MPH course

Master of Public Health is a postgraduate course of two years. This program is interdisciplinary in nature and is awarded to candidates who study areas related to public health. Master of Public Health focuses on various public health services instead of research and teaching. The course duration for a Master of Public Health is of two years and it is divided into four semesters.

MPH (Master of Public Health) is a program that offers maintenance of public health along with dealing with various issues that are in relation to public health. Providing different means of solution namely health awareness programs. The Master of Public Health program also teaches students various ways to tackle diseases and the disease-causing agents. Once a candidate completes his or her post-graduation in Master of Public Health, they are eligible for working at national and international levels in relevance to the sector of public health.

Students choosing the Master of Public Health course also get the option of choosing their specialisation on the basis of their interest and experience. It must be noted that there are a few universities and colleges in India that offer a Master of Public Health degree and the fees depend on the choice of institution. The average Master of Public Health fees can vary between INR 10,000 to INR 1.2 lakhs per year.

Here are the highlights of the Master of Public Health course:

A Master of Public Health degree will lead to a highly rewarding career where one will be well paid. It doesn’t end here, with an MPH degree and the research, education and project management involved, one will leave a huge impact on the lives of people. Moreover, the demand for Public Health officials is increasing day by day so there is a lot of job safety involved in a career as a Master of Public Health graduate. With new virus mutations happening every single day, there will be no boredom in your workday.

The Master of Public Health course is largely focused on various topics such as disease characteristics, prevention and cure of the disease, crisis management, strategic health policies, as well as various regulatory affairs. Master of Public Health students is also trained to handle worst-case scenarios.

Master of Public Health course teaches students to play a leading role in the promotion of community awareness regarding various aspects of public health such as injury, violence prevention, communicable and non-communicable diseases along with different other issues that can affect our health and safety. Depending on one’s choice, Master of Public Health students can choose their specialisations on the basis of previous work experience and interest. Here is a list of some common Master of Public Health specialisations:

• Environmental Health Sciences
• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics
• General Public Health
• Social and Behavioural Sciences
• Public Health Policy and Management
• Disaster Management and Emergency Preparedness
• International Public Health Management
• Public Health Education
• Health Services Administration

Eligibility criteria or minimum requirements for a Master of Public Health are parameters set by universities, colleges and institutes for allowing admission to students. Here are the eligibility criteria for a Master of Public Health degree:

• A candidate is required to obtain a bachelor’s degree in any health science field like MBBS, BDS, BPT, Biomedical Engineering, Nursing, or any other related professional health science course.
• Most universities and institutes require a minimum of 50% aggregate score in a Bachelor’s degree to be considered eligible for Master of Public Health admission.
• No entrance exams are held for Master of Public Health and hence, candidates need to check admission guidelines for respective institutes and universities. 

Since there are no entrance exams for the Master of Public Health course, it is crucial for interested candidates to check individual colleges’ guidelines for admission.

However, holding a bachelor’s degree in the medical field is considered to be the basic criteria for students opting for a Master of Public Health degree.

Some common admission procedures for a Master of Public Health include:

• Checking the university or college website for eligibility criteria.
• Ensuring that those parameters are met by the candidate.
• Filling out the application form and providing all the necessary documents.

While researching for a Master of Public Health course, students might often get confused between the Master of Public Health (MPH) and Masters of Science in Public Health (MSPH).

These two degrees are different from each other in multiple ways.

• A Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) is an academic research degree that prepares candidates for more advanced degrees such as a doctorate.
• Master of Public Health on the other hand is a professional degree that targets practitioners.
• Based on the college or university, MSPH can help students to focus on a particular field in public health. It can also be beneficial for those students who are yet to gain two years of work experience in the healthcare field.
• Both of these degrees are marketed and the Master of Science in Public Health is focused mostly on the core disciplines of the Master of Public Health degree. Master of Public Health degree on the other hand pays additional importance to research methods, epidemiology as well as biostatistics.

