- Students are to follow the requirements of the Handbook for the year they commenced the course.
However, the subject links below do not contain the subject information for the current year. You can view current subject information through the new Course Handbook.
Master of Public Health
Testamur Title of Degree: | Master of Public Health |
Abbreviation: | MPH |
UOW Course Code: | 580 |
CRICOS Code: | 009245F |
Study Area / Disciplines / My University Key Words: | Health, Medicine,Health Management, Health Sciences, Indigenous Health, Nutrition/Dietetics, Public Health |
Total Credit Points: | 48 |
Duration: | 1 year full-time or part-time equivalent |
Home Faculty: | Social Sciences |
Intake Session(s): | Autumn/Spring |
Delivery Mode: | On campus |
Delivery Campus/UAC Code: | Wollongong |
Additional Information: |
Course Description
The Master of Public Health is a flexible degree designed to give students a broad introduction to public health while equipping them with the skills and knowledge to define, critically assess and resolve public health issues within a community. The flexible and interest driven program allows students to develop, analyse and implement policy, plan and evaluate health services and programs whilst catering for their individual career goals. The program is structured in a manner that responds to the constantly changing health care issues both at local and international level. The degree is composed of: a core of four subjects; plus a choice of one of four speciality streams comprised of four subjects. The core subjects can be taken as a Graduate Certificate (UOW Course Code 1130) - see Course description in the Handbook. All speciality streams can also be completed as Graduate Certificates (UOW Course Codes 1183 Health Promotion, 1184 Public Health Nutrition, 1135 Occupational Health & Safety, 1172 Social Marketing for Health. This allows students to tailor their learning to their career aspirations.
Entry Requirements
Academic requirements, English requirements and credit transfer information are available from the Course Finder.
The Master of Public Health articulates with the following graduate certificates:
Graduate Certificate in Public Health Graduate
Certificate in Health Promotion
Graduate Certificate in Public Health Nutrition
Graduate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety
Graduate Certificate in Social Marketing for Health
Students who commence studies in one of the Graduate Certificates above may apply to progress into the MPH program. All subjects successfully completed in the relevant Graduate Certificate will count as credit towards the Master of Public Health upon successful transfer to the Masters degree. For students who enter directly into the MPH program, the Graduate Certificates are available as exit qualifications). Students who are considering exiting the MPH early should discuss this with the Course Coordinator as soon as possible.
Course Structure
The Master of Public Health requires the successful completion of 48 credit points of subjects in accordance with the course structure and recommended subject progression tables below.
All students must complete the Public Health Core (24 credit points) and one speciality stream (24 credit points). Speciality streams have limited intakes. Consequently, commencing students must have their speciality stream choice approved by the Course Coordinator prior to commencement.
All international students are required to enrol in SHS931 Public Health Communication and Data Skills in their first session of study as part of the Public Health core. For these students, this subject may only be replaced by an elective subject with the permission of the Course Coordinator.
Domestic on-campus students who have not completed an Australian degree program within the last ten years are advised to enrol in SHS931 Public Health Communication and Data Skills in their first session of study as part of the Public Health core. They should consult the Course Coordinator. Other domestic on-campus students may enrol in SHS931 only with the permission of the Course Coordinator, as a quota applies for this subject.
* The following streams are available in both on-campus and distance** mode in 2014:
Core: Public Health (This may also be completed as a Graduate Certificate pathway qualification for entry into the Masters of Public Health)
Speciality stream: Health Promotion (This may also be completed as a Graduate Certificate pathway qualification for entry into the Masters of Public Health)
Speciality stream: Social Marketing for Health (This may also be completed as a Graduate Certificate pathway qualification for entry into the Masters of Public Health; see entry requirements)
* The following streams are only available on-campus and are taught in block delivery mode in 2014:
Speciality stream: Public Health Nutrition
Speciality stream: Occupational Health and Safety (not available in 2014)
Core: Public Health | |||
Subject Code | Subject Name | Session | Credit Points |
Public Health Communication and Data Skills Required for international students; advised for students who have no university level award obtained in the last 10 years; available to domestic students with university qualifications <10 years only with Course Coordinator approval | Autumn or Spring | 6 | |
OR | |||
6 credit points elective subject#: any 900 Level University of Wollongong subject may be selected if approved by Course Coordinator; subjects from the OHS and Social Marketing for Health streams will not be approved unless the student has been approved for enrolment in the full stream; recommended electives are as follows: | |||
Social Determinants of Health | Autumn | 6 | |
Epidemiology | Spring | 6 | |
Statistics in Health Research | Spring | 6 | |
Note: Students who complete the 24cp of core MPH subjects can apply to exit the Masters and graduate instead with a Graduate Certificate in Public Health (UOW Course Code 1130); it can also be taken as a stand-alone award (see course description 1130). | |||
# International students are required to complete SHS931 in their first session of study and may not choose an elective in its place without written permission from the Course Coordinator.
