If you’re interested in studying for a rewarding degree that can help make a real difference in the world, a masters in public health could be the right choice.
Public health involves preventing disease and prolonging health through the organised efforts of society and public health professionals. It focuses on discovering the determinants and contributing factors of infectious and non-infectious diseases to prevent them from recurring and make changes that can benefit the health of the population as a whole.
Why Study Public Health?
The critical role of public health in the world is more obvious today than ever before because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health professionals are at the centre of things, working tirelessly and leading the way for understanding, containing and preventing the virus and minimising the loss of human life.
Several careers can be pursued with a masters in public health degree in the UK and all over the world and postgraduate programmes at UK universities help students develop practical and transferable skills which can be applied in various healthcare careers.
Learn more below about the best universities to study Public Health in the UK, or start your application with SI-UK India today by booking a free consultation.
Top Five Universities to Study Public Health in the UK
1. University College London
University College London (UCL) offers a multidisciplinary approach to studying public health. Offered at the University’s Institute for Global Health, the course focuses on teamwork and cooperative learning and is taught in collaboration with health policy specialists, economists, philosophers, lawyers, political scientists, clinicians, nutritionists, and epidemiologists.
Course modules include Research Methods and Evidence for Global Health, Health Systems in a Global Context and optional modules like Principles of Health Economics and Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Global Health Policy.
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Course in focus: MSc in Global Health and Development
2. Imperial College London
Suitable for people from both medical and non-medical backgrounds, this course offered at Imperial College London’s Faculty of Medicine merges public health skills with the study of epidemiology, biostatistics and health research methods.
Students will have the choice to choose from two streams: Health Services & Systems and Global Health. Core modules include Introduction to Statistical Thinking and Data Analysis, Principles and Methods of Epidemiology and Health Economics.
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Course in focus: Masters in Public Health
3. University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh has a long history and excellent reputation for postgraduate teaching in public health sciences. This course is taught in Edinburgh Medical School’s Department of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences.
Students are taught innovative new approaches to tackle public health issues in the 21st century by leading public health experts and academics worldwide. Students will study modules including epidemiology, public health, social science, and ethics and health.
- Course in focus: MSc in Public Health
4. King’s College London
An online course offered in the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine at King’s College London, the MSc in Public Health is both highly academic and vocational. The programme is suitable for relevant medical and non-medical practitioners, and the knowledge gained can be applied to develop health outcomes and improve the well-being of communities.
King’s also offers two specialisms in Global Health and Mental Health for those seeking particular expertise within public health.
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Course in focus: MSc in Public Health
5. University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow has extensive experience and a good reputation for teaching public health in the UK. The University has close ties with the NHS, thereby enabling students to develop key skills and connections for a career in public health.
In this multidisciplinary online public health programme, students will be taught to appraise policies, assess their contribution to public health, apply principles of epidemiology, statistical analysis and health improvement, and identify, analyse and apply social, economic and environmental theories to improve overall population health.
- Course in focus: Masters in Public Health
Careers in Public Health
The public health field offers a wide variety of job opportunities and areas of upward mobility to postgraduates, both in academic and non-academic roles, in schools, colleges, government agencies, international health organisations, private companies and the nonprofit sector. Also, some of the top high paying jobs in this sector are enjoyed by professionals with knowledge of both clinical medicine and public health principles.
Some of the roles graduates are hired in include healthcare administrator, informatics specialist, biostatistician, epidemiologist, public health practitioner, health and safety engineer, public health educator and health consultant.
Public Health Degree FAQ
Public health is concerned with improving the quality of health in general society.
The scope for public health career opportunities is expected to grow 20% by 2026, meaning more career choices will be available in this sector.
The salary of a public health worker six months after graduation is £30,131.
With a degree in public health, you can become a health visitor, school nurse, public health nurse or environmental health professional. Alternatively, you can also choose further study with a masters programme in public health.
To become a public health doctor in the UK, you need to complete your MSc in public health, gain 2-years of medical experience after a master’s, and show evidence of employment with a UKFPO-affiliated foundation programme.
Study Public Health in the UK
If you are interested in pursuing a career in Public Health and need more information on the application process, entry requirements, scholarships, visa and more for these universities, arrange your free consultation online or at one of our offices near you today.
I sincerely thank SI-UK for getting me accepted to UCL. The MSc in Urban Development and Planning is extremely competitive, but the right guidance provided by SI-UK made my dream of studying at University College London a reality. The services were exceptional from beginning to end. 