MSc Public Health and Epidemiology
(Stream 1)

Aim of Stream 1: Public Health and Epidemiology

This stream focuses on the protection of public health and the prevention of transnational spread of diseases and aims to provide skills for a career in public health, epidemiology, occupational health, environmental health.

After the successful completion of the programme you will be awarded a Diploma of Postgraduate Studies (MSc) titled “Public Health and Epidemiology“.  

Who is this programme for?

The MSc will suit both those who will follow a career in the health and related sectors and those who will work or already working in the public health sector.

It is suitable for both medical and non-medical backgrounds who intend to develop their research and technical professional skills.

Duration: two years full-time; four years part-time.

Learning objectives
The MSc provides students with three distinct classes of competences as learning outcomes: transferable, subject-specific and research competences.

Transferable competencies:

• ability to develop self-directed learning skills to facilitate lifelong learning and continuous professional development
• ability to demonstrate a high level of critical reflection to develop and apply ideas in a research context
• ability to employ a systematic conceptual approach to gathering, analyzing and disseminating knowledge
• ethical sensitivity in the acquisition and application of information
• synthesis and presentation skills
• oral and written skills in communicating knowledge to specialist and non-specialist audiences
• competence in translating research evidence into practice
• competence in using new information & communication technologies
• excellent command of academic English
• intercultural communication skills

Subject-specific competencies:

Stream 1: Public Health and Epidemiology

The MSc aims to train postgraduate students, providing them with the knowledge and skills that will enable them to meet the challenges of public health through research and practice.

Upon completion of their studies, postgraduate students will be able to demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge of the key disciplines of public health – consisting of statistics, epidemiology, occupational health, health economics, social research, principles of disease prevention, health services management, principles of occupational health – to real public health events and cross-border health threats. In addition, students will be able to:

• critically evaluate the basic functions of public health and disease prevention measures
• apply principles of epidemiology and design, conduct and evaluate epidemiological studies
• demonstrate knowledge and skills in a series of epidemiology and public health related subjects
• participate in the development, implementation and evaluation of appropriate policies on public health issues
• understand the interaction between the various public health factors, environmental factors, globalization and occupational hygiene taking into account the available human resources
• ability to apply theoretical knowledge to analyse and solve concrete problems in Public Health issues: response and management of public health events, participation in the management of international public health events, public health and risk communication, occupational health and human resources
• demonstrate familiarity with current research findings and research methods in public health and epidemiology: public health and environmental hygiene, cross-border public health threats, management of public health events of international consern, occupational health and human resources, ability to critically evaluate and use scientific literature to safeguard public health, effectiveness of treatments and disease prevention measures
• ability to work as a researcher and at private or public sectors working in the fields of public health and environmental hygiene, occupational health and at research laboratories
• ability to design and implement evidence-based strategies for the prevention and control of health threats.

Research competences (knowledge and understanding):

Stream 1: Public Health and Epidemiology

• understanding of the research process and how it is used to solve problems in new and unfamiliar environments
• demonstrate familiarity with current research findings and research methods in public health, occupational health and epidemiology and prevention of communicable and noncommunicable diseases.
• ability to critically evaluate, use scientific literature and communicate research data
• ability to demonstrate a high level of critical reflection to develop and apply ideas in a research context
• ability to employ a systematic conceptual approach to gathering, analysing and disseminating knowledge

Stream 1: Public Health Brochure