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Social Epidemiology MSc

London, Bloomsbury

Inequalities in health relating to poverty, deprivation or other social characteristics are now major themes in research and policy debates in both developed and developing countries. Join us on this specialist MSc at UCL to gain a detailed insight into the social factors affecting health. It’s the ideal preparation for specialising in this area as a trained health professional, researcher or policymaker.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£13,500
£6,750
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£36,500
£18,250
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

A minimum of an upper second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard is required. Applicants must be confident using computers and show evidence of numeracy e.g. O level/GCSE Mathematics or Statistics (or overseas equivalent), or a module with a good mark in their degree.

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 want to learn about different approaches to social epidemiology – in other words, the role of social factors in determining people’s health – this course will equip you with the knowledge and tools to do this, and become a better public health professional.

You’ll develop skills in study design and statistical analysis, and explore the link between people’s social environment and their health. Delving into the social determinants of health, you’ll also learn to advocate research and policy measures. 

These skills will help you to build a career in this field, where you can contribute towards alleviating the burden of ill health caused by poverty, inequalities and deprivation.

You’ll be better placed to generate ideas for projects regarding social aspects of the disease, talk about social factors with health-related non-academic organisations, and incorporate the role of social epidemiology into your work, whether in public health or elsewhere. 

Who this course is for

The programme equips high achieving graduates from a broad range of disciplines from social sciences, medicine, and biology to statistics, as well as health professionals, with the skills necessary to contribute to the understanding and working to alleviate the burden of ill health caused by poverty, inequalities and deprivation.

This course is for graduates who are:

  • Passionate about making a positive change in the world.
  • Enthusiastic to understand and debate health inequalities.
  • Interested to develop skills in health data analysis and interpretation.
  • Excited to join a diverse student cohort.
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 University Rankings 2025), 6th in the world for public health (ShanghaiRankings 2023), and ranked number one for research power and impact in medicine, health and life sciences (REF 2021). 
  • Work with renowned academics at the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care (UCL IEHC), which has an outstanding reputation for research and teaching. Researchers are helping to tackle many complex issues in public health such as the role of area deprivation on health, and the impact of early child experiences on adult health and wellbeing.
  • Access a highly interactive and engaging learning community of like-minded peers, researchers and academics, with regular networking opportunities for academic and professional development.
  • Develop in-depth knowledge of theories, concepts and evidence relating to social, epidemiology, life course epidemiology and the social determinants of health.
  • Learn to critique and interpret evidence, understand how evidence translates into practice, and conduct your own research in the field of health inequalities.
  • Benefit from being based in Bloomsbury in the heart of London, a stimulating and exciting environment in which to study.
  • Develop transferrable professional and academic skills to prepare you for doctorate-level studies, research or a clinical career.
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

This 12-month programme is ideal if you want to work as a social epidemiologist, public health policymaker or researcher.

Whether you choose to work on public health locally, nationally or globally, you'll be able to consider careers in government, the NHS, non-governmental organisations, charities, insurance companies, health data companies, universities and research institutions. Some graduates continue on to do a PhD.

Graduates of this Master’s degree have gone on to work for Pzifer, The Lancet, International Health Policy Program and the Public Health Agency of Canada. *

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

Employability

This programme will give you the skills and expertise to understand the main debates around health inequalities.  

You’ll develop in-depth knowledge of the theories, concepts and evidence relating to social epidemiology, life course epidemiology and the wider social determinants of health. You’ll also develop the statistical skills to be able to analyse data and contribute to these much-needed conversations.

As well as developing specialist knowledge, you'll also gain valued transferable skills you can apply in many other careers, including:

  • Preparing and delivering oral presentations
  • Scientific writing
  • Effective teamwork
  • Critical appraisal of evidence
  • Statistical analysis of large datasets
  • Grant proposal writing
  • Time management 
     

As a Social Epidemiology MSc alumnus, you’ll join a growing global network of graduates. You’ll have access to the UCL alumni network – with the chance to attend networking and social events around the globe.  

Networking

UCL IEHC offers five 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 can join the recently 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 Institute. 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 lectures, seminars, problem-solving exercises, discussions, and supervised practical work. Students are encouraged to develop research and presentation skills.

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

Assessment is through a variety of methods, including coursework, essays, unseen examinations, oral presentations, data analysis and grant proposal exercises. Students will also produce a research dissertation.

Each 15-credit taught module equates to around 150 learning hours. This includes the time you spend in taught sessions, independent study, group work, and assessment. This time is spread out over the whole period of the module (compulsory modules generally run for 10 weeks or 3-4 weeks). Additionally, it is expected that students will spend about 600 hours preparing their dissertation projects.

Students will typically spend 15-20 hours per week in face-to-face learning, including lectures and seminars. Overall, we expect full-time students to spend a full 35-hour week studying, with time outside classes spent in self-directed study. Part-time and flexible students study at a pro-rata rate.

Modules

You will take a total of 120 credits in taught modules (seven compulsory and one optional module). You will also complete a dissertation project (60 credits). Work on the dissertation begins in the Second Term and is completed and submitted in late August.

You will take a total of 120 credits in taught modules (seven compulsory and one optional module) over two years. A dissertation project (60 credits) is to be completed in the second year with submission in late August of the second year.

You will take a total of 120 credits in taught modules (seven compulsory and one optional module) over two to five years. Flexible students can take as many or a few modules as they would like in any given year.

A 60-credit dissertation project is to be completed. The dissertation 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. The dissertation is usually submitted in late August. 

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 Social Epidemiology.

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

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Social Epidemiology MSc

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Join us at our virtual information sessions to learn about Master's degrees delivered by the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care. Each session will provide a programme introduction and time for Q&A. If you cannot join for the full length of the session, you are welcome to drop-in, or out, at your convenience.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Social Epidemiology MSc

—

Join us at our virtual information sessions to learn about Master's degrees delivered by the UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care. Each session will provide a programme introduction and time for Q&A. If you cannot join for the full length of the session, you are welcome to drop-in, or out, at your convenience.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £13,500 £6,750
Tuition fees (2025/26) £36,500 £18,250

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

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.

There are no additional costs for this programme.

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 MSc in Social Epidemiology offers a competitive one-year Michael Marmot studentship for full-time, part-time and modular flexible students who enrol of the programme. The studentship consists 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. To be eligible the student will need to have received an unconditional offer for this programme.

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) (1yr)
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 yr)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

MSc Studentship in Social Epidemiology

Deadline: 27 June 2025
Value: £2,500 (1 yr)
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 yr)
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.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • Why you want to study Social Epidemiology at graduate level.
  • Why you want to study Social Epidemiology at UCL.
  • 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 the high number of applications we 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: 2025-2026

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

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

eph.healthsociety@ucl.ac.uk

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