scenarios. Personal reflective practice, participation, and different methods of communication to different audiences are also taught and assessed on this programme. 

An independent capstone dissertation project brings together all strands of learning from the degree, focused on a specific subject area you are interested in. Supported by a UCL project supervisor and often a public health partner organisation, the dissertation is an opportunity to further develop research skills, evidence synthesis, and data interpretation to support public health decision making.

For each 15-credit module, you should expect to spend approximately three to five hours per week on asynchronous learning activities plus two hours per week in synchronous live online classes. You will need additional time to prepare for assessments. As a full-time MPH student, you should consider yourself as working a full-time 40 hour/week job for 12 months with about 3-4 weeks of time off during the year. For part-time and flexible students, you will need one full day per week for each 15-credit module that you take, plus extra time for assessments depending on how many modules you take.

Modules

You will undertake modules to the value of 180 credits over one academic year.

The programme consists of seven compulsory modules (120 credits), two optional modules (15 credits each) and a dissertation (30 credits).

You will undertake modules to the value of 180 credits over two academic years.

The programme consists of seven compulsory modules (120 credits), two optional modules (15 credits each) and a dissertation (30 credits). 

We strongly recommend you begin your programme with the Fundamentals of Interdisciplinary Public Health 30 credit module (IEHC0053). 

You will not be able to take optional module Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology module (IEHC0066) until you have taken Applied Epidemiology (IEHC0055) in the First Term and Health Protection (IEHC0061) in the Second Term. 

You will not be able to take optional module Applied Quantitative Methods (IEHC0064) until you have completed Applied Epidemiology (IEHC0055) and Statistics for Public Health (IEHC0057), both in the First Term.

You will undertake modules to the value of 180 credits for up to a maximum of five academic years.

The programme consists of seven compulsory modules (120 credits), two optional modules (15 credits each) and a dissertation (30 credits). There is no set formula for how many credits you take per year and you may have years where you do not take any credits. 

We strongly recommend you begin your programme with the Fundamentals of Interdisciplinary Public Health 30 credit module (IEHC0053).

You will not be able to take optional module Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology (IEHC0066) until you have taken Applied Epidemiology (IEHC0055) in the First Term and Health Protection (IEHC0061) in the Second Term.

You will not be able to take optional module Applied Quantitative Methods (IEHC0064) until you have completed Applied Epidemiology (IEHC0055) and Statistics for Public Health (IEHC0057), both in the First One.

Compulsory modules










Optional modules






Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MPH in Master of Public Health.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Visit us

All open days and events

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Online - Open day

Book a virtual 1-2-1 about Master of Public Health MPH

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Book a 1-2-1 with Dr Denes Stefler, Co-Director of the Master of Public Health MPH. Denes will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the programme, careers or studying at UCL. Please note: we are only taking bookings up to 4 weeks in advance. Please check back at a later date for an appointment further in advance.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £20,500 £10,250
Tuition fees (2025/26) £20,500 £10,250

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Additional costs

For Full-time and Part-time offer holders a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For flexible/modular offer holders a £500 fee deposit will be charged.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

Students will need access to a reliable internet connection and a computer or laptop that can run specialist software such as STATA for data analysis. We recommend complying with UCL technical requirements for students. If you do not have access to a laptop or computer that complies with these requirements, this may present an additional cost to students. A brand-new laptop in the UK can cost between £500 - £1000, but this will vary depending on where you live and whether you purchase new or second-hand IT equipment. Specialist software that are required for your studies (i.e. STATA) will be available for free download from UCL.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

The IMPACT Scholarship

We offer two scholarships annually which will support applicants who have demonstrated financial need, who have lived experience of inequality, and who show great promise for population health impact. The IMPACT scholarship will contribute towards the recipient’s full-time fees to study on the MPH programme. Part-time and flexible students are also eligible to apply, but the award may not fully cover the programme costs if fees increase in the future.

If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.

For further information on funding opportunities specific to this programme, please see the Institute webpage.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

MPH IMPACT Scholarship

Deadline: 30 June 2025
Value: £20,500 towards tuition fees ()
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

MSc Health Psychology Jane Wardle Studentship

Value: £3,750 towards tuition fees ((pro-rata if part-time) (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

MSc Population Health Studentship

Deadline: 27 June 2025
Value: £2,500 (1 year)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

MSc Studentship in Social Epidemiology

Deadline: 27 June 2025
Value: £2,500 (1 year)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

The MSc Dental Public Health Aubrey Sheiham Scholarship

Deadline: 27 June 2025
Value: £2,500 (home students); £5,000 (overseas students) (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

When we assess your personal statement we would like to learn:

  • Why you want to study public health at graduate level.
  • Why you want to study public health at UCL.
  • What particularly attracts you to the MPH programme.
  • How your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme.
  • Where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care
Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care

IEHC.public-health-mph@ucl.ac.uk

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