Speciality stream: Health Promotion | |||
Subject Code | Subject Name | Session | Credit Points |
Health Promotion | Autumn | 6 | |
Public Health Policy | Autumn | 6 | |
Health Promotion Competencies | Spring | 6 | |
Health Research Methodology | Spring | 6 | |
Note: Students who complete the above 24cp can apply to exit the Masters and graduate instead with a Graduate Certificate in Health Promotion (UOW Course Code 1183); it can also be taken as a stand-alone award (see course description 1183). Speciality stream: Health Promotion is available via on-campus or distance delivery mode**. If on-campus mode is selected, normal on-campus attendance is required throughout the academic session. | |||
** International students in Australia on a student visa who are studying onshore cannot enrol in more than 25% of their total course by distance as per ESOS legislation.
Speciality stream: Public Health Nutrition | |||
Subject Code | Subject Name | Session | Credit Points |
Public Health Nutrition | Autumn | 6 | |
Food and Nutrition Monitoring and Surveillance | Autumn | 6 | |
Nutrition Promotion | Spring | 6 | |
Food and Nutrition Policy | Spring | 6 | |
Note: Students who complete the 24cp above can apply to exit the Masters and graduate with a Graduate Certificate in Public Health Nutrition (UOW Course Code 1184); it can also be taken as a stand-alone award (see course description 1184). Speciality stream: Public Health Nutrition is only available on-campus. All subjects are taught in block delivery mode which requires on-campus attendance for intensive study days. Students require a 3-year undergraduate bachelor degree or equivalent, normally in nutrition, to be eligible to take this speciality. | |||
Speciality Stream: Occupational Health and Safety (not available in 2014) | |||
Subject Code | Subject Name | Session | Credit Points |
Occupational Health and Safety Law | Autumn | 6 | |
Advanced Workplace Injury Management | Autumn | 6 | |
OHS Risk Management | Spring | 6 | |
Principles of Occupational Hygiene | Spring | 6 | |
Note: Students who complete the 24cp above can apply to exit the Masters and graduate with a Graduate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety (UOW Course Code 1135); for 2013 MPH entrants it can also be taken as a stand-alone award (see course description 1135). Speciality stream: Occupational Health and Safety is only available on-campus. Students require a 3 year bachelor's degree with at least 1 year equivalent of science subjects or a Certificate IV in Workplace Safety or equivalent plus two years of relevant work experience in an OHS related area. All subjects are taught in block delivery mode which requires on-campus attendance for intensive study days. Subjects are not offered in standard sessions or in every session or every year; intake quotas apply to subjects; students taking this speciality may, as a result, have a progression pattern that is not within minimum course completion timeframes. This should be taken into account when considering this stream. | |||
Speciality Stream: Social Marketing for Health | |||
Subject Code | Subject Name | Session | Credit Points |
Critical Marketing and Media Analysis | Autumn | 6 | |
Social Marketing for Health | Autumn | 6 | |
Advanced Studies in Behaviour Change | Spring | 6 | |
Social Marketing Practice | Spring | 6 | |
Note: Students who complete the 24cp above can apply to exit the Masters and graduate with a Graduate Certificate in Social Marketing for Health (UOW Course Code 1172). Speciality stream: Social Marketing for Health is available via on-campus or distance** delivery mode. Entry is limited: Students require a 3 year bachelor's degree to enter; MPH students have limited places in this stream and approval of the Course Coordinator is required prior to enrolment. | |||
** International students in Australia on a student visa who are studying onshore cannot enrol in more than 25% of their total course by distance as per ESOS legislation.
Professional Recognition/Accreditation
Graduates of the Master of Public Health may apply for membership of the Australian Health Promotion Association and the Public Health Association of Australia.
Other Information
Further information is available at:
UOW Course Finder
Email: scc@uow.edu.au