Master of Public Health MPH at University of Liverpool

Established in 1989, the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is internationally respected for its multidisciplinary focus and commitment to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Health for All principles.

It is an essential programme if you are working in any area of public health: governmental organisations; health services management; policy and planning; housing; transport; or for community groups and NGOs. Public health aims to tackle the wider determinants of health, and as a multidisciplinary subject, our students come from a wide variety of backgrounds, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, health services, health service management, environmental health and graduates with a background in the natural sciences, social sciences or humanities subjects.

With its modular format and open learning facilities the programme can be studied to Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma or Masters levels within the University. You can also study with other institutions by using the Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS).

The MPH provides a solid foundation for public health research and practice in a variety of public, NGO, and international settings. With the knowledge and skills this programme will give you, you'll be able to put public health principles into effect in a variety of settings including research, practice, policy and at the interface of applied research.

It forms a core component of approved training programmes for Health Education North West (HENW) who are responsible for the commissioning and management of training and education of:

• NHS Specialist Registrars in public health, working towards Certificate of Completion of Specialist training.
• Students who wish to go on to complete MFPHM Part A.

Our students can opt to study full-time over one year or part time over 2-6 years and integrate the programme with their jobs and CPD.

Organised into three semesters per year, the programme starts in September. You'll need to attend two days per week (Wednesday, Thursday) for full-time or one day per week (Year One – Wednesday, Year Two – Thursday) for part-time. 

We offer 12 weeks of active learning in semesters one and two, followed by one week of assessment. Semester Three (MPH only) is dedicated to your dissertation.

The full-time introductory days in Year One are compulsory. As a Masters, Diploma and Certificate student you'll need to attend these, even if you've opted to study part-time.

Career prospects

On completion of the programme, the student should have a foundation in the science and art of public health, including an understanding of the concepts of health and disease, and factors which may affect these. The resulting knowledge, skills and attitudes should enable them to put public health principles into effect in a variety of settings including research, practice and the interface of applied research. The MPH forms a core component of the approved training programmes for Health Education North West NHS Specialist Registrars in public health, working towards Certificate of Completion of Specialist training, and students who wish to go on to complete MFPHM Part A. The MPH provides a solid foundation for public health research and practice in a variety of sectors, including local government, civil service, NHS, NGO, charity and international settings.