Master of Public Health
Develop key quantitative analytical skills for a career in public health, epidemiology and health services research.
Develop key quantitative analytical skills for a career in public health, epidemiology and health services research
Tailor your studies to match your career needs on specialist streams exploring critical areas of public health work
Undertake a summer research project with close supervision from Imperial academics
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MPH
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Duration
1 year
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Start date
September 2025
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Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
£15,500 Home
£45,000 Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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Hammersmith
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White City
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Course overview
Advance your understanding of epidemiology, biostatistics and health research methods on this full-time course.
Designed to develop your research skills for a career in public health, this course will see you engage with academic leaders, including guest speakers with experience in developing, managing and implementing interventions in public health.
A range of specialist streams will also help enhance your understanding of key challenges and strategies within critical areas of public health.
Your studies will culminate in a summer research project. This work can be carried out with support from Imperial Academics, and/or a variety of NHS and public health organisations, global health institutions, and think-tank groups.
Depending on your project, you'll also have opportunities to assess the work of a number of leading public health bodies through this course's links with institutions, such as the World Health Organisation and various local authorities.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
You’ll take all of these core modules.
Core modules
Become familiar with core concepts in epidemiology, and acquire the skills necessary to describe, analyse, interpret, and appraise epidemiological studies.
Build your appreciation of a range of core public health principles and skills, and develop your expertise in problem solving and consulting.
Understand the importance of statistical thinking in epidemiology, randomised trials and public health, and carry out a range of statistical analyses.
Explore core concepts related to the research cycle, and acquire key skills involved in designing, planning, and conducting research.
Study the basic principles of microeconomics and their application to healthcare. This module is delivered by the Imperial College Business School
You’ll choose a further five optional modules from a range of specialist streams.
For the general MPH award, you can choose any five modules.
To achieve a specific stream designation, you must choose at least two modules applicable to your chosen stream.
Health Promotion and Service Improvement
Developed by the NIHR ARC-NWL team (National Institute for Health and Care Research, Applied Research Collaboration Northwest London), this module draws on academic literature and research in quality improvement and applies it to real life practical examples.
You may also carry out an external visit to meet quality improvement teams working in healthcare.
Examine the theoretical basis and practical applications of health promotion, including methods for evaluating health promotion interventions.
Scrutinise the process of designing an appropriate participatory approach to a given public health challenge, and examine the history, theory and practice of these approaches.
Examine the portfolio of digital health technologies, and the opportunities to apply these technologies to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare.
Global Health
Appreciate the complexity of tackling health determinants, inequity, and health outcomes within a globalising world.
Understand the roles and processes of innovation in global health, including simple, low-cost technologies and more complex models used in resource-constrained settings.
Analyse contrasting concepts that explain health systems and draw upon multiple disciplinary lenses, including organisational behaviour and health policy.
Develop skills to appraise public health strategies, control programmes, and surveillance systems for both emerging and neglected tropical diseases.
Environmental Health
Realise the importance of exposure assessment in epidemiology, risk assessment, and public health protection, and critically evaluate different approaches to these assessments.
Advance your knowledge of how to design, implement and analyse data in the framework of an environmental epidemiological study.
Build awareness of health impact assessments and their importance in influencing health policy.
Explore the intricate connections between the health of our planet and public health.
Through a ‘One Health’ approach, you'll explore global environmental challenges and examine their impacts on human health, animals and environmental justice issues.
Explain the use of environmental data to tackle significant global public health challenges and explore the impacts of the use of waste plastic as a fuel.
You'll address issues related to wastewater management, understand the impact of wildfires, and assess the environmental implications of electric vehicles.
Quantitative Method
Understand key concepts in advanced statistics and data science and advance your skills using realistic data sets.
Review the basic methods used in mathematical models and learn how to construct a mathematical model for a given infectious disease.
Become familiar with the underlying principles of public health nutrition, and nutritional epidemiology in the context of public health.
Advance your knowledge of how to design, implement and analyse data in the framework of an environmental epidemiological study.
Infectious Disease
Review the basic methods used in mathematical models and learn how to construct a mathematical model for a given infectious disease.
Develop skills to appraise public health strategies, control programmes, and surveillance systems for both emerging and neglected tropical diseases.
Health Policy and Systems
Analyse contrasting concepts that explain health systems and draw upon multiple disciplinary lenses,including organisational behaviour and health policy.
Deepen your understanding of how health systems are organised and financed, and the advantages and disadvantages of different health financing models and delivery systems.
This module is delivered by the Imperial College Business School.
Utilise key health policy analysis models to explore the complexity of policy making and policy change, in the realm of the increasingly important issue of the commercial determinants of health.
You'll carry out an individual research project under close supervision from experienced academics.
Projects can be drawn from ongoing research within Imperial or in collaboration with NHS organisations, international agencies, non-governmental organisations or government agencies.
Projects typically last around four months and are assessed by a written dissertation and oral examination.
Teaching and assessment
Balance of teaching and learning
Key
- Live sessions
- Independent study
- 30% Live sessions
- 70% Independent study
Teaching and learning methods
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Tutorials
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Computing-based practicals
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Research project
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Virtual learning environment
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Group work
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Lectures
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Seminars and practicals
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Case-based teaching and role play
Balance of assessment
Key
- Coursework
- Exam
- Practical
Term 1
- 45% Coursework
- 34% Exam
- 21% Practical
Term 2
- 54% Coursework
- 15% Exam
- 31% Practical
Term 3 (Research Project)
- 0% Coursework
- 0% Exam
- 100% Practical
Assessment methods
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Video blogs
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Articles and case study reviews
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Individual and group presentations
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MCQs and online quizzes
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Mini research project
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Reports and paper reviews
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Written examinations
Is this degree accredited?
The core aims and outcomes of this degree adhere to the European standards laid out by the Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation.
Whilst this degree is not formally accredited by an agency or professional body, you'll benefit from an innovative and comprehensive public health curriculum, which responds to the most recent developments in public health, including our own research discoveries.
This sets us apart from courses in other countries such as the US and Canada, where accreditation requirements are not suitable for a UK-based programme.
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, or courses such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course.
- £80 for all taught Master's applications, excluding those to the Imperial College Business School.
- £100 for all MSc applications to the Imperial College Business School.
- £150 for all MBA applications to the Imperial College Business School.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Tuition fees
Home fee
£15,500
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For courses starting on or after 1 August 2024, the maximum amount is £12,471.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Overseas fee
£45,000
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the university, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For courses starting on or after 1 August 2024, the maximum amount is £12,471.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Scholarships
SPH Masters Scholarship
Value per award
- Full tuition fees at the Home rate
Who it's for
- All students who make an application to the School of Public Health.
The Dean’s Master’s Scholarships
Value per award
- £10,000
Who it's for
- All students applying to study a Faculty of Medicine Master’s course
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
Gain transferable skills relevant to a career in public health or similar fields.
Pursue careers in research, with public or government services, or with voluntary organisations and non-governmental organisations.
Common career paths include roles as public health analysts, health services researchers, and communicable disease control consultants.
Other career paths include environmental epidemiologists, health policy advisors, or directors of public health.
Further links
Contact the department
- Email: mph-queries@imperial.ac.uk
Course Chair: Professor Azeem Majeed
Course Directors: Dr Anthony Laverty and Dr Henock Taddese
Course Organiser: Dr Zeinab Mulla
Visit the School of Public Health website.
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Events, tasters and talks
Meet us and find out more about studying at Imperial.
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Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications