In today's globalised world we are increasingly facing new public health challenges and there is a need for qualified expertise in this contemporary field. This programme has attracted students from more than 70 countries. We have an exciting study environment where people with different educational and cultural background meet. Our teachers are from all over the world and we have a shared vision of equitable health for all, and a shared mission of transformative education.
"One of the best aspects for me in Umeå was the proximity to nature and the extreme seasons with a lot of snow in winter and never-ending days in summer."
"What I like most about our programme is the variety of courses we get to study"
By nature, Public Health is multidisciplinary, drawing on social sciences and medicine, using quantitative and qualitative methods to identify and assess specific health risks before designing and implementing effective population-based strategies.
Are you interested in:
Then this programme is for you.
There are a number of scholarships available for non-European students. See link at the bottom of this page.
This programme comprises of 60 credits (one year) and includes courses on global health conditions, health systems analysis, health economy, the relations between social conditions and health and on the methods that you need to carry out public health work.
The programme provides public health practitioners and researchers with the skills required to understand, improve and promote public health in the population. This is an international programme with students coming from many countries and all teaching is in English.
Our Pedagogical Vision of the Educational Environment is based on core principles and didactic strategies including active, collaborative, and reflective learning. Studying on the programme means an active search for knowledge, problem solving, and critical analyses based on a scientific approach.
The working methods vary between individual study work, group work, seminars, lectures and practical sessions. Students have expressed great satisfaction with the cooperation between students from different educational and cultural background.
Pedagogical vision of the educational environment
Master thesis
The master thesis work is an important part of the studies in this programme and gives you a possibility to apply the knowledge that you have gained to develop a deeper understanding and specialization within a chosen area. Our teachers are also researchers which means that you will have a supervisor who has experience in public health research.
Read more about the thesis work
Autumn semester
Global public health, Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Qualitative methodology in public health.
Spring semester
Health Systems: Organization and financing, Health economic evaluation methods, Theory and management in health promotion, Master thesis, first year.
This programme gives knowledge that can be used in NGO’s, public organisations and private companies. Many graduates will work in the public sector in local and state institutions, from e.g. hospitals to the Ministry of Health. They may work with public health policies, health advocacy, legislation, management, evaluation of interventions or to analyse the effect of decisions on different levels.
Graduates can find jobs in non-profit organizations such as Red Cross, Save the Children, Medecins Sans Frontièrs or Clinton Health Access initiative. Other graduates will go to the private sector working e.g., for pharmaceutical companies or for health insurance companies. Others will work for the health minister or at WHO.
A future university career in research is another path since the programme is designed for those already working as, or planning to become, public health practitioners. Further studies can lead to a PhD degree.
Use this link for information regarding how to apply
See also link at the bottom of this page regarding application, Priority is given to students with at least two years of work experience within a field relevant to Public Health.
Use this form to document your work experience
We offer two-year programmes (120 credits) for which the first-year courses are the same as in the one-year programme. This means that a student enrolled in the one-year programme can, if he or she wishes, apply to continue on one of our two-year programmes.
Read more about the two-year programme in Public Health
Read more about the two-year programme in Public Health with a specialization in Health Economics
Degree of Master of Science (60 credits). Main field of study: Public health