Here is a list of popular Master of Public Health Colleges in India:

Below is the list of state-wise top Master of Public Health colleges:

Maharashtra

• DYPMC Pune
• KIMS Karad
• Dr DY Patil Medical College, Navi Mumbai
• TISS Mumbai
• The School of Public Health and Health Sciences, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
• Pravara Institute of Medical Science, Loni
• SIHS Pune
• UNIPUNE
• MIT WPU Faculty of Social Innovation, Partnership and Co-creation, Pune
• Centre for Social Medicine, Pravana Institute of Medical Sciences, Loni
• MIT-WPU Pune

Karnataka

• JSS Medical College, Mysore
• Manipal University
• NIMHANS Bangalore
• KSHEMA Mangalore
• MSRUAS Bangalore
• Yenepoya Medical College, Mangalore
• Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore
• Padmashree School of Public Health, Bangalore
• Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College
• Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University, Gadag

Rajasthan

• AIIMS Jodhpur
• IIHMR University, Jaipur
• Poornima University, Jaipur
• Shri Jagdishprasad Jhabarmal Tiberwala University, Jhunjhunu
• Maulana Azad University, Jodhpur
• Shyam University, Dausa
• Mahatma Jyoti Rao Phoole University, Jaipur
• University of Technology, Jaipur
• Career Point University, Kota

Haryana

• Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary University, Gurgaon
• Amity University Gurgaon
• Indian Institute of Public Health, Delhi
• Rachna Institute of Nursing, Mahendragarh
• BDM College of Nursing, Jhajjar
• Sushant University, Gurgaon
• GD Goenka School of Medical and Allied Sciences, Gurugram

West Bengal

• NSHM Kolkata
• Institute of Public Health, Kalyani
• All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health, Kolkata
• IMS Kolkata
• Haldia Institute of Management, Haldia
• NSHM College of Management and Technology, Kolkata

Delhi NCR

• National Centre for Disease Control, New Delhi

The Master of Public Health course has a lot of options as each country has their own approach to healthcare. Again, various factors such as culture, people, behavioural patterns and population also dictate the nature of public health in countries.

Eligibility for Studying Master in Public Health Abroad

Here is the list of basic eligibility criteria for studying Master in Public Health in various countries:

• IELTS/ PTE/ TOEFL scores for English proficiency
• A Bachelor’s degree from any relevant university
• Resume with work experience
• Letter of Recommendation

Program Structure for Master in Public Health Course Abroad

Although various specialisations are available when selecting a Master of Public Health degree, this is the basic program structure for the course:

• Epidemiology
• Biostatistics
• Social, cultural and behavioural factors in public health
• Global health
• Occupational and environmental health
• Indigenous health

Best Countries to Study Master in Public Health Abroad

Here are some of the best countries for studying Master in Public Health:

• Canada
• USA
• UK
• Australia

Master of Public Health Abroad Top Colleges

Here is the list of top colleges offering Masters in Public Health:

• Harvard University, USA
• University of North Carolina, USA
• University of Oxford, UK
• University of Cambridge, UK
• University of Sydney, Australia
• University of Queensland, Australia
• University of Toronto, Canada
• University of Waterloo, Canada

The Master of Public Health course fees are as follows:

Some of the important theoretical and practical aspects of a Master of Public Health course include lectures, internships, research projects, assignments, etc. The syllabus of the Master of Public Health course is covered in four semesters and has four parts:

• Foundation
• Core
• Electives
• Research projects

Master of Public Health syllabus for first-year is as follows:

Master of Public Health syllabus for second year is as follows:

 Master of Public Health Subjects

All Master of Public Health subjects are taught by keeping various specialisations in mind as students are well equipped when they graduate for their PhDs and job scopes. Some of the Master of Public Health subjects that are taught in relation to the health and science syllabus are psychology, social science, nutrition, ethics, etc.

The core Master of Public Health subjects list include:

• Basic epidemiology
• Biostatistics
• Health management: management principles and practices
• Principles and practice of public health
• Introduction to the health system and policies in health projects for developing countries
• Public health surveillance
• Basic microbiology

Master of Public Health elective subjects include:

• Health promotion
• Health economics
• Field epidemiology
• Epidemiology
• Policy and planning
• RMNCH+A
• Communicable diseases
• Non-communicable diseases

The course curriculum and syllabus for the Master of Public Health are structured into two major categories- core and elective subjects. The Master of Public Health program is divided into specialities on the basis of different health hazards as well as topics that are to be covered. Here are the details of the Master of Public Health course:

• Four semesters
• Core subjects
• Elective subjects
• Research
• Thesis
• Internship
• Projects/ assignments

Master of Public Health Course Teaching Methodology and Techniques

The Master of Public Health degree’s course curriculum also involves the teaching of various methods and techniques that are meant to be helpful for students. These are some methodologies and techniques taken up in the course curriculum for the MPH course:

• Social work
• Campaigns
• Importance of practical and theoretical learning
• Guest lecturers
• Seminars
• Discussions
• Awareness programs
• Research and development

There are numerous job options for Master of Public Health students, depending on their years of experience. They are qualified to work in private and government organisations, hospitals and healthcare units.

