Master of Science [M.S] [Public Health (one-year)] From Umea University

The Master's Programme in Public Health (one-year) at Umea University includes a number of courses on global health conditions, on health systems analysis, on 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, and ultimately help improve and maintain the health status of the population.

By nature, Public Health is multidisciplinary, drawing on social sciences and medicine, using qualitative and quantitative methods to identify and assess specific health risks before designing and implementing effective public health strategies. Traditionally drawing on the fields of microbiology, entomology, parasitology and the management and control of infectious diseases. In today's globalised world we are increasingly facing new public health challenges involving causation and prevention of chronic diseases.

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 and lectures. In the evaluations we have done, students have expressed great satisfaction with the cooperation between students from a different educational and cultural background.

A student on the programme has of course a guaranteed enrolment in all of the programme courses. Some of the courses build on one another and should therefore be taken in a specific order.

This is an international programme with students coming from many countries. All teaching is done in English.

The competence that this programme gives can be used both in public and private organisations. Many graduates will work in the public sector in local and state institutions, from e.g. hospitals to the Ministry of Health. The positions may be as e.g. strategists, evaluators and analysts.

Graduates finding jobs in non-profit organizations may be working with e.g. health advocacy, policy or research for organizations such as the Red Cross. Other graduates will go to the private sector working e.g. for pharmaceutical companies or for health insurance companies. A future university career in research is another path.

The programme is designed for those already working as, or planning to become, public health practitioners, as well as for those seeking a career within public health research. Further studies can lead to a Licentiate degree (approximately two years of full-time study) or a PhD (at least four years).