Master of Public Health at University College Cork

To meet the increasing demand for highly trained public health specialists we are offering a Master of Public Health designed to prepare you to investigate, evaluate and address public health challenges, whatever your professional background. Our Master of Public Health programme will equip you with the core knowledge and specialised skills necessary to make a real difference in public health. This is a full-time and structured programme, delivered over 12 months.

Programme Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Critically analyse theories and issues related to public health;
• Construct arguments around the social, political and economic factors determining the health of populations;
• Demonstrate competence in the key underpinning disciplines and theories of public health including epidemiology, communicable diseases including healthcare-associated infections, biostatistics, social and behavioural sciences and social policy;
• Analyse and synthesise evidence and apply it to public health;
• Demonstrate enhanced knowledge in the chosen specialist pathway (health protection, health promotion, epidemiology and biostatistics);
• Demonstrate logical reasoning in written work and discussion;
• Employ a range of appropriate research and analysis methods with confidence and correct interpretation;
• Critically reflect on their own and others' learning and practice.
• Demonstrate their culminating experience in the form of a minor Dissertation.

Why Choose This Course

The MPH is a multi-disciplinary course where you can specialise in health promotion, health protection or advanced epidemiology. The course offers both quantitative and qualitative research methods and you can apply this knowledge to your dissertation. Our modules are developed and taught by a dedicated team of staff, who are experts in a variety of public health areas. Students will experience a wide range of teaching styles: classroom-based, limited field work, and lab sessions.

There is an increasing awareness of the need for highly-trained public health specialists in Ireland and abroad to tackle issues such as health inequalities and their causes and solutions, communicable diseases, international health development, obesity and smoking. The MPH is an innovative course designed to offer multi-disciplinary academic and experiential development for students from a range of professional backgrounds.

Skills and Careers Information

Our graduates are currently employed in a range of careers in Ireland, Europe and in other developed and developing countries in diverse public health roles including health services, public health research, surveillance, environmental health and public health agencies.