Course starts: September 2027 Location: London, Bloomsbury

Population Health Sciences (Data Science) MSci

On UCL’s Population Health Sciences (Data Science) MSci, you study the factors shaping our health, including the social and physical environment, healthcare systems, our lifestyles and genes. This four-year integrated Master’s degree provides a grounding in the social science disciplines used in population health science, preparing you for research and professional practice in the health sector and beyond.

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Key information

Study mode
Full-time
Duration
4 academic years full time
Fees (2026/27)
UK: £9,790 per year
International: £39,200 per year
Application deadlines
13 January 2027. Applications close at 6pm UK time.
Applications may stay open after this UCAS Equal Consideration deadline, please check UCAS for details.
Course starts
September 2027
View 2026 entry
UCAS code
176C
Location
London, Bloomsbury
Department
Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care
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Entry requirements

Grades
ABB
GCSEs
English Language at grade C or 4 and Mathematics or Statistics at grade C or 4

Contextual offer

Grades
BBC
GCSEs
English Language at grade C or 4 and Mathematics or Statistics at grade C or 4

At least two A level subjects should be taken from UCL's list of preferred A level subjects.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

Information about the evidence required, acceptable qualifications and test providers can be found on our English language requirements page.

A variety of English language programmes are offered at the UCL Centre for Languages and International Education.

UCL is committed to widening access to higher education. Access UCL is our contextual offer scheme for applicants from groups that are underrepresented at UCL. We assess your eligibility for Access UCL based on the information contained within your UCAS application. We review and update our Access UCL eligibility criteria and datasets every year, so please check the requirements for the year you plan to apply.

The Undergraduate Preparatory Certificates (UPC) prepare international students for a UCL undergraduate degree who do not have the qualifications to enter directly. These intensive one-year foundation courses are taught on our central London campus.

Typical UPC students will be high achievers in a 12-year school system which does not meet the standard required for direct entry to UCL.

For more information see: ucl.ac.uk/upc.

About this course

Population Health Sciences gives you a broad and deep understanding of how health and disease are measured and analysed, incorporating research methods, demography, infectious and non-communicable disease and life course epidemiology. World-leading researchers immerse you in the social, economic and demographic distribution of health and disease, and show you how to analyse big data to address health inequalities.

Population health sciences (data science) will emphasise the study of population health using large datasets. The study of data science will provide you with the skills to clean, integrate, and analyse these complex datasets, to understand patterns and trends in health and disease, and inform policy with data-driven insights.

In Year 1 and 2, you gain a thorough understanding of how health and disease are measured and analysed, incorporating research methods, demography, and infectious and non-communicable disease. You receive applied data analysis training in all years, bringing data and theory together in a hands-on learning environment.

In Year 4, you will study alongside students who are studying for an MSc in Population Health and have a choice of modules that reflect advanced topics in this area.

This course is for those who want to understand population health, and apply that knowledge to improve health and health equality. It is inclusive to students who have and have not studied any of the related disciplines at A level, provided at least two A level subjects are taken from UCL’s list of preferred A level subjects. The course may appeal to those who have studied geography, health science, biology, psychology, politics, social science, maths, statistics or computing. 

Course structure

In Year 1, you gain a broad knowledge of population health sciences, including research methods and social determinants of health, and epidemiological research. You will also study quantitative methods and academic writing for population health sciences.

In Year 2, core modules deepen your knowledge and advance your skills including data analysis. In addition, you begin to shape your degree to your interests, with core and optional modules from epidemiology and health care with the potential for elective study of modules from elsewhere in UCL, for example geography and social sciences.

In Year 3, you will also have optional and elective modules to choose from, to personalise your degree within population health sciences. Optional modules include data visualisation, machine learning for social sciences using Python, as well as causal analysis among others. One-quarter of the final year marks come from the dissertation, a piece of original research, supervised by research and teaching staff within the faculty. This is your chance to showcase your abilities and focus on an issue that you care about.

In Year 4, you will study alongside students who are studying for an MSc in Population Health and have a choice of modules that reflect advanced topics in this area. You will also complete an extended piece of original research.

Modules

In each year of your degree you will take a number of individual modules, normally valued at 15 or 30 credits, adding up to a total of 120 credits for the year. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken. The balance of compulsory and optional modules varies from programme to programme and year to year. A 30-credit module is considered equivalent to 15 credits in the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

Please note that the list of compulsory modules given here is indicative. Up to 10 optional modules per year are displayed for this course: this may not be the full range of optional modules available for selection. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is 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. For more detail regarding module availability, please contact the department.

Compulsory modules

Teaching will be delivered through lectures, problem-based seminars, practical computer classes, group working and through UCL’s virtual learning environment. You have access to online learning facilities, where you can interact with world-leading researchers and fellow students.  

Assessment takes place via various methods including examinations, practical exercises, essays and other coursework, individual and group presentations and a dissertation in the final two years of study. The weight given to each method will vary to ensure manageable workloads throughout the course. Modules are assessed in the academic year in which they are taken.

You would be expected to spend 35–40 hours a week in full-time study, which is made up of a mixture of contact hours and self-directed study. In a typical week, this would be approximately 8-10 contact hours per teaching week in a mixture of lectures, seminars, and tutorials and 30 hours of self-directed study, although this ratio will vary dependent on what year you are in and which optional modules you select.

