Join an accredited online MPH that fits around full-time work.
Prepare for success in a broad range of public health and academic careers.
In this flexible online MPH, you’ll gain the skills you need to:
- pursue a career in the public health sector
- influence public health policy
- undertake independent public health research, or
- move on to a PhD.
You’ll cover the key topics required for professional accreditation in public health in the UK and internationally.
You can choose from a substantial range of elective options to tailor your learning to your career goals.
With 24/7 access to materials, you can continue to work and earn an income while you study for your qualification.
Accredited by the APHEA
This online MPH is accredited by the Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation (APHEA).
Who can join our online distance-learning MPH?
You do not need to have any particular clinical or specialist knowledge to join our online MPH.
Public health is a very broad area of activity and we welcome student applications from a range of backgrounds and experiences.
Our MPH graduates have included medical students, nurses, political scientists, engineers, policymakers, healthcare managers, physicians, surgeons, social workers, dentists, psychologists, microbiologists, nutritionists, health educationalists, biologists, pharmacologists and biomedical scientists.
You can also study this degree full-time on campus.
Choose an accredited online MPH with an award-winning UK university
Train with healthcare experts
Be part of a university leading the way in nutrition, women’s health, infection control and clinical scanning, transforming lives and medical practice around the world.
Award-winning research
We’re proud winners of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize, the highest national honour for a UK university, for sustained excellence in health research over the last 40 years.
Why we were awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize
Real-world impact
Our work has changed clinical practice, policy, legislation and academic method, directly impacting the lives of millions of people.
Our research impact
Outstanding research quality
We’re rated 1st in Scotland for Public Health, Health Services and Primary Care research in the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).
Join one of the UK’s best medical schools
We’re ranked first in the UK for Medicine by the Guardian University Guide 2025.
What you’ll study
You can choose to study for a:
- Masters (180 credits)
- or start with one of the short courses that make up this degree (15 credits).
Your tutors will guide you in selecting your optional courses. They’ll help you tailor your MPH to your career goals.
Try our degree scheduler
Choose your courses
See all the courses that are part of this degree and choose what you want to study.
Manage your study schedule
Control the pace and cost of your degree. Decide how much you want to study each term.
Save to your wishlist
Save your schedule to your wishlist so you can view and edit anytime.
How you’ll study
Online learning
Our distance learning MPH is delivered flexibly, 100% online.
You can learn with us anywhere, no student visa required, and set your study hours to suit you.
Your teaching
Teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It holds all the materials, tools and support you’ll need in your studies. Take a look around MyAberdeen.
You can access your learning materials on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a range of resources available, including online access to our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library.
Your online learning experience will be enriched by interaction with other students from varied clinical, non-clinical, professional and cultural backgrounds from around the world.
Your tutors
This online MPH is delivered by our School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition.
You’ll learn from renowned academic researchers and public health practitioners.
Your internationally experienced tutors are specialists across disciplines including epidemiology, statistics, qualitative research, public health, health informatics, health economics, nutrition and clinical trials.
Assessments
You’ll be assessed entirely online.
We use a range of online assessment methods throughout your degree, including multiple-choice questions, short-answer tests, numerical exercises, essays, reports, posters, oral presentations and peer review.
Your support team
Our friendly team are here to answer any queries you have before, during and after your studies.
Dr Janet Kyle
Janet is the degree coordinator. She’ll be on hand to answer any questions about degree content before you start and to help you throughout your studies.
Clare McHattie
Clare is part of the School’s postgraduate teaching support team. She’ll be there throughout your studies to answer any of your non-academic queries.
Get in touch
The online education team is here to answer any questions you have right now about this qualification, or about studying online.
Ask us a questionWhere this will take you
Your accredited MPH qualification
You’ll graduate with an accredited MPH from the University of Aberdeen, one of the UK’s six ancient universities.
You’ll receive exactly the same MPH qualification online as you would on campus. Your degree title will not mention online or distance learning.
Your MPH qualification will be recognised by employers and educational institutions around the world, opening up international opportunities.
Careers
You’ll graduate with the broad public health knowledge and essential research skills you need for both academic and workplace practitioner environments. You will be ready to:
Pursue a career in the public health sector
- in world-ranking academic research institutions
- working on projects commissioned by health authorities such as the WHO, Ministries of Health and NGOs.
Influence public health policy
- through your independent research, with publication in peer-reviewed journals
- translating research evidence into practice in professional and health authority settings.
Become an independent researcher
- identifying research priorities and goals set by global and national health authorities.
Move on to a PhD
- The MPH is a common pathway to health-related PhDs.
- You’ll have the advanced skills in quantitative and qualitative research methods, critical thinking and scientific writing you need to succeed.
Lifelong career support
Our career support doesn’t stop when you graduate.
You have access to our free careers service while you study, and beyond.
- 1:1 appointments
- CV checks
- Interview prep
- Job opportunities
Fees and funding
Master of Public Health
180 credits
£16,820
This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2025.
The fees quoted above are based on you starting your studies with us in the 2025/26 academic year.
Our indicative costs include a 5% fee rise each year.
Pay as you go
This is a pay-as-you-go qualification.
You do not have to pay the full tuition fee upfront.
You can spread the cost and pay as you go, term by term.
How it works
- You decide how many credits to study for each term.
- At the start of term, you pay only for the credits you’re taking that term.
- This gives you control over your costs and workload for each term of your qualification.
Your personalised cost breakdown
Use the degree scheduler to plan your studies and see your cost breakdown, term by term.
More benefits to choosing us for your online MPH
Leaders in health teaching
We’ve been training health professionals for decades and delivering online teaching for over 20 years.
NHS and alumni discounts
NHS staff get 10% off this online degree. University of Aberdeen alumni get 20% off.
Fits around full-time work
This degree fits around full-time work, with flexible hours and 24/7 study access.
Entry requirements
MPH
For entry, you will usually have:
- a health-related honours degree (a 2:2 or at least 60%)
- or be able to demonstrate evidence of equivalent experience in healthcare practice or research.
You can also apply if you have:
- an honours degree (2:2 or at least 60%) in science, social science or a humanities subject and you’re interested in a public health-related career.
We welcome MPH Online applications from students with both traditional and non-traditional health-related backgrounds.
Short course route to online MPH
If you do not meet these entry requirements, you may be able to use our online short courses as a route into this degree.
Find out about our short course route to entryApply for this programme
- Start month
- September or January
- INDICATIVE COST
- £16,820
This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2025.
Apply via our Applicant Portal
