Master of Public Health

Graduates of the Master of Public Health will have:

• an integrated knowledge of the practice of public health including:
  • priority issues, populations and settings:
  • contemporary interventions, systems and models of public health management and practice
  • the role and application of research outputs including population level data to the planning of public health policy and practice
• the principles and methods that underpin research within public health planning, implementation and evaluation.

There are diverse career opportunities for professionals interested in moving into the public health field, developing health research skills and/or furthering competency development in public health practice areas such as:

• international health
• humanitarian aid
• health program planning and evaluation
• health promotion
• health policy
• epidemiology and biostatistics
• environmental health management
• maternal and child health
• public health nutrition.

You will be prepared for a variety of career opportunities with state and federal health departments, in public health units/teams, community health, local government, and in academia. Public health graduates are also highly sought after by NGO health agencies and international aid agencies.

Professional recognition

The following professional bodies recognise graduates of this award:

• Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA)
• Australian Health Promotion Association
• International Union of Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE)

Higher education

To apply for admission to the Master of Public Health, a student must:

• hold a suitable bachelor degree in a related field (Public Health, Health Services Management, Environmental Health, Allied Health, Medicine, Nursing, Psychology, Clinical Research, Biomedical Health and Social Science) with a minimum GPA of 4.0 (using a 7.0 point scale)
• OR hold a suitable qualification (Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Bachelor Honours degree) in a related field such as Public Health; Health Services Management; Environmental Health; Allied Health, Medicine, Nursing, Psychology, Clinical, Research Biomedical Health and Social Science with a minimum GPA of 4.0 (using a 7.0 point scale) (students admitted with one of these qualifications may be eligible for up to 40 credit points of credit)
• OR have completed the Graduate Certificate in Public Health (3147) with a minimum GPA of 4.0 (using a 7.0 point scale) (students admitted via this pathway will be eligible for 40 credit points of advanced standing for the courses completed in the Graduate Certificate program).

English Proficiency Requirements

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:

• A minimum overall band score of 6.5 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 6.0
• OR a minimum score of 575 on TOEFL
• OR an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 79 (no sub-score less than 19)
• OR no score less than 3+ in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only)
• OR a minimum overall score of 176 (no score less than 169) on C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English) or C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)
• OR an overall score of 58 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 50.

English test results must be no more than two years old.

Students who successfully complete the Direct Entry Program (DEP) will satisfy the English Language requirements for this Griffith degree.

Reduce the time it takes to finish your degree. You can apply to Griffith to recognise your prior learning, including:

• Formal learning through courses completed at uni and TAFE.

• Informal learning through workplace experience or volunteer training.

• Non-formal learning through social experiences and hobbies

This program helps you to develop and further your career in public health practice, research and/or management. It allows you to re-orientate your work interests in health to disease prevention and health promotion and is widely recognised both nationally and internationally as the public health credential for careers in public health.

These programs focus on the socio-ecological model of public health that emphasises and analyses the important interactions between the social, biological, economic and environmental determinants of health. They enable you to apply this analytical skill set to plan, implement and evaluate population based interventions that protect and promote health.

The program has a strong focus on international health and provides you with the opportunity to focus your public health studies by selecting a range of electives in areas such as public health nutrition, health promotion, climate change, international health, environmental health, and health services management.

Recommended Study Pattern

The Master of Public Health is offered full-time and part-time; fully online and on-campus.

You will be classed as a part-time student if you are enrolled in less than 30 credit points per trimester. As a part-time student, you will generally attend 6 hours of scheduled classes per week.

As a full-time student, you will generally attend 12 hours of scheduled classes per week throughout the trimester.

Classes may be scheduled during the day and evening throughout the week to accommodate part-time and working students unavailable to attend classes during the day.

The Master of Public Health is offered fully online. You can access course materials, participate in learning activities, lodge assessment items and access support services via Learning@Griffith. There is no requirement for on-campus attendance and access to a reliable computer with internet connection is essential. If it suits you, some courses may be taken on-campus.

As a guide, core subjects in this degree can include:

• Healthcare Systems

• Epidemiology: Principles and Practices

• Environment and Population Health

• Social Determinants of Health

Plus there’s a selection of electives to choose from. As part of your application, you’ll be guided through how to get the right degree structure in place for you.

Award Requirements

To be eligible for the award of Master of Public Health (MPH), a student must acquire 120 credit points as prescribed below:

• Standard pathway:
  • gain 80 credit points for the core subjects and
  • gain 40 credit points from the listed elective subjects
• Dissertation pathway:
  • gain 70 credit points for the core subjects and
  • gain 10 credit points from the listed elective subjects and
  • successfully complete the 40 credit point dissertation.

Advanced standing

To be eligible for the award of Master of Public Health (MPH), a student admitted with 40 credit points of advanced standing must acquire 80 credit points as prescribed below:

• Standard pathway:
• gain 40 credit points for the core courses and gain 40 credit points from the listed elective courses.
• Dissertation pathway:
• gain 30 credit points for the core courses and gain 10 credit points from the listed elective courses and successfully complete the 40 credit point dissertation.

This degree may be awarded with Distinction where a student achieves a minimum program GPA of 6.5 with no failed courses. The words 'This award was achieved with Distinction' will be recorded on the testamur.

Exit Points

To be eligible to exit the Master of Public Health program with the Graduate Diploma of Public Health award, a student must acquire 80 credit points as prescribed below:

• Standard pathway:
• gain 60 credit points for the core courses and
• gain 20 credit points from the listed elective courses.
• Dissertation pathway:
• gain 70 credit points for the core courses and
• gain 10 credit points from the listed elective courses.

The Graduate Diploma exit point is not available to students admitted to the Masters program with advanced standing.

Students who exit with the Graduate Diploma will not be eligible for readmission to complete the Master of Public Health.

To exit, a student should apply for a program transfer.