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Master of Public Health (244CW) // Course structure
About this course
Contact
Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
OR
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: MSPGH Website
- Email: Enquiry Form
This course is available in My Course Planner
Coordinator
Helen Jordan
Course structure
Students in the standard 200 point program (without advanced standing) will need to complete:
- 75 credit points of compulsory subjects
- 125 credit points of electives and capstone subjects including capstone subject(s) from one of the three capstone options:
- 25 credit points of Capstone Option 1 - Research Project (single or double semester options)
- 25 credit points of Capstone Option 2 - Professional Practice (single or double semester options)
- 12.5 credit points of Capstone Option 3 - Public Health subject
Note:
- Successful applicants can be granted 25, 50 or 100 credit points of Advanced Standing in Master of Public Health.
- Students granted with 25 or 50 credit points of Advanced Standing in Master of Public Health will take the equivalent credit points of less elective subjects accordingly.
- Students granted with 100 credit points of advanced standing take 50 credit points of core subjects (choosing from POPH90217, POPH90013, POPH90014, POPH90231, POPH90218 and POPH90274) as well as 50 credit points of elective and capstone subjects in the 100 point program.
Additional rules
Successful applicants for the Doctor of Medicine informal specialisation will be granted a minimum of 50 credit points advanced standing. Please refer to the Doctor of Medicine informal specialisation page for the rules to follow in detail.
Subject Options
Core subjects
Students entering the 175 or 150 point program are eligible to apply for an exemption examination for POPH90217 Foundations of Public Health. Students granted an exemption must complete one extra elective subject in lieu of POPH90217 Foundations of Public Health. To apply to sit for an exemption examination please contact the Subject Coordinator for Foundations of Public Health prior to the start of the subject. If you have completed a subject similar to POPH90217 Foundations of Public Health in the past five years at a post graduate level you will not be required to sit an exemption exam and will automatically be offered 12.5 points of credit for your prior study.
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| POPH90217 | Foundations of Public Health | February (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90013 | Biostatistics |
Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90014 | Epidemiology 1 |
Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90231 | Qualitative Research in Public Health |
Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90274 | Prioritising & Planning in Public Health | July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90218 | Public Health Leadership and Management | March (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Elective subjects
International Students from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds are encouraged to enrol in this subject offered jointly by the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences and the Centre for Communication Skills and English Language Studies:
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| LING90002 | Presenting Academic Discourse |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
The Master of Public Health (MPH) is flexible and does not have fixed streams. Students may tailor elective subject choices to suit their interests, provided they meet course requirements. All elective subjects offered in the MPH are listed below:
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| POPH90137 | Primary Health Care, Jamkhed, India | November (Off Campus) |
12.5 |
| POPH90256 | Ageing in Society | Term 2 (Online) |
12.5 |
| POPH90189 | Health Program Design & Implementation | February (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90200 | Advanced Qualitative Health Research | February (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90243 | Epidemiology in Practice | February (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90206 | Health Policy | March (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90020 | Health Promotion | September (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90169 | Adolescent Sexuality and Sexual Health | Semester 1 (Online) |
12.5 |
| POPH90270 | Bioethics in Practice | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90201 | Community Engagement for Health Impact | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90095 | Economic Evaluation 2 | February (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90199 | Gender and Health | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90094 | Health Economics 1 | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90112 | Infectious Disease Epidemiology | April (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90227 | Public Health in Practice | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90290 | First 1000 Days in Indigenous Contexts | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
| POPH90070 | Clinical Sexual & Reproductive Health | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90244 | Health and Human Rights | April (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| LING90002 | Presenting Academic Discourse |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90247 | Non Communicable Disease & Global Health | July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| PAED90005 | Child Public Health | July (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90230 | Planetary and Global Health | July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90144 | Regression Methods in Health Research | July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90069 | Sexual and Reproductive Health | Semester 2 (Online) |
12.5 |
| POPH90093 | Economic Evaluation 1 | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90111 | Genetic Epidemiology | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90229 | Health Economics 2 | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90205 | Social Determinants of Health Inequality | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
| POPH90090 | Health Program Evaluation 2 | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90271 | Infectious Diseases Modelling | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| FOOD90040 | Nutrition Politics and Policy | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90275 | Population Mental Health | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90068 | Prevention and Control of STIs and HIV | Semester 2 (Online) |
12.5 |
| POPH90291 | Indigenous Health in a Global Context | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90209 | Comparative Health Systems | August (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90088 | Disability in Policy and Practice | February (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90191 | Practice of Public Health Leadership | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
