Prepare for a role as a public health professional and enjoy a rewarding career where you'll make a difference to people's health outcomes across the community and workplace.

Public health focuses on preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting healthy lifestyles. It offers a rewarding career that suits people from a variety of backgrounds including health, science, education and the social sciences.

The Master in Public Health is a 1.5-year program that will give you the skills, knowledge and confidence to influence and inform health policy and lead health services reform. You'll learn how to act on new developments regarding health concerns, such as COVID-19, diabetes, obesity, HIV/AIDS and injury prevention, as well as more traditional concerns such as under-nutrition and communicable diseases.

You'll complete a program that is evidence-based, comprehensive, and reflects UQ's strong links with organisations such as Australian Aid, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and international ministries of health.

As part of your program, you'll complete a research project on a specific topic or problem relevant to public health. You'll be involved in all aspects of research, from defining a topic and methodology to interpreting results and reporting on your findings.

You'll choose a field of study from 6 different options. In each field, you'll complete a range of core courses, specialist courses, and electives, to build and extend your knowledge. 

Postgraduate study can take you anywhere. Depending on which field you choose, here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:

• Health promotion coordinator
• Public health nutritionist
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health worker
• Public health medical registrar
• Research associate
• Digital health coordinator
• Epidemiologist
• Primary health manager
• Policy and research officer

Professional memberships

When you graduate, you may be eligible for memberships with the following professional organisations. Contact the organisation to find out how to become a member.

• Australian College of Health Service Executives
• Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine
• Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators