Degree details

This program is designed 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.

It focuses 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. You'll 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.

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.

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)
  • 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 (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 GPA of 4.0 or higher (students admitted via this pathway will be eligible for 40 credit points of advanced standing for the courses completed in the Graduate Certificate program).

Note: Applicants are not permitted to defer an offer. Should you be unable to accept an offer, you must re-apply for entry in the following year.

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 grade of C on the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)
  • OR a minimum grade of C on the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)
  • 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.

Griffith University grants credit and recognition of prior learning which may relate to prior formal learning or prior informal and non-formal learning. For more information, please visit the following website:

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.