MSc — 2027 entry Public Health
Explore public health from every angle on this masters course, with a curriculum shaped by experts in health sciences, biosciences, psychology, and veterinary medicine. You’ll gain a modern, global understanding of public health with a strong focus on evidence-based practice, preparing you for a diverse range of careers in the field.
7,335+ people have created a bespoke digital prospectus
Why choose
this course?
Designed with a global outlook, our MSc Public Health is grounded in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and aligns with the standards of the European Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation (APHEA), which means it covers all essential areas of public health.
- Explore the most pressing global challenges in public health, from pandemics and vaccine resistance to food security and global health inequalities, using real case studies.
- Develop sector-relevant skills and experience, including designing and evaluating health promotion interventions, applying psychological theories to understand public health issues, and undertaking your own research project.
- Shape your career in public health – this course will prepare you for leading roles in health services, Government, non-governmental organisations, research and education, in areas such as policy and planning, health protection, health promotion, and public health practice and management.
- Enhance your digital literacy, by examining public health in the context of a digital world, including the application of digital resources and AI.
- Benefit from interdisciplinary teaching – you’ll be taught by leading academics in behaviour change, health economics, cancer care, immunology, long-term health conditions, public health nutrition, and sustainability.
- Study this MSc to support specialist training with the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) – this course aligns with the core competencies required by the FPH curriculum for public health specialist training.
Whether you’re aspiring to work in public health or already have a role in the sector or a related field, this course is excellent progression to the next stage of your career.
Statistics
100%
Of our biosciences graduates are in employment or further study within 15 months of graduating (Graduate Outcomes 2026, HESA)
Top 200 in the world
We are ranked 101-200th by the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rankings 2026
What you will study
In your first semester, you’ll be introduced to essential areas of public health, including global inequalities in health, complex health challenges, and governance and policy. You’ll explore health psychology, including behaviour change and its role in addressing public health issues. You’ll also gain a comprehensive understanding of disease prevention and global health protection, including how pandemics start, spread and are controlled.
In your second semester, you’ll learn about qualitative and quantitative research methods, literature reviews, and ethics of research and how to use these for public health research. You’ll be introduced to core economic concepts and approaches related to public health. You’ll also learn how to use evidence-based approaches to design and evaluate effective health promotion interventions and address real-world public health challenges.
You’ll examine global challenges related to food, water and soil security, and consider how food security and nutrition influence population health. You’ll also look at global and national strategies on digital health, including the role of technology, AI, and big data.
Across the year, you’ll work on a public health research project. We’ll match your interests with the expertise of our academics, ensuring you get the best support.
One Health, One Medicine
Our Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences implements a ‘One Health, One Medicine’ approach, which combines research excellence from our five schools to sustainably improve human and animal health. On this course, you will learn from experts who are researching the connections between animal and human health and its increasing importance for disease prevention and control, and other aspects of public health.
Facilities
You’ll have access to fully equipped research and teaching facilities in our School of Biosciences.
The structure of our programmes follows clear educational aims that are tailored to each programme. These are all outlined in the programme specifications which include further details such as the learning outcomes:
Modules
Modules listed are indicative, reflecting the information available at the time of publication. Modules are subject to teaching availability, student demand, and/or class size caps.
The University operates a credit framework for all taught courses based on a 15-credit tariff, meaning all modules are comprised of multiples of 15 credits.
Please note that modules are listed by the academic calendar and are reflective of a September start date. For students that start a programme in February, please note that the modules listed as semester two will take place in the spring term and modules listed as semester one will take place in the autumn term.
Course options
Year 1
Semester 1
Compulsory
This module is designed to meet the needs of professionals working in health and social care who are interested in introducing change within their practice environment. The module will explore the current healthcare agenda, examining the need for change to meet the contemporaneous needs of the population. Students are encouraged to reflect upon how innovative practice could transform service delivery to improve experience quality, relative to their own area of practice.
View full module detailsThe module will enable the students to critically examine the key concepts of public health and health promotion. Students will develop knowledge and skills in accessing and analysing data to enable them to identify health inequalities and health needs. Students will debate how health promotion approaches and interventions can address contemporary public health issues that support people and communities to meet their health optimum.
View full module detailshis module provides students with an understanding of core theories and concepts in health psychology, and the skills and methods used to translate, and reflect on the translation of, health psychology into real-world contemporary health behaviour contexts. The module thus covers transferrable skills useful for a career in health psychology research and practice. Students will also gain an awareness of professional issues in behavioural health psychology. We will encourage students to think reflexively on how to apply professional and transferrable skills in the context of different issues that impact contemporary health psychology. The module has been designed in accordance with requirements (stage 1) of the British Psychological Society's Division of Health Psychology accreditation criteria. This module addresses the following curriculum areas of a British Psychological Society accredited degree: professional issues, core skills, contexts and perspectives in health psychology, health-related behaviors and cognitions, interventions and healthcare and professional settings. This module will help students to learn to think critically and reflexively about the application of health psychology theories, concepts, methods and skills within different contemporary health behaviour domains.
