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Public Health

MPH (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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The MPH programme in UCD is a long-standing, internationally recognised Graduate Entry Professional Programme, developed to offer multidisciplinary training and development in Public Health.
  • Knowledge of the factors influencing health status.
  • An understanding of the organisation and financing of Health Services and their impact on population health.
  • The epidemiological skills of study design and analysis.
  • Ability to work as an active team member in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating health policy.

About This Course

  • Graduates will be able to identify and apply appropriate epidemiological methods for study design.
  • Graduates will be able to identify and apply appropriate statistical analysis to analyse a public health problem.
  • Graduates will be able to identify the occurrence and distribution of health and illness in populations, understand the wider determinants of health and disease, analyse and interpret health data to assess community needs and resources and understand the requirement for multidisciplinary working.
  • Graduates will demonstrate critical appraisal skills.
  • Graduates will demonstrate understanding of health promotion and disease prevention and the importance of advocacy as a public health professional.
  • Graduates will demonstrate understanding of the breadth of the role of public health in the health services.

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS40010 Principles of Epidemiology Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS40190 Biostatistics I Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS40200 Communicable Disease Epidemiology Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS40750 Quantitative & Qualitative, Data Management, Analysis & Reporting Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS40980 Introduction to Knowledge Synthesis, Systematic Reviews & Meta-analysis Autumn  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS40040 Public Health Practice and Policy Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS40300 Health Promotion Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS40370 Non Communicable Disease Epidemiology Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS40850 Sociology&Social Epidemiology Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS41120 Health Economic Analysis Spring  5
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS41290 Global Health (Population, Planetary, Climate) Spring  10
Stage 1 Core Modules
PHPS41140 MPH Dissertation Summer  30

Graduate Profile
Vera Grywacheski, Canada

Many Canadian job postings require an MPH Degree. I was aware that UCD was a globally recognised University and the focused timeframe and intensiveness of the MPH programme appealed to me. During my time in UCD, I was greatly impressed by the credentials of the faculty, while the facilities and the smaller classes enhanced my learning experience. I am currently seeking to join the research department in a Canadian children’s hospital or to work as an Epidemiologist for the Canadian government. The MPH programme has equipped me with the necessary skills to be able to apply for posts such as these. Finally, my time in UCD offered a great opportunity to mix studies with travel. There was so much to do in Ireland, without sacrificing the quality of the University experience.

MPH Public Health (X065) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 10460
nonEU    fee per year - € 22450

MPH Public Health (X183) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 5060
nonEU    fee per year - € 14550

***Fees are subject to change

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see Government of Ireland Scholarships, on the UCD Global website.

This programme is intended for Graduates of Health Science degree programmes (Medicine, Dentistry, Public Health, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Nutrition, Nursing, or other), Science degree programmes (Biology, Biochemistry, Food Science, Physiology, Pharmacology, or other) or Social Science degree programmes (Psychology, Sociology, Economics, or other) preferably with a 2.1 Award or higher. Awards of 2:2 or less may be considered with additional suitable credentials.  Applicants will be required to provide evidence of the highest level of mathematics achieved in prior education.

  • Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS Scores: Not less than 6.5 overall, with not less than 6.5 in writing and not less than 6 in each other component.

These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes 

You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EU) applicants: Yes

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No


The degree of Master of Public Health may be granted to registered medical and dental practitioners and to those with professional backgrounds in health or health care provision, who hold an appropriate primary degree or equivalent qualification. Candidates may be required to undertake an interview prior to acceptance for the course. 


General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Public Health:

ROWCLASS Apply to
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
X065
Public Health
Master of Public Health

Full-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught
showAudience-audienceEU showAudience-audienceInt
X183
Public Health
Master of Public Health

Part-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
* you can change options at the top of the page