Master of Public Health (Outbreak Control and Health Protection)

Entry requirements

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Master of Public Health is available as five different programmes, each with its own unique study stream. Much of the core content is the same across all programmes, but each stream has a particular focus enabling you to take control of your studies and delve deeper into the areas of international public health that you're most passionate about.

The five streams are:

• Master of Public Health (Outbreak Control Health Protection)
• Master of Public Health (International)
• Master of Public Health (Humanitarian Health)
• Master of Public Health (Managing Health Services)
• Master of Public Health (Sexual and Reproductive Health)

While building a broad knowledge of international public health, you'll follow a compulsory module on Outbreak Control and Health Protection, enhancing your knowledge and helping you to explore systems-based approaches to preventing and limiting the impact of future outbreaks and environmental threats to health.

This stream will equip you with the capacity and understanding towards protecting the health of populations in the most challenging circumstances. It will boost your understanding of public health issues associated with infection and environmental hazards and empower you to play an active role in responding appropriately and effectively.

Course content

The Master of Public Health has been developed around a series of public health competencies derived from international reference points and covers a diverse range of contemporary issues in public health. You will explore approaches to reducing health inequalities and learn how to use evidence-based principles to enhance policy and practice in various settings. Throughout your studies, you'll develop key transferable skills in epidemiology, research methods and social science.

Core modules will give you a grounding in key subjects and skills.

Semester 1

Core

• Research Methods in Public Health
• Scientific and Professional Skills
• Public Health Policies, Programmes and Strategies

Semester 2

Core

• Scientific and Professional Skills
• Promoting Health and Improving Systems
• Outbreak Control and Health Protection

Optional

• Climate Change
• Applied Statistics for Health Research
• Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Adolescent Health
• Developing a Disease Control Programme

Semester 3

In your third semester, you'll have the opportunity to apply your new skills in a 60-credit research project focused on Humanitarian and Public Health Programmes. You can choose to do your project in the UK or abroad.

Study pattern

This one-year Master's is divided into three semesters. The first two taught semesters cover five core 20-credit modules and offer the opportunity to choose one 20-credit modules from a variety of options. All the taught modules are delivered in-person at our base in Liverpool, UK.

For each 20 credit module, you are expected to spend about 200 hours learning, which includes contact time, self-directed learning and assessments.

After the taught element, the third semester is dedicated to your 60-credit personal project, which can be either desk-based or fieldwork-based, and can be completed in Liverpool or overseas.

Delivery

You'll be taught by our international experts in public health, and benefit from the dynamic research-led environment we're so proud of at LSTM.

Up-to-date and topical content is informed by the cutting edge research and is delivered through a range of methods, including lectures, case-based learning, small group work and simulation scenarios. This is complemented by a culture of self-directed learning, that culminates in your personal research project in the third semester. You'll be mentored and supported by one of our academic staff throughout this phase, setting you up for a rewarding career of lifelong learning.

Careers

There are many career opportunities within the field of Public Health throughout the world. Public Health and in particular outbreak control and health protection have been highlighted recently by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa, influenza and MERS.

People with public health, outbreak control and management skills are highly sought after. Public health careers cover a wide variety of options e.g. disease outbreak control, disease surveillance, development and delivery of communicable disease strategies, vaccinations, and the development of government policies and strategies.

Graduates of this course can work for health ministries, health departments, national or international disease control agencies, UN Agencies, NGOs, humanitarian organisations, aid organisations, or universities. Graduates can become global health consultants, educators, researchers, managers, health promoters/protectors, global health specialists/diplomats and advocacy workers community workers.

Fees and funding