View full module detailsModule selection for Year 1 (full-time) - FHEQ Level 7
As part of the approval process the following new modules have been developed and will be added to the programme once available:
- Disease prevention, pandemics and public health (Semester 1)
- Research methods for public health (Semester 2)
- Economic evaluation of public health interventions (Semester 2)
- Food security and nutrition for public health (Semester 2)
- AI and digital transformation for public health (Semester 2)
- Public health research project (Across Academic Years)
Teaching and learning
- Group work
- Independent study
- Lectures
- Online learning
- Practical sessions
- Project work
- Research work
- Role play
- Seminars
- Tutorials
- Workshops
Assessment
Assessment will comprise coursework, presentations, group work, exams and a written project dissertation.
General course information
Contact hours
Contact hours can vary across our modules. Full details of the contact hours for each module are available from the University of Surrey's module catalogue. See the modules section for more information.
Timetable
New students will receive their personalised timetable during Welcome Week. In later semesters, at least one week before the start of the semester.
Scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week (Monday – Friday), with part-time classes normally scheduled for one or two days. Wednesday afternoons tend to be for sports and cultural activities.
View our code of practice for the scheduling of teaching and assessment (PDF) for more information.
Location
This course is taught across our Stag Hill and Manor Park campuses.
We offer careers information, advice and guidance to all students whilst studying with us, which is extended to our alumni for three years after leaving the University.
Of our biosciences graduates are in employment or further study within 15 months of graduating (Graduate Outcomes 2026, HESA).
Our masters degree in Public Health has been developed in response to the current UK and international demand for postgraduate public health training. This means you’ll be equipped with the skills and experience needed for a range of public health roles in policy and planning, research, health protection and promotion, and public health practice and management, for employers such as Government, health services, educational institutions, and non-Governmental organisations.
The Faculty of Public Health’s (FPH) UK Public Health Workforce Strategy (2025–2030) notes ‘high demand’ for specialist and postgraduate public health qualifications and emphasises the importance of robust, high‑quality training pathways to meet future workforce needs.
The FPH is a membership organisation for public health specialists in the UK and around the world. This course includes elements relevant to the FPH Diplomate exam for FPH Registrar trainees.
UK qualifications
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in a relevant subject including health and life sciences, veterinary, nursing, medicine, biological sciences, microbiology, biomedical, nutrition, psychology etc.
Work experience at a senior level in public health/healthcare and evidence of a clear commitment to a career in public health may also be considered.
Other subject qualifications, equivalent professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be considered on an individual basis.
English language requirements
IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component.
These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept.
If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses, designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.
Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning
We recognise that many students enter their course with valuable knowledge and skills developed through a range of ways.
If this applies to you, the recognition of prior learning process may mean you can join a course without the formal entry requirements, or at a point appropriate to your previous learning and experience.
There are restrictions on some courses, and fees may be payable for certain claims. Please contact the Admissions team with any queries.
Fees per year
Explore UKCISA’s website for more information if you are unsure whether you are a UK or overseas student. View the list of fees for all postgraduate courses.
- Fees for part-time routes are applicable in each year of the course
- These fees apply to the academic year 2027-28 only. Fees are reviewed annually, and tuition fees may increase for courses running over more than one year.
Read our tuition fees guidance to find out more about payment schedules and how to pay.
Additional costs
Find out more about additional costs that may be incurred during your time at Surrey.
Funding
You may be able to borrow money to help pay your tuition fees and support you with your living costs. Find out more about postgraduate student finance.
Apply online
To apply online first select the course you'd like to apply for then log in.
Select your course
Choose the course option you wish to apply for.
Sign in
Create an account and sign into our application portal.
Apply options
Apply options
UK applications
Please note that we may have to close applications before the stated deadline if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We advise you to submit your application as soon as it is ready.
ApplyOverseas applications
Please note that we may have to close applications before the stated deadline if we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We advise you to submit your application as soon as it is ready.
ApplyAdmissions information
Once you apply, you can expect to hear back from us within 14 days. This might be with a decision on your application or with a request for further information.
Our code of practice for postgraduate taught admissions explains how the Admissions team considers applications and admits students. Read our postgraduate applicant guidance for more information on applying.
About the University of Surrey
Need more information?
Contact our Admissions team or talk to a current University of Surrey student online.
Terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you will be agreeing to follow our policies and procedures, student regulations, and terms and conditions.
We provide these terms and conditions at the offer stage. You will be asked to accept these when you accept the offer made to you. You will be provided with these terms and conditions again at registration by way of reminder.
Disclaimer
This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.
Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate; some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.