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Population Health MSc

London, Bloomsbury

Set yourself up with a solid foundation for your career in public and population health. With plenty of flexibility and optional modules built in, you can shape your Master’s degree towards the areas that interest you most, whether that’s health policy, intervention programmes, health inequalities, or quantitative approaches to health studies. 

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£14,200
£7,100
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£39,200
£19,600
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026

Applications closed

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
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 course 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

If you want to play your part in creating change, evening out inequalities and shaping health policy, a career in population health is an excellent fit.

This Master’s degree will set your foundation for a career in the field, with plenty of independent study and the chance to work in teams that replicate real-world scenarios. Benefit from direct contact with UCL’s expert teaching staff, as well as a diverse network of fellow students.

During your year with us, you’ll learn to define and measure the health of populations, analyse and interpret data on health and its determinants, understand the role of socioeconomic and behavioural determinants of health, and appreciate how health systems and public policy impact on health.

We’ll also explore and evaluate different interventions that exist to improve population health, such as housing policy, behavioural change programmes, screening programmes and fiscal changes.

The built-in optional modules mean you can tailor what you study towards the areas that most interest you. Choose to focus more on health inequalities, health economics, ethnicity, life course determinants of health, or advanced statistical methodology.

Who this course is for

This course is for you if you are:

  • Interested in population health and its drivers.
  • Passionate about making positive change in the real world.
  • Driven to understand health 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

  • Study at a university ranked 9th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2026), 3rd in the world for public health (ShanghaiRankings 2024) and rated number one for research power and impact in medicine, health and life sciences in the UK (REF 2021).
  • Work with renowned academics at UCL who are striving to tackle some of the most difficult issues in public health. You’ll work with experts across health inequalities, epidemiology and medical statistics, lifecourse approaches to determinants of health, and health services management. 
  • Gain insight into world-leading research into public health. UCL researchers are helping to address challenges like improving health of populations, addressing the burden of major diseases, climate change and urbanisation.
  • Access a highly interactive and engaging learning community of like-minded peers, researchers and academics, with regular networking opportunities for academic and professional development.
  • Learn to critique and interpret evidence, understand how evidence translates into practice, and independently conduct your own population health research.
  • Benefit from being based in Bloomsbury in the heart of London, a stimulating and exciting environment in which to study.
  • A strong emphasis on developing 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 course will give you the skills and expertise in population health to build a successful career in the health sector and beyond.

Depending on which optional modules you choose, you’ll become confident in areas like research methods, public health and health systems, health behaviours, sexual health and infectious disease, and health across the life course.

Discussions on policy and practice will also equip you to think critically about challenges such as social and economic changes, climate changes, unhealthy lifestyle (smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, lack of physical activity) and related phenomena (e.g. obesity).

Graduates of this Master’s degree have gone onto work for the NHS, UK Health Security Agency, the Chinese National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, Ipsos MORI, Blood Cancer UK, Department of Health and Social Care, 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 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 cohorts.

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

Whether you want to work locally, nationally or globally, you'll be able to consider careers in fields such as:

  • Public health
  • Health policy
  • Epidemiology
  • Healthcare management
  • Urban and environmental health organisations 
  • Health financing.

You’ll also gain valued transferable skills you can apply in many other careers, including:

  • Preparing and delivering oral presentations
  • Analysing data and critically interpreting results of statistical analyses
  • Applying theory to practice
  • Effective teamwork
  • Public health policy analysis
  • Time management
  • Scientific writing.

You could take your skills into:

  • Government, NGOs, international agencies and the for-profit sectors
  • Policy work or advocacy 
  • Research
  • Further study (PhD).

Networking

The UCL Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care offers four on-campus MSc courses and a fully online MPH course 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 courses. 

Each course 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 course 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.

Students will typically spend 15-20 hours per week in face-to-face learning, including lectures, seminars, practicals or one-to-one tuition. 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 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 at the end of August/ 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 Year 2. We will help to guide you through your module selection to fit with your other commitments and optimise your learning journey. 

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 Year 3 and 4, in case of any delays because the five-year period of study cannot be extended. We will help to guide you through your module selection to fit with your other commitments and optimise your learning journey.   

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

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Population Health MSc

Studying at the Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care opens doors to impactful careers across healthcare, research and policy. Join our virtual open events to explore our Master’s degrees in Population Health, Social Epidemiology and Health Psychology, meet Programme Directors, and learn how to make your application stand out.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £14,200 £7,100
Tuition fees (2026/27) £39,200 £19,600

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course 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 with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 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 course.

For in-person teaching, 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 £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. 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 Population Health MSc offers a one-year studentship for one full-time, part-time or modular-flexible student who enrols on the course. 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

Deadline: 30 June 2026
Value: £20,500 - covers tuition fees for 1-yr full-time studies. For part-time and modular/flexible student ()
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 academic merit
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

MSc Population Health Studentship

Deadline: 26 June 2026
Value: £2,500 (1 year)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

MSc Social Epidemiology Michael Marmot Studentship

Deadline: 26 June 2026
Value: £2,500 (1 year)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

The MSc Dental Public Health Aubrey Sheiham Scholarship

Deadline: 26 June 2026
Value: £2,500 (1 year)
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK

The MSc Dental Public Health Aubrey Sheiham Scholarship for Overseas Students

Deadline: 26 June 2026
Value: £12,000 (1 Year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: 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 course 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 Population Health at graduate level.
  • What particularly attracts you to the chosen course.
  • How your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging course.
  • 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 course match what the course 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.

Frequently asked questions

Question: Do I need to have any knowledge of statistics before starting the course?  
Answer: We start from basics in statistics and build up your knowledge and skills slowly in Term 1, so you do not need to have studied statistics before.  
 
Question: Do I need to come from a health-related background to apply for this course?  
Answer: We accept students from a wide range of disciplines. The most important thing is to demonstrate a strong interest in population health and public health.
 
Question: How many days am I required to be on campus?  
Answer: A full-time student is required to be on campus about 3 days a week. For part-time and modular flexible students, it will vary depending on the modules that you select. Please contact us to discuss further.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (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: 2026-2027

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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