From lacking data and unsafe water to disease outbreaks and fractured healthcare systems, health sectors around the world are under strain. They are grappling with issues that demand enduring, systemic solutions. The question is no longer if change is needed, but who will lead it.
The stats call for more urgency. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year, between 2030 and 2050, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and heat stress alone. Another recent study by the National Academy of Medicine found that nearly 60% of Americans live in counties with inadequate access to mental health services, revealing a critical gap in care.
A Master of Public Health (MPH) degree equips you to confront these challenges head-on. Demand for public health workers is on the rise, with about 1.9 million openings projected each year until 2033. If there was ever a time to step forward, it’s now.
The Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH) offers an MPH with seven concentrations – five are completed in-person, two are fully online. Source: Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southern University
Preventing disease outbreaks, promoting healthy lifestyles, ensuring everyone has equal access to healthcare – these are the pillars of one of the most important fields today: public health. Professionals in this field work to protect and improve the health of entire populations, serving as biostatisticians, epidemiologists, health educators, health services administrators, policy advisors, and many more. Serving rural and underserved communities is at the heart of the mission of Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University.
The CEPH-accredited institution’s Master of Public Health transforms students into experts through seven concentrations of practice-based study. Biostatistics, Community Health, Environmental Health Sciences, Epidemiology, and Health Policy and Management are face-to-face experiences that incorporate learning outside of the classroom through hands-on experience and immersive field work that aligns with your interests. You will have the opportunity to engage with communities, especially in rural and underserved ones, as you help find solutions to improve their current situation.
If you prefer to learn at your own pace in the comfort of your own home, the Applied Public Health and Public Health Informatics concentrations are fully online. The Applied Public Health concentration focuses on public health education, information, and advocacy that trains you to become a practitioner, specialist, or consultant in this field. The Public Health Informatics concentration covers the foundations and terminology of health informatics, the use of information systems to improve health outcomes, health data analytics, information systems management, and data visualisation for evidence-based practice.
You can apply to the Master of Public Health at Georgia Southern University now.
UCL’s Master of Public Health is the equivalent of a face-to-face master’s programme, but with the flexibility and accessibility of being fully online. Source: University College London
University College London
Never one to stand still, University College London is always pushing boundaries and charting new territories to advance medical practices. Take, for instance, the transformative strides made in healthcare; from revolutionising breast cancer treatment with single-dose radiotherapy, benefiting thousands worldwide, to the rapid development of life-saving breathing aids for patients in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, its impact is continuously felt on a global scale.
The UCL Faculty of Population Health Sciences is where you’ll find such an impact. With outstanding research centred on improving human health, students and staff unite to work on a multidisciplinary level, sharing knowledge and creating new insights into public health. Research focuses on the behavioural, biological and psycho-social processes which are so central to human life and affect the development of disease.
The department is home to a Master of Public Health MPH, which offers a flexible, yet interdisciplinary approach to public health education. Taught from a global top 10 university also ranked sixth in the world for public health (Shanghai Ranking 2023), this programme will train you to make a tangible difference in health systems worldwide, with a strong emphasis on equity and inclusion. At the same time, you’ll hone your leadership and communication skills, gaining the confidence needed to thrive as a public health leader.
You can apply to the Master of Public Health at UCL now.
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will launch an online Epidemiology master’s degree next year. Source: Department of Health and Kinesiology at Illinois/Facebook
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a catalyst for positive change. Within the public health field, you’ll see this impact come to life at the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Here, students gain in-depth knowledge of health and rehabilitation services through theoretical classes and research dedicated to improving the well-being of people.
The department offers a Master of Public Health with two tracks. Epidemiology focuses on understanding the patterns of a disease and determining the next course of action based on the data gathered. Meanwhile, Health Behaviour and Promotion prepares you to influence the social, cultural, and environmental factors that shape health behaviours.
Starting spring 2026, the MPH will launch a fully online programme. Designed for individuals who seek to balance their education with real life, it’ll use the same rigorous curriculum with delivery being the only difference. You can join the programme from anywhere in the world and always stay connected to your professors and peers. As of now, only the Epidemiology major is receiving the online treatment, while the Health Behaviour and Promotion concentration is forthcoming.
You can apply to the Master of Public Health at Illinois Urbana-Champaign now.
*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International
