If you are someone who cares about the greater good of human beings pursuing a course in Public Health will be an excellent option for you.
A Master’s in Public Health can be quite rewarding for individuals from various medical fields such as Medical Doctors, Nurses, Health Officers and Pharmacists considering they have an interest in the welfare of people and different health issues in the society. Nevertheless, this course is not just for people from the health sector, as it involves the application of various disciplines.
Public health can also be especially beneficial today, as our world is currently facing one of the biggest pandemics in history, and the world is in dire need of public health professionals.
Below, we have provided for you everything you need to know about Public Health and universities offering Masters in Public Health, to help you make your first step towards making an impact on the world.
What is Public Health?
By definition, Public Health is the science of protecting the safety and improving the health of societies and communities through research, education and policies for disease and injury prevention.
Whether you are someone who likes to work with numbers, conduct research work, formulate policies or even work directly with people, public health can be a great option for you. Working in the public health sector allows you to work around the world to address the health problems of different communities and influence policies that affect the health of those communities.
Public Health includes application of various disciplines such as;
- Biology
- Anthropology
- Public Policy
- Education
- Psychology
- Computer Science
- Medicine
So no matter which sector you previously worked in or pursued your studies in, there is a place for you in the public health field.
Why Study Public Health?
The answer to the question of why you should study public health is simple, it is because you care, and want to make an effort into making the world a better, safer place for people to live in.
Think of it this way, many people are alive and healthy today, because of public health professionals who worked hard to develop various healthcare efforts such as vaccination programmes, restrictions on the use of tobacco, clean water and sanitization standards and also family planning. The reasons for the need for public health professionals are ever-changing and evolving depending on the needs of societies and the populations around the globe.
The ultimate goal of public health is to attain a world that is safe for people to live in through improvements in health conditions and behaviours that affect health.
Simply put, public health is important because;
- It has a real and positive impact on the people
- It promotes a healthy environment
- It is a moral initiative
So far, public health has had a great impact on the world through;
- Increased life expectancies
- Reduced child mortality rates globally
- Reduction of various communicable diseases
What Do Public Health Professionals Do?
As a Public Health Professional you will typically be required to do one or more of the essential tasks listed below;
- Identifying potential health problems in communities through monitoring health status of the communities
- Diagnosing the health problems and hazards facing societies
- Educating people regarding various health issues in the community
- Developing policies that support community health efforts
- Enforcing laws and regulations for the safety of the health of communities
- Directing people in need to health care services
- Ensuring the competency of the personal and public healthcare workforce
- Evaluating the effectiveness and accessibility to healthcare in communities
- Research and provide new and innovative insights into health issues in communities
Subjects Covered in a Public Health Course
In a Masters of Public Health, you will generally be covering subjects such as;
- Essential Public Health Concepts
- Health Management and Economics
- Epidemiology and Medical Statistics
- Population Health
- Occupational and Environmental Health
- Health Promotion
- Essential Issues in Health Policies
- Research work
Career Opportunities for Public Health Graduates
Public health graduates can seek employment in a diverse range of sectors including health administration, protection and prevention, public sectors or non-government sectors such as NGOs, research institutes, universities or even international bodies such as World Health Organization (WHO).
Common jobs for public health graduates are listed below;
- Epidemiologists
- Community Health Worker
- Public Health Project Managers
- Researchers
- Public Health Educator
- Healthcare Consultant
General Entry Requirements for Masters in Public Health
Bachelor’s Degree |
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*The requirements may vary among universities, for inquiries on other entry requirements, contact Excel Education.
English Language Requirements for Masters in Public Health
IELTS | Band Score 6.0 |
TOEFL (Internet Based Test) | Overall score of 42 |
TOEFL (Paper Based Test) | 550 |
Pearson Test of English: | Overall score of 47 |
*The requirements may vary among universities, for inquiries on other entry requirements, contact Excel Education.
Where Can You Study a Masters Degree in Public Health in Malaysia?
#1 International Medical University (IMU)
International Medical University Malaysia (IMU) is the first and most established private medical university in Malaysia with over 29 years of experience in healthcare education.
The Msc in Public Health Program at IMU is recognized by the Malaysian Public Service Department (JPU). You might also like to know that all IMU students who are self-funding their studies in this program, and are eligible for this program, are eligible for a 15% bursary.
Course Details
Program | Masters of Science (MSc) in Public Health |
Intake | March | September |
Duration | 1 year (Full Time) |
Indicative Fees | Contact Excel Education |
#2 Curtin University Malaysia
Curtin university is an Australian university with one of its branch campuses located in Malaysia.
Curtin University’s Master of Public Health aims to help you gain a global public health perspective through collaborations with peers from all over the world. With this program, you can also choose to study fully online, part-time or full time with highly qualified teaching staff.
Course Details
Program | Master of Public Health |
Intake | February | July |
Duration | 2 years (Full time) |
Indicative Fees | Contact Excel Education |
#3 MAHSA University
MAHSA University is a leading private institution in Medical and Health Science Education in Malaysia.
The Master of Science in Public Health program at MAHSA is recognized by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia in addition to the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. This program is also kept at an affordable level by the university, to ensure that more students are able to pursue their career in this interesting field.
Course Details
Program | Master of Science in Public Health |
Intake | April | September |
Duration | 1.5 years (Full time) |
Indicative Fees | Contact Excel Education |
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