MPH - Master of Public Health

This course is subject to validation.
What does this mean?

This Programme of study has been created to align with Public Health workforce development in the UK and overseas health systems. It supports staff progression in accordance with the standards developed by the UK Faculty of Public Health and Royal Society of Public Health in their professional skills and knowledge framework; we will also blend in equivalent requirements from overseas colleges and faculties where our international students are drawn from. Global standards endorsed by WHO and ICRC will also be addressed by studying their evolution from the UN’s declaration to provide health for all by the year 2000 to the ongoing Health Care in Danger programme managed by the ICRC and other significant milestones.

This programme will therefore advance your knowledge, skills and behaviours as proficient communicators, problem solvers, planners and decision makers across the domains of public health: Health Promotion, Health Education, Epidemiology, Resourcing are included as core.

Download our Prospectus

Course Overview

Program Aim

Our aim is to develop intelligent, self-motivated, knowledgeable leaders, planners and practitioners for employment across the public health professions and disciplines who will challenge the orthodox, are able to fail early and learn quickly in a congested, highly contested and often confused politico-socioeconomic environment.

Why Choose this Program?

The impact of climate change and disrupting the environment through industrial levels of human activity including conflict have never been so evident as they are in the early C21st. Governments know that public health protects and improves the public's health; reducing health inequalities between individuals, groups and communities, through co-ordinated systems and a wide action base (UKGov, 2016: p16). But these historic and contemporary health challenges demand a truly transformative approach to effectively meet them which means adopting a paradigm shift from traditional downstream treatment of disease and injury to upstream interventions aimed at a balance that maintains communities’ health and wellbeing.
This innovative program places ‘planetary health’ theory (Lancet, 2016) at its core and will prepare you for a wide range of roles and responsibilities within the wider public health domain in the UK and globally.

Key Highlights of the Program

* Stand out from standard UK MPHs with a distinctive salutanogenic and planetary focus. Planetary Health runs as a thread every module linking people, place, and planet.
* Recognised worldwide aligned with UK FPH/RSPH Professional Standards and informed by WHO/ICRC standards but will incorporate your own federal or state’s standards where appropriate
*Transformative, applied learning from reactive fixes to upstream interventions included in our foundation for academic success and leadership modules.
*Multiprofessional / Interdisciplinary and flexible fusing health, environment, security policy, and social sciences together.
*Modular approach provides opportunities for flexible learning to meet your professional and academic needs alongside other commitments.
*Think globally, act locally using the UN SDGs as touchstones to design local solutions with global impact.

On this course you will...

Learn the ‘Planetary Health’ or ‘one health’ concept is at its core.
Become grounded in transformative learning.
Be encouraged to think globally but act locally.
Be provided a potential gateway to public health training.
Enhance your practise whatever your specialty including non-health and care professions that are community focused.

Download our Prospectus

Key Details

Recruiting toUK / RoI / Settled in UK
EU / EEA / International
Course LocationDistance Learning
Lancaster
Institute Institute of Health
Mode of DeliveryOnline Learning
Course DurationFull-time: 1-4 years
Part-time: 2-4 Years
Course Start PointApril
AwardMPH
More informationProgramme Specification
Prospectus
Open DaysLancaster
All

Minimum entry requirements

Minimum 2:2 first degree in a subject associated with the wider determinants of public health, the public’s health or healthy public policy.

Tuition fees

Fees to be confirmed.

UK | Year

Fees to be confirmed.

International | Year

Tuition Fees Policy

Course Structure

What you will learn

Modules for this course are currently awaiting validation, please be patient while we confirm.

Overview

Minimum 2:2 first degree in a subject associated with the wider determinants of public health, the public’s health or healthy public policy.

Fair Admissions

When you apply, our Admissions specialists will review your whole application. We are looking for your potential to succeed so will assess your qualifications, any relevant work experience, your personal statement, and references.

Where you have received a conditional offer subject to achieving particular grades/UCAS tariff scores, and do not quite meet these scores, please try not to worry, where vacancies exist our Admissions specialists will review your whole application again and take account of any mitigating circumstances and reassess your suitability for the course.

Selection Criteria

As part of the application and selection process, we are looking for your commitment to this programme. In your personal statement, you should demonstrate your motivation for choosing this course and reflect upon any practical experience you have gained.

Contextual Admissions

Going to higher education can transform a person’s life. We use contextual admissions to make sure that we are accessible to everyone who has the potential to succeed. Qualifications and grades are important, but they are considered alongside other information that helps universities to identify potential and widen access to university level study. For some individuals, the disadvantages they have experienced in their life mean that they have not been able to demonstrate their full academic potential. Where a person lives and their personal circumstances can all affect their educational attainment.

We take this context into account and look for an applicant’s potential when making admission decisions. The University of Cumbria will make offers at the bottom of any UCAS Tariff range to applicants that live in postal code regions with the lowest participation in Higher Education (Polar 4 quintile 1 – you can check your postcode here), applicants that are estranged from their parents, are care leavers or have caring responsibilities or are in receipt of or received free school meals during their secondary education. Attendance at our Masterclasses and Summer Schools will also allow applicants to receive an offer lower within the tariff range. (T&Cs apply).

Contact pgadmissions@cumbria.ac.uk for more information.

Returning to Education

If you are over 21 and returning to study after being in relevant employment for a minimum of 3 years and do not meet the published entry requirements for Year 1 of our degree courses, please do not assume you are not qualified to join us. Our experienced Admissions and Academic staff will review your prior qualifications and professional experience to support your application.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees

2025 - 2026

Fees to be confirmed. - UK
Fees to be confirmed. - International

The figures above don't include accommodation and living costs.

Tuition fees are set annually and are subject to review each year. The University may therefore raise tuition fees in the second or subsequent years of a course, in line with inflation and/or the maximum permitted by law or Government policy. Students will be notified of any changes as soon as possible.

International Finance

At the University of Cumbria, we offer affordable tuition fees for international and EU students looking to study at one of our main four campuses. No matter your choice of course or career path, our International Team is here to support you.

Funding

ELCAS funding may be used for this programme.

More Information

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, grants and funds available to support you throughout your studies with us. This includes the Cumbria Bursary - a non-repayable bursary designed to support first year students with a household income of less than £25,000..

Student Finance

Additional Costs

There may be some additional costs associated with the course including stationery, textbooks, field trips and membership fees although some of these features are optional.

Books and Journals

Not yet consolidated but we will maximise access to e-books and articles published online.

Stationery

None as all products will be online.

Clothing and Equipment

None for mainstream study. There is and ambition to run a summer school which may include some field work. Specialist equipment and clothing will either be provided, or instructions will be given as part of the course information or ta latest prior to the event.

Controls for the spotlight carousel

Location
Distance Learning
We are Cumbria’s University – enriching people and place. A place of and for our community. A place of possibility. A place where amazing journeys happen. With guidance and support. Where it’s safe to be brave, to be boldly you.
Find out more
Location
Lancaster Campus
Lancaster is the Red Rose heartland, a student haven full of history and culture. With iconic stone architecture, parkland, and a caring community, this is the place to get involved. The campus houses top-quality facilities tailored to the needs of life-savers, world changers, and future leaders.
Find out more

MPH - Master of Public Health