| POPH90145 | Survival Analysis & Regression for Rates | September (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90066 | Women and Global Health | September (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| PSYT90092 | Mental Health and Ageing | Term 4 (Online) |
12.5 |
| POPH90264 | Global Population Ageing | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
| ISYS90069 | Digital Transformation of Health |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
July (Online)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90242 | Epidemiology 2 | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90131 | Primary Health Care: applied principles | July (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90294 | Digital Health for Consumers | Semester 2 (Online) |
12.5 |
| POPH90297 | Preventing Violence Against Women | November (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| SCWK90067 | Implementation Science in Theory | Term 2 (Online) |
12.5 |
| SCWK90068 | Implementation Science in Practice | Term 4 (Online) |
12.5 |
| POPH90267 | Ageing Health & Human Services | Term 4 (Online) |
12.5 |
| POPH90257 | Body of Ageing | Term 3 (Online) |
12.5 |
| POPH90300 | Health and Social Justice | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90299 | Healthcare Environment Evaluation | October (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90302 | Introduction to Health Services Research | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90301 | Pandemic Preparedness and Response | September (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90258 | Economics of Ageing | Term 4 (Online) |
12.5 |
| MEDI90107 | Disaster Medicine Principles & Responses | January (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| MEDI90109 | Managing Complex Disasters | October (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ABPL90022 | Healthy Communities | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90303 | Climate Change and Health | April (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90304 | Sustainability and Healthcare | May (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90305 | Population Oral Health |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90306 | Population Oral Health in Practice | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90058 | Health Program Evaluation 1 | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ABPL90377 | Design for Ageing | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
| POPH90307 | Health System Transformation | Not available in 2024 | 12.5 |
| POPH90309 | Environmental Health | September (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| POPH90308 | Indigenous Data Governance in Health | Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENST90004 | Climate Change Politics and Policy | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| ENST90033 | Climate Change Mitigation | February (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| MULT90004 | Environmental Sustainability |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
July (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| MULT90005 | Partnerships for Sustainable Futures |
February (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| ENST90034 | Adapting to Climate Change | April (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
| NURS90076 | Applied Pathophysiology |
January (Online)
July (Online)
|
12.5 |
*Students can also refer to the recommendations on elective subject combinations in the specialisation pages.
Capstone options
There are three capstone options to choose from. The capstone experience should be undertaken in the final year or final semester of your Master of Public Health.
Capstone Option 1 - Research Project
Students may apply to undertake either a 25 credit point supervised Research Project in their chosen field of specialisation. Students have the option of applying to enrol in a year-long research project (POPH90284 AND POPH90285) or a semester-long research project (POPH90255). Students enrolling in the year long project MUST complete the project in two semesters consecutively and in the correct sequence i.e. Part 1 followed by Part 2.
Students should be aware that they must complete a 25 credit point research project in order for the MPH to provide an entry pathway to the MPhil or PhD program.
Students must have a weighted average mark of at least 75% across relevant subjects to be eligible to enrol in the research project. Successful research project applicants will be selected on the basis of academic merit.
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| POPH90284 | Research Project in Public Health Part 1 |
Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90285 | Research Project in Public Health Part 2 |
Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90255 | Research Project in Public Health - S |
Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
Semester 2 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville)
|
25 |
Capstone Option 2 - Professional Practice
Students may apply to undertake either of the 25 credit point supervised Professional Practice Units (PPU). Students have the option of applying to enrol in a year-long PPU (POPH90286 AND POPH90287) or a semester-long PPU (POPH90239). Students enrolling in the year long PPU MUST complete in two semesters consecutively and in the correct sequence i.e. Part 1 followed by Part 2.
Limitations on student numbers apply so please ensure you have a back up plan (that is, a second capstone preference) in case you are not accepted into the Professional Practice Unit.
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| POPH90286 | Professional Practice - Part 1 |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90287 | Professional Practice - Part 2 |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
| POPH90239 | Professional Practice - S |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
Capstone Option 3 - Public Health
Students who choose this option must enrol in the following capstone subject and select an additional elective from those offered in the Master of Public Health:
| Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| POPH90227 | Public Health in Practice | Semester 1 (Dual-Delivery - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Exit Point
To be eligible for the Graduate Diploma in Public Health students who commenced the MPH from 2017 onward must complete one of the following:
Five core 12.5 credit point Master of Public Health subjects (POPH90217 Foundations of Public Health, POPH90014 Epidemiology 1, POPH90013 Biostatistics, POPH90231 Qualitative Research in Public Health, POPH90274 Prioritising & Planning in Public Health) and three Master of Public Health 12.5 credit point elective subjects of the student's choosing.
or
If an exemption is granted for POPH90217 Foundations of Public Health then students must complete four core 12.5 credit point Master of Public Health subjects (POPH90014 Epidemiology 1, POPH90013 Biostatistics, POPH90231 Qualitative Research in Public Health, POPH90274 Prioritising & Planning in Public Health) and four Master of Public Health 12.5 credit point elective subjects of the student’s choosing.
Last updated: 21 January 2025