Public health courses

There are several public health courses available in NSW, through which you can learn skills relevant to working in developing countries. The following information is illustrative, and you should refer to specific websites for details about each international public health course.

Courses in Eastern Australia

University of NSW Masters of Public Health

University of Sydney Masters of Public Health

University of Sydney Masters of International Public Health

James Cook University Masters of International Public Health

Selected foreign public health institutions

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

Harvard School of Public Health

Colombia Mailman School of Public Health

What is an MPH?

Masters of Public Health and Masters of International Public Health are of great value in preparing for a career working in low and middle income countries. They generally have coursework and research components, and allow flexibility to choose subjects that are of interest to you. Talk to people who have studied at the different institutions to find out which programme best suits your schedule and objectives. You may even be able to accredit some of your MPH work towards your clinical training, and tailor your MPH projects to your particular medical discipline.

How long do they take?

Generally, Masters of Public Health are one year full time equivalent. They can be done over a longer period of time, depending upon the institution. Many have external components, which are useful for trainees who may not be able to attend face-to-face teaching on a weekly basis.

 

What options are there for you to do the study?

Generally you can do it full-time, attending 2-3 days per week, or attend in the evenings part-time, or do distance education (online) with an intense whole-weekend workshop 1-2x per semester.

What do Public Health courses achieve?

Masters if Public health prepare students for practice in a range of public health settings. International Public Health courses are tailored specifically to low and middle income countries, with electives in specific diseases, public health challenges or methodologies (such as writing a formal report for a foreign government). Other aspects include health promotion, health services management, development, qualitative and quantitative research methods and the media and health. Some institutions offer health policy courses.

A great advantage of studying a Masters of International Public Health is that you will learn from experts in their fields. This can be invaluable, as they may also be able to advise you about how to get started in international health work.