Public Health is an in-demand job sector that currently employs around 100,000 people in the United States of America alone. Earning a Master’s degree in the interdisciplinary field is probably the best way to secure a senior role in the job sector. The average annual salary of a Master’s degree holder in Public Health, according to PayScale, is $63,000 in the US. Such a degree is offered at numerous universities in Australia, which is one of the world’s top five countries for higher education. Here’s a list of the best seven universities offering Master’s in Public Health in Australia.
Universities in Australia with a Master’s Degree in Public Health
1. University of Melbourne
Founded in 1853, the University of Melbourne (UniMelb) is recognized as one of the world’s top 40 universities by multiple major global university rankings. With its main campus sited at the Melbourne suburb of Parkville, the university offers higher education to more than 52,000 students. It is the alma mater of three Nobel laureates and four Australian prime ministers.
At UniMelb, a student typically needs two years to earn a Australian Master of Public Health degree in full-time format and four years in part-time. The program has three components, namely Core Component, Specialist Component, and Capstone Experience. While the Core Component provides students with an elaborate foundation in public health theory and practice, the Specialist Component offers them the opportunity to zero in on one or more areas, including Ageing, Gender and Women’s Health, Sexual Health, Indigenous Health, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Primary Care. Finally, the Capstone Experience allows them to further strengthen their specialist training and apply their already-attained knowledge to real world scenarios. The MPH program takes place at the Parkville campus.
2. Australian National University
Based in the Australian capital Canberra, the Australian National University (ANU) is the country’s best university for graduate employability, according to the Times Higher Education Rankings. It also is one of the universities in Australia that offers Master’s in Public Health. It was founded in 1946 as a postgraduate research university, while undergraduate studies were introduced in 1960. Its student population is over 25,000.
At ANU, the College of Health and Medicine offers two Master of Public Health programs. One of them is based entirely on coursework. The other one, known as the Advanced program, involves a research project and thesis. Either of the programs are available in both full-time and part-time study mode. There’s the option of taking on the programs online in their entirety, in addition to the traditional option of studying on campus. A full-time student usually requires two years to an MPH degree at ANU.
3. Monash University
Monash University is a Melbourne-based public university that came into being in the year 1958. It has four main campuses sited at Clayton, Caulfield, Peninsula, and Parkville. With over 78,000 students enrolled, it is the most populous university in Australia. It ranks among the top 100 universities in the world, according to almost every major international university rankings.
Monash’s School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine offers its Master of Public Health program at The Alfred Hospital. The program allows students to specialize in a number of areas, including Health Economics, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Global Health and Human Rights, and Clinical Research Methods. Students may be able to complete the program in two years in full-time format and in four years in part-time format and get a Master’s in Public Health Degree in Australia. In either case, it’s possible to complete it much sooner if a student already has relevant entry qualifications. The MPH program consists of three parts: Expanding Public Health Knowledge, Foundations of Public Health Studies, and Advanced Application Expertise.
4. University of Sydney
The University of Sydney has been recognized as Australia’s best and one of the top five in the world for graduate employability by the QS World University Rankings. It began its journey in 1850 as the country’s first university. Its main campus is sited at the inner-western Sydney suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington, occupying over 177 acres of land. Its student population is north of 61,000.
Sydney’s School of Public Health offers its Master of Public Health program at the Camperdown/Darlington campus. The option of studying online is available. The MPH program allows students to specialize in one out of four different areas: Chronic Disease Prevention, Communicable Disease Control, Health Promotion and Advocacy, and Research Methods. Its minimum duration is one and half years in full-time format and three years in part-time.
5. University of Adelaide
Next on our list of universities in Australia with Master’s in Public Health is the University of Adelaide. Founded nearly 150 years ago, the University of Adelaide is the alma mater of three Nobel laureates. It currently offers higher education to over 21,000 students, including almost 8,000 international students representing more than a hundred nationalities. Its main campus lies in the heart of Adelaide, at North Terrace.
At Adelaide, the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences is in charge of the Master of Public Health program. It is available in both full-time and part-time study modes, and in both on-campus and online delivery modes. Full-time students with no prior public health qualification usually need two years to earn the MPH degree, but those who have degrees with a strong public health component can earn it in one to one and half years. The program offers three specialization options: Public Health, Evidence-based Health Care, and Population Oral Health.
6. University of Queensland
Beginning its journey in 1909, the University of Queensland (UQ) currently has over 53,000 students enrolled. Its prominent campuses are sited at the Brisbane suburbs of St Lucia and Herston, and at the south-eastern Queensland town of Gatton. The public research university ranks 48th in the QS World University Rankings.
Students can earn a Master of Public Health degree at UQ in one and half years in full-time format. The program based at the Herston campus is administered by the Faculty of Medicine. It allows students to pick the Standard plan that provides them with maximum course choice and flexibility, or specialize in any of the five areas: Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Nutrition; Global Health; and Indigenous Health. The MPH program can be undertaken entirely by coursework, while the options of incorporating a project or a dissertation are also available.
7. University of Western Australia
Finally, we end our list of the Australian universities offering Master’s in Public Health Degree. The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a Perth-based, research-intensive university that came into being in 1911. It claims a spot in the lists of the world’s top 100 universities published by multiple international university rankings. Its three campuses are located at the Perth suburbs Crawley and Claremont, and at Albany, a port city in the state of Western Australia. The student population is nearly 24,000.
UWA’s School of Population and Global Health offers its Master of Public Health program which can be earned with or without a specialization. In both cases, students can take it on in full-time or part-time format at the Crawley campus, with some of its courses available online. There’s the option of undertaking it entirely by coursework, or by combining coursework with either a project, a dissertation, or a practicum. The MPH program without any specialization ideally takes one and half years in full-time format. On the other hand, the duration is two years for a full-time student pursuing the degree with a specialization. The areas of specialization are Public Health Foundations, Applied Public Health, and Public Health Methodology.
We hope that this article on universities with Master’s in Public Health in Australia was helpful. If you are interested in studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students!
