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Public Health MA

De Montfort University’s Public Health MA offers a curriculum aligned with the Faculty of Public Health’s internationally recognised Diplomate exam. Gain global public health experience through a visit to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva, hands-on projects for the WHO, and an optional field placement in Cambodia, connecting theory with real-world impact.

Block teaching designed around you

You deserve a positive teaching and learning experience, where you feel part of a supportive community. That’s why most of our postgraduate taught students will enjoy an innovative approach to learning using block teaching, where you will study one module at a time. You will benefit from more regular assessments and feedback, a better study-life balance, and a simplified timetable that provides more time for work, professional development, caring responsibilities, and everything else that's important to you. Our block-taught courses are informed by industry practice, often accredited by professional bodies, and are delivered by passionate and talented academics, who will help you develop the skills to achieve your goals.

Read more about block teaching

Overview

This course prepares you to become a public health specialist or to broaden your expertise as a practitioner, with a curriculum aligned to the syllabus for the Diplomate of the Faculty of Public Health exam. DMU, the sole university recognised as a UN Hub for SDG 16, provides exceptional opportunities through strong partnerships with global organisations like the WHO and the UN. As part of our MPH, you’ll participate in practicums and impactful real-world projects with these bodies, including the chance to work on public health initiatives at DMU’s Cambodia Campus.

You’ll develop essential skills in epidemiology, health promotion, research methods, healthcare public health, and leadership, with a strong focus on international perspectives. Our unique inclusion of practicums provides hands-on experience that sets you up for success in the public health workforce, making this course an excellent choice for those looking to make an impact globally.

Our MPH emphasises collaboration and innovation, ensuring you’re equipped to lead and shape the future of public health.

Key features

  • Global connections: Benefit from DMU’s close links with international organisations like the UN and WHO. This includes opportunities for practicums and hands-on projects that replace the traditional dissertation.
  • Career focused: Aligned with the Faculty of Public Health’s Diplomate exam, this course equips you with the skills and knowledge to excel as a public health specialist.
  • International exposure: You will have the opportunity to work in Cambodia at DMU’s international campus, gaining practical experience in local public heath systems and learning in a vibrant global context.
  • In-demand skills: Build leadership, collaboration, and management expertise alongside core topics like epidemiology, medical statistics, research methods, and health promotion.
  • Immersive learning: Engage in full-day sessions tackling real-world public health scenarios for practical, hands-on experience.
  • Local to global impact: Leicester’s diverse communities offer a unique opportunity to address health challenges and develop solutions for one of the UK’s most diverse cities.
  • Expert teaching: Learn from current public health specialists and senior guest lecturers, bringing real-world insight to your learning.
  • UN SDG informed teaching: The course aligns each sub-section to one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring your learning contributes to global health progress.

Scholarships:

DMU offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help you realise your academic ambitions.

International Scholarships

Find out about available scholarships and country specific fee discounts for international students. 

 

More courses like this:

DMU has been shortlisted for the Postgraduate Award in the 2024 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs), as voted for by students.

  • UK
  • EU/International

Programme code:

Duration: One year full-time

Start dates: TBC

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for UK students: £10,450

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Programme code: 

Duration: One year full-time

Start dates: TBC

Fees and funding:

2024/25 tuition fees for EU and international students: £17,950

Find out more about course fees and available funding.

How to apply

Application guidance document

Submit a study-related enquiry

Entry criteria

Entry criteria

Applicants will normally hold an undergraduate degree in any subject with a minimum pass of 2:2, or equivalent overseas qualification, or an equivalent professional qualification.

English Language requirements

If English is not your first language an IELTS score of 6.0 (including a minimum of 5.5 in each component) or equivalent is normally required. 

English Language tuition, delivered by our British Council-accredited Centre for English Language Learning, is available both before and throughout the course if you need it.

Structure and assessment

 

Course modules

Teaching and assessment

Accreditation

 

Course modules

  • Introduction to Public Health and Research Methods
  • Health Prevention and Promotion
  • Health Information
  • Medical Sociology, Equity and Economics
  • Healthcare Public Health
  • Practicum placements

See detailed module descriptions


Note: All modules are indicative and based on the current academic session. Course information is correct at the time of publication and is subject to review. Exact modules may, therefore, vary for your intake in order to keep content current. If there are changes to your course we will, where reasonable, take steps to inform you as appropriate.

