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Population Health MSc

London, Bloomsbury

The MSc Population Health provides you with the key skills for a career in public health. Through a range of optional modules, it also provides the opportunity to progress your career in a range of parallel areas, including health policy, programme management, health inequalities and urban and environmental planning.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£12,700
£6,350
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£34,400
£17,200
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2024
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 28 Jun 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

An upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard; or a professional qualification in a health-related area such as medicine or nursing of an equivalent standard. Relevant research, work or volunteer experience will be viewed favourably. Students without the minimum academic standards may be considered if they have extensive relevant work or research experience.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 3

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


Along with independent study, you’ll work in teams that replicate real-world scenarios. You’ll benefit from direct contact with expert teaching staff, as well as a diverse network of fellow students.

You’ll learn how to:

  • define and measure the health of populations
  • understand the role of socioeconomic and behavioural determinants of health
  • appreciate how health systems and public policy impact on health
  • evaluate interventions to improve population health

Optional modules will allow you to explore areas such as health inequalities, health economics, urban and environmental planning, and advanced statistical methodology.

Who this course is for

This programme is for you if you are:

  • passionate about making positive change in the real world
  • driven to understand inequities and champion minorities
  • interested in influencing local, national and international health policy

Anyone interested in the broad area of population health with an appropriate academic background that meets our entry requirements is welcome to apply.

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

What this course will give you

On our programme you'll gain:

  • the skills to critique and interpret evidence
  • an understanding of how evidence translates into practice
  • the ability to independently conduct population health research

UCL is among the world's top ten universities with a reputation for high-quality research. Located in the heart of London, it is a stimulating and exciting environment in which to study.

  • UCL is rated No.1 for research power and impact in medicine, health and life sciences (REF 2021)
  • UCL is ranked 6th in the world for public health (ShanghaiRanking's 2023 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects)
  • UCL is ranked 9th in the world as a university (QS World Rankings 2024)

UCL can bring the full power of a multi-faculty university to bear on discussions of population health, involving academics from the wide range of disciplines necessary to tackle some of the most difficult issues in public health.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

You will gain interdisciplinary skills and knowledge in population health which are core to careers in the health sector and beyond.

Optional modules will enable you to focus the development of your skills in research methods; public health and health systems; sexual health and infectious disease; and health across the lifecourse.

Discussions on the policy and practice of population health will help you engage with and apply critical thinking to real-world problems.

My cohort is extremely close-knit, and boasts a very international background. I find that through courses such as "Social Determinants of Global Health" I've had the opportunity to learn about population health through multiple, diverse perspectives.

Alysha

Population Health MSc

Read more

Employability

The Population Health MSc prepares graduates for careers in the fields of public health, health policy, epidemiology, healthcare management, urban and environmental planning, and health financing in government, NGOs, and for-profit sectors. Graduates may wish to continue on to further PhD studies or explore roles such as Policy Adviser and Advocacy Leader.

As well as developing specialist knowledge in population health, you’ll also gain highly valued transferable skills including:

  • preparing and delivering oral presentations
  • applying theory to practice
  • effective teamwork
  • public health policy analysis
  • time management
  • scientific writing

Our graduates have gone on to work at organisations such as Public Health England, BUPA, the University of Oxford (PhD), and Ipsos MORI.

Networking

The Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care offers four on-campus MSc programmes and a fully online MPH programme encompassing a wide range of topics. Our students come from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, from the UK and overseas providing great networking opportunities within and across programmes. Each programme holds social events during the year to enable networking between students. Students have the opportunity to join the newly formed Population Health Sciences Student Society, two of the founding members of which were from the MSc in Population Health. During the year, online, hybrid, and in-person seminars are hosted by the research departments. These cover a variety of topics and provide an opportunity to hear from national and international experts and to network with attendees and speakers.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, tutorials, problem-solving exercises, discussions, and supervised practical work. Students are encouraged to develop research and presentation skills and are instructed in the preparation of scientific papers.

Assessment is through a variety of methods, including essays, unseen examinations, project proposals and oral presentations. Students will also produce a research dissertation alongside an oral presentation and a lay summary.

It is expected students will spend approximately 150 hours on each 15-credit taught module. This time is made up of formal learning and teaching events such as lectures, seminars, and tutorials (normally about 30 hours), as well as independent and private study. Additionally, it is expected students will spend about 600 hours preparing their dissertation projects.

Modules

You will take four compulsory modules and four optional modules (120 credits in taught modules). You will also complete a dissertation project (60 credits). Work on the dissertation begins in term 2 and is completed and submitted in early September.

You will study over two academic years, during which time you will take four compulsory modules and four optional modules (120 credits in taught modules). You will also complete a dissertation project (60 credits). Students are advised to take certain compulsory modules together and take their dissertation in the second year.   

You will study for up to a maximum of five academic years, during which time you will take four compulsory modules and four optional modules (120 credits in taught modules). You will also complete a dissertation project (60 credits). Flexible students can take as many or a few modules as they would like in any given academic year. Dissertations would usually be started in the third or fourth year, in case of any delays because the five-year period of study cannot be extended.

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 MSc in Population Health.

Accessibility

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

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £12,700 £6,350
Tuition fees (2024/25) £34,400 £17,200

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs for this programme.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

The MSc Population Health offers a one-year studentship for full-time, part-time and flexible students who enrol onto the programme. The Studentship will consist of £2,500 towards tuition fees. The recipient will be expected to secure the remaining part of their tuition fees and to cover their living costs. Offer holders can apply through our website

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

Value: £19,300 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 (1yr)
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

The MSc Dental Public Health Aubrey Sheiham Scholarship

Deadline: 28 June 2024
Value: £2,500 (home students); £5,000 (overseas students) (1 yr)
Criteria Based on academic merit
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 and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Population Health at graduate level
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree

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.

Due to high number of applications we have received in recent years, we may need to close to applications before the formal application deadline. We strongly encourage applicants to apply early.

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: 2024-2025

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

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

iehc.mscpopulationhealth@ucl.ac.uk

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