Public Health - master

The Master of Public Health program offers a flexible and comprehensive curriculum designed to address today’s public health challenges. Students complete six mandatory courses (60 ECTS) in core areas such as public health, global health, health economics and policy, research methods, and sustainable innovation.

You can then specialize by choosing one of three streams: Epidemiology & Data Science, Health Economics, or Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Each stream includes 15-20 ECTS of specialized courses, with additional elective courses available to fulfill the remaining credits (10-15 ECTS). You also have the option to go on an exchange program, which can replace the stream.

The final semester is dedicated to the Master’s thesis (30 ECTS), allowing you to plan, develop, and present a scientific project in public health. The thesis can be based on empirical data, a literature review, or a theoretical project.

The program is available for full-time or part-time study, with a mix of in-person and remote learning options. The courses are offered in blocks to accommodate working professionals.

After completing the mandatory core courses, the students should be able to:

Knowledge

• Critically analyze the context and significance of public health in a changing society with a holistic and interdisciplinary approach
• Assess the main causes of global health inequalities
• Assess and discuss the principles of ethics and the ethical challenges in public health
• Explain and discuss the basis of quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Assess demographic structures, demographic change, and discuss their public health implications
• Critically evaluate significant causes and drivers of morbidity and mortality within specific populations, at-risk and vulnerable groups
• Comprehend advanced knowledge in evidence synthesis, including the process of systematically reviewing literature and combining results from different studies.
• Discuss the structure, governance, and funding mechanisms of health systems and the organization of healthcare services
• Assess and discuss the role, responsibilities, and importance of involvement of various stakeholders in public health
• Comprehend advanced knowledge in policymaking to promote and protect health.
• Recognize and critically appraise international, national, and regional laws and regulations relevant to public health protection and promotion.
• Discuss the key concepts of health economics and their application to health care systems, policymaking, and resource allocation

Skills

• Employ demographic data for public health assessments
• Design and conduct research that contributes to the evidence base for public health practice, involving relevant stakeholders
• Master qualitative and quantitative methods to collect, analyze, and interpret data in public health contexts
• Design, implement, and evaluate public health programs and interventions
• Synthesize and critically evaluate evidence from various data sources to support public health practice, policy, and decision-making
• Develop and employ targeted communication strategies for health promotion and public health advocacy, considering cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Advocate for healthy public policies and services that promote and protect individual and community health and well-being
• Apply economic evaluations to health interventions

General Competence

• Demonstrate leadership, collaboration, and decision-making skills in interdisciplinary group settings to address diverse health challenges effectively
• Critically perform self-assessment to identify development needs for achieving career goal
• Act according to ethical standards, promoting professional accountability, social responsibility, and the public good
• Develop and deliver presentations targeted to diverse audiences
• Critically evaluate advantages, disadvantages, and limitations of various public health interventions, policies, and methodologies

Additionally, each student can choose one stream, which have their own learning outcomes outlined below:

Epidemiology & data science in health

Knowledge

• Advanced knowledge in epidemiology and statistical methods to design, conduct and analyze research studies in health
• Comprehensive expertise in the opportunities and challenges associated with health registry data and health survey data, including their potential for integration with other registries and the regulations governing their use

Skills

• Plan, design, and conduct an epidemiological study to investigate disease patterns, frequency, determinants, and causes within a population, including methods for data analysis, presentation, and interpretation
• Structure, handle, analyze, visualize data from health registries or health surveys using suitable software

Health economics

Knowledge

• Assess and critique economic concepts like demand, supply, market failure and how it relates to arguments for government intervention in health, consequences of different funding and payment systems
• Analyze and compare concepts in health economic evaluation, such as quality adjusted life years, estimation of cost per QALY – including evaluating strengths and potential weaknesses of these concepts

Skills

• Evaluate advantages and disadvantages of different funding and payment systems in health
• Model and conduct cost benefit analysis of health interventions

Health promotion and disease prevention

Knowledge

• Develop expertise in health promotion and disease prevention strategies through comprehensive study of epidemiology, global health trends, occupational health, healthcare systems, and intervention strategies, implementation, and evaluation methods.
• Evaluate the importance of health behavior theories and determinants of health
• Critically assess public health governance and funding, key international and national actors and the interplay of politics and economics with public health needs

Skills

• Design and evaluate interventions for health promotion and disease prevention in local, regional, and global context
• Analyze challenges and develop strategies for effective and adequate responses respecting ethical principles and understanding cultural diversity in health promotion and disease prevention
• Advocate and communicate effective health messages to relevant stakeholders and develop leadership skills in project management, collaboration, and cooperation in the field of health promotion and disease prevention

The MPH program is available for both full-time and part-time study, with courses typically offered in blocks throughout the semester. While some courses require physical attendance in Tromsø, others, or parts of them, may be available remotely.

The program emphasizes student-centered learning, encouraging both independent and group work. Students are expected to take an active role in their own learning, including self-study beyond scheduled activities.

The program includes a variety of learning activities:

• Self-studies
• Lectures
• Seminars
• Group work
• Flipped classroom/team-based learning
• Case-based learning

Both written assignments and oral presentations are mandatory. Exams are designed to reflect the learning objectives of each course. Grading is based on a scale from A to F, where A to E are passing grades, and F denotes failure. Some courses may be graded on a pass/fail basis.

Assessment methods include:

• Portfolio evaluation
• Written exams
• Take-home exams
• Oral exams

The MPH program at UiT is internationally focused and conducted in English, offering local, regional, and global perspectives on public health. Students will have the opportunity to learn from international guest lecturers, participate in group activities, and work on assignments that emphasize global health issues.

In the third semester, students can enhance their experience by going on an exchange. The MPH program has partnerships with the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, as well as numerous universities through the UArctic, north2north exchange programs, and the EUGLOH network. These partnerships provide unique opportunities to gain international exposure and broaden your public health expertise.