In Year 4 students will typically spend 15–20 hours per week in face-to-face learning, including lectures, seminars or tutorials.

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 are 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.

Fees and funding

Study mode UK fee (2026/27) Overseas fee (2026/27)
Full time £9,790 £39,200

UK undergraduate fees for 2026/27 are subject to parliamentary approval and are for the first year only. Fees for subsequent years may be subject to increase: Student Terms and Conditions. UK fees are in line with the Government announcement on fee cap increases. Fees for 2027/28 entry will be published in August 2026.

International undergraduate students benefit from a cohort guarantee unless indicated below, 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.

International fees shown are the fees that will be charged to 2026/27 entrants.

Full details of UCL's tuition fees, tuition fee policy and potential increases to fees can be found on the UCL Students website.

Additional costs

There are no additional costs associated with 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 2026. 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. If you are concerned by potential additional costs for books, equipment, etc., please get in touch with the relevant departmental contact (details given on this page).

Various funding options are available, including student loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students whose household income falls below a certain level may also be eligible for a non-repayable bursary or for certain scholarships. Please see the Fees and funding pages for more details.

Why study this course at UCL?

As a four-year integrated degree, you will complete modules from both the Population Health Sciences BSc as well as moving on to complete modules from the Population Health MSc in Year 4. Upon graduation you will have earned an MSci qualification.

Our students are an integral part of our academic community, benefiting from research-driven teaching that bridges theory and practice. As a student in the Faculty of Population Health Sciences, you will engage with cutting-edge research and innovations that drive real-world health improvements while tackling pressing population health challenges throughout the course.

You will learn new skills in data analysis and research methods, as well as highly sought-after skills for the workplace such as problem-solving, collaboration and presenting information and solutions. On the MSci course you will carry out an independent piece of research in your third and fourth year with expert supervision. You will be able to direct your research towards topics that interest you most and approach research questions with real-world benefit.

You will have the opportunity to join the UCL Population Health Sciences Society, the Faculty of Population Health Sciences’ student-led society that aims to build community and support systems for those studying or who are passionate about population health, improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities.

Our central London location gives our students access to not only the best in entertainment and nightlife, but also to cultural and academic resources. UCL is close to, and has teaching and research links with, numerous leading hospitals, museums, galleries, libraries and professional bodies.

Discover Uni

To see official information about this course and others visit Discover Uni.

What this course will give you

Graduate with the expertise to tackle current and future public health challenges at the local and global scales. You will build advanced research and analytical skills to interpret real world data, identify population health trends and shape policy with the use of evidence.

You will also develop highly transferable skills in:

  • Report writing and data analysis
  • Epidemiological, sociodemographic and statistical methods
  • Data Science and coding
  • Health services policy and management
  • Clear and effective communication
  • Time management and working to deadlines
  • Team work, leadership and constructive group collaboration
  • Independent scholarship and critical thinking

With guidance from our dedicated Population Health Careers Consultant you will be ready to make an impact in diverse roles.

Graduates have been successful in gaining employment in a wide range of sectors. Our graduates are working in public health, private health consultancy, the civil service and financial services with employers such as Cancer Research UK, AXA Group, the NHS, Department of Health and Social Care, Wellcome Trust, Health Lumen, Deloitte LLP and the UK Health Security Agency. Others have undertaken postgraduate study in public health, epidemiology, global health, healthcare management, management studies, data science and gender studies.*  

*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, 2021-22, 2022-23 cohorts.

  • Scientific research, development and analysis
  • Policy and government
  • IT, technology and telecommunications
  • Charities, NGOs and international development
  • Academic research and HE
  • Consultancy
  • Accountancy and financial services
  • Other professional, scientific and technical activities
  • Health and social care
  • Social and market research
  • Publishing, journalism and translation

What our alumni say

My degree was instrumental in providing me with the analytical skills required to work in the extremely interdisciplinary field of Epidemiology and Public Health.

Jamie

Population Health Sciences (Data Science) BSc 2022

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How to apply

Application for admission should be made through UCAS (the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service). Applicants currently at school or college will be provided with advice on the process; however, applicants who have left school or who are based outside the United Kingdom may obtain information directly from UCAS.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change from the Population Health Sciences (Data Science) BSc to the MSci? 

If you are unsure whether to pick the Population Health Sciences (Data Science) BSc or MSci, transfer between the BSc or MSci courses can take place up to the end of your third year conditional on results.

Can I change between the courses: Population Health Sciences BSc/MSci and Population Health Sciences (Data Science) BSc/MSci?

Due to a capped number of students, change between courses is highly unlikely. We recommend attending an open event to consider the courses carefully before you apply.

Selection

For further information on UCL's selection process see: How we assess your application.

Apply for this course

You are applying for the Population Health Sciences (Data Science) MSci course. For application guidance please visit Application guidelines.

Course starts: September 2027

UCAS applications open for 2027 entry on 12 May 2026.

Got questions? Get in touch

We are here to help. Get in touch with us for more information about our courses.

Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care

Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care

Click to email. bscpopulationhealth@ucl.ac.uk

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