 

Teaching and assessment

Our course embraces the philosophy that face-to-face interaction is the most effective method of learning. We aim to build a vibrant, supportive community where students you feel empowered to engage, challenge, and develop key public health skills. Recognising the proven benefits of community cohesion on physical and mental health, we emphasise this both in our teaching and course environment.

Topics are delivered through a dynamic mix of lectures, groupwork, workshops, and immersive practical sessions. These sessions simulate real-world public health problems, challenging you to devise solutions in real-time. Innovative methods, like Cardio Club, combine exercise with revision, leveraging the benefits of physical activity for memory and mental well-being. Our teaching approach reflects a public health philosophy, fostering both academic and personal growth.

Assessment methods are varied to provide practical public health experience. In addition to essays and exams, you will complete presentations, reports, and practicums. Importantly, this course does not include a traditional thesis, focusing instead on hands-on, real-world assessments to better prepare you for a career in public health.

Academic expertise

The course will be led by Professor Ivan Browne, Director of Public Health at Leicester City Council during the COVID-19 pandemic and Associate Professor Alex Hammant, a specialty registrar in public health medicine. The course is led by Professor Ivan Browne, Director of Public Health for Leicester City Council during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Associate Professor Alex Hammant, a public health medicine specialty registrar.

 

Facilities and features

 
Placements
Placements
Placements
 

Health and Life Sciences facilities

You will have access to our purpose-built Hugh Aston Building, equipped with lecture theatres and classrooms, break-out spaces for group work, quiet study zones for individual work and IT labs. Wherever possible, students will be given home access to specialist software.

You’ll also have access to the building’s new £5.5 million extension called The Yard, which provides more than 22,000 square metres of extra space. This is designed to facilitate your learning experience with large and airy breakout spaces, a new Student Advice Centre, and a balcony on the top floor. The Yard also features more comfortable classrooms and self-study spaces, allowing you to carry out independent study as well as group work.

Library services

On campus, the main Kimberlin Library offers a space where you can work, study and access a vast range of print materials, with computer stations, laptops, plasma screens and assistive technology also available. 

As well as providing a physical space in which to work, we offer online tools to support your studies, and our extensive online collection of resources accessible from our Library website, e-books, specialised databases and electronic journals and films which can be remotely accessed from anywhere you choose. 

We will support you to confidently use a huge range of learning technologies, including Learning Zone, Collaborate Ultra, DMU Replay, MS Teams, Turnitin and more. Alongside this, you can access LinkedIn Learning and learn how to use Microsoft 365, and study support software such as mind mapping and note-taking through our new Digital Student Skills Hub. 

The library staff offer additional support to students, including help with academic writing, research strategies, literature searching, reference management and assistive technology. There is also a ‘Just Ask’ service for help and advice, live LibChat, online workshops, tutorials and drop-ins available from our Learning Services, and weekly library live chat sessions that give you the chance to ask the library teams for help.

Campus Centre

The home of  De Montfort Students' Union, (DSU) our Campus Centre offers a welcoming and lively hub for student life. Conveniently located at the heart of campus, it includes a convenience store, a Subway and a Starbucks. Here you can find the DSU-owned charitable accommodation service Sulets and DSU’s shop, Supplies, selling art supplies, stationery and clothing, and printing and binding services. The building is also home to the DSU officer team. 

Opportunities and careers

Find the people who will open doors for you

DMU's award-winning careers service provides guaranteed work experience opportunities DMU Careers Team
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DMU Global

This is our innovative international experience programme which aims to enrich your studies and expand your cultural horizons – helping you to become a global graduate, equipped to meet the needs of employers across the world.

Through DMU Global, we offer a wide range of opportunities including on-campus and UK activities, overseas study, internships, faculty-led field trips and volunteering, as well as Erasmus+ and international exchanges.

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Graduate careers

Graduates of the MPH at DMU are prepared for a wide variety of public health roles. With a focus on the knowledge and skills needed to sit the Faculty of Public Health’s Diplomate Examination, this course equips students to pursue careers as Public Health Consultants or Directors of Public Health, representing DMU’s philosophy at the highest levels.

Our strong connections with the WHO provide an excellent foundation for careers within the UN, WHO, or leading Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The course emphasizes practical learning and employability. Practicums are designed to give students real-world experience and compelling examples of work to showcase at interviews, setting them up for success in the public health workforce.

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