These are some Master of Public Health job profiles for freshers:

• Healthcare Administrator
• Health Informatics Specialist
• Epidemiologist
• Public Health Project Manager

Master of Public Health Private and Public jobs

Listed below are some Master of Public Health private and government jobs:

• Assistant Professor Epidemiology
• Assistant Public Health Professor
• Assistant Environmental Scientist
• Bioterrorism Researcher
• Biosecurity Specialist
• Chief Medical Officer
• Childbirth Health Educator
• Clinical Infectious Disease Specialist
• Child Health Specialist
• Chronic Disease Management Coordinator

Master of Public Health graduates can also opt for higher studies such as doctoral programs given the vast scope of research opportunities. 

Master of Public Health graduates can find many jobs in the health sector- including government and private hospitals, healthcare units, etc. here are some common job profiles for the MPH course:

• Research Scientist
• Public Health Management Analyst
• Manager- Breastfeeding Initiative
• Health Communications Specialist
• Health Resources Professional
• Professor- Public Health
• Public Relation Officer
•  Environmental Health And Safety Specialist
• Health Counsellor
• Laboratory Technician
• Senior Technical Specialist- Public Health

Master of Public Health salary depends on individuals as it varies largely with experience. The basic salary scale for a Master of Public Health graduate is stated below:

 Top Recruiters and Salary Packages for Master of Public Health

The salary of Master of Public Health graduates is dependent on the experience of individual candidates and the roles they play in the organisation. Check out the salary structure of the top companies in India recruiting Master of Public Health students:

Master of Public Health Average Salary Based on Job Position

As stated above, the average salary of graduates with a Master of Public Health degree varies with their years of experience and job position. Here is a comprehensive view of the salary structure based on job type:

Professionals who are involved in the overall well-being of various communities across the world play a significant role. Their work setting varies from a hospital to government agencies, different educational institutions, research facilities as well as non-profit organisations. Hence, employers always expect public healthcare professionals with a degree in Master of Public Health to possess some key skills.

Communication

Public health professionals need to acquire communication skills in order to be successful in their field. Every organisation employs public health professionals with the goal of developing and implementing different health-related programs and supporting their clients with adequate service. Hence, having strong communication skills help them to understand the core values while interacting in an efficient manner with all co-workers. In order to strategically design the process of information exchange, developing strong communication skills is crucial. The ability to collect data and organise them that will be presented to various audiences via media channels and information technology is a part of effective communication skills. Public healthcare professionals need to know how different strategy-based communication principles are implanted and ways to collaborate with informatics specialists for evaluating public health programs.

Interpersonal Skills

Public health professionals do not go solo in terms of their work because it is impossible to implement programs independently. Their work involves constant collaboration with social workers, various project managers and healthcare professionals for implementing a program successfully. Due to such demands of the field, having interpersonal skills is essential as that allows one to interact with diverse individuals and communities for influencing the target group. They must also prepare themselves to provide explanations for their professional practices and how they impact equity and accountability. When interacting with diverse communities, understanding culturally appropriate behaviour and empowerment is essential.

Leadership Skills

Candidates with a Master of Public Health degree need to possess leadership skills that would help them to create as well as communicate a common vision for the future. They must possess strong change and process management skills to provide solutions to community and organisational issues. Possessing leadership skills in the field of public health also means driving the energy of the commitment of people to goals and creating engagement in the form of collaborative dialogues for the advancement of objectives. For team building, negotiations along with conflict management, good leadership skills are necessary.

Technical Skills

Having basic technical skills like being familiar with MS Office and common internet applications are crucial for any candidate with a Master of Public Health degree. They must also be familiar with statistical software, social media platforms and all health information platforms. Take an example - for understanding biostatistics and applying different statistical methods and reasoning for analysing and addressing public health problems. To operate biostatistics software programs, the basic concept of probability, random variation and distribution of probability is required. Similarly, strong mathematical and computational skills are required for understanding various scales of measurement.

Systems Thinking

Master of Public Health graduates must have the capacity of recognizing the system-level properties and analysing the dynamic interactions that take place between various groups, organisations, environments, and communities. By system thinking, we imply the ability to anticipate and foresee any unintended consequences produced by the changes introduced in the public health systems. It is also the responsibility of public health professionals to provide an explanation of how various systems models are to be tested, checked for validation and then adjusted accordingly.