MPP Global Public Health Policy

To improve public health, strategies for disease prevention, health protection and health promotion require effective public policy frameworks.

Year of entry: 2026 (September)

Start date

September 2026
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Length

1 year full-time

School/department

Department of Health Sciences, Department of Politics and International Relations, School for Business and Society

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To develop policy frameworks, public health leaders need a detailed and multifaceted understanding of policy processes and their complex interactions with economic, social and political contexts.

This Master of Public Policy in Global Public Health Policy will equip you with the skills and knowledge to make a positive difference for global public health in four ways:

You'll be able to analyse, critique and shape public policy, from the definition of policy problems and the formulation of policy interventions to their implementation.
You'll develop specialist knowledge and skills with regards to contemporary issues in the development and promotion of global public health initiatives, and will hence be equipped to apply your high-level analytical and problem-solving skills to the area of public health policy.
You'll build key professional skills in research, collaboration and communication.
Your independent research project, at the end the programme, provides an opportunity for the in-depth exploration of an applied policy-related topic of your choice, enabling you to transfer the acquired knowledge, insights and skills to your professional life.

Through this knowledge and these skills, you will be able to effectively contribute to policy-making in the public health field, be it as an analyst, advisor, consultant or leader, in the public, private or non-profit sector. The course's learning outcomes include a suite of transferable skills that can be applied in a wide range of problem-solving contexts, such as being able to interpret and critically evaluate complex material and communicate such material in a variety of formats.

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Research that hits the mark

We're ranked in the top quartile in the UK for the quality of our research in Social Policy and Business and Management, according to the Times High Education's ranking of the latest REF results (2021).

Spanning the disciplines

Graduate students have access to staff, projects and research from across a wide range of public policy and management areas, and the School is home to internationally esteemed researchers and centres.

Experts on the global stage

Our interdisciplinary staff advise governments and organisations in the UK and around the world on a wide range of topics, using research evidence to influence policy and practice for public good.

Course content

You'll study 180 credits in total. The course consists of:

taught modules
a policy masterclass
an applied policy project.

You'll build key professional skills in research, collaboration and communication. And your independent research project at the end the programme provides an opportunity for the in-depth exploration of an applied policy-related topic of your choice. Enabling you to transfer the acquired knowledge, insights and skills to your professional life.

Through this knowledge and these skills, you'll be able to effectively contribute to policy-making in the field of education policy, be it as an analyst, advisor, consultant or leader, in the public, private or non-profit sector.

Modules
Dissertation

Modules

Core modules

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.

Dissertation

ISM/Applied Policy Project

Learning outcomes

Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.

Learning outcomes for this course

Critically apply theoretical frameworks to the analysis of complex policy processes and competing responses to real-world public policy problems.
Recognise, analyse and evaluate the multi-level intersections of policy-making with the distribution and operation of power and resources in diverse socio-economic and political contexts.
Analyse and address challenges surrounding the formation, implementation and evaluation of public policy.
Assess theory, principles and practice of public health internationally and in the United Kingdom, to apply appropriate health protection, health promotion and disease prevention strategies in order to improve public health.
Analyse determinants of disease and policy issues relevant for the strengthening of global public health systems, and propose strategies to prevent and control communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Communicate in ways that can engage specialist and policy-interested audiences, balancing academic rigour with accessible presentation of complex material.
Design rigorous policy-focused research, drawing from a range of theories, methods and types of evidence within appropriate ethical codes of research conduct.
Critically apply knowledge, understanding and skills to the shaping of social progress, both within and beyond the academic context.

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees for 2026/27

Study mode	UK (home)	International and EU
Full-time (1 year)	£12,000	£26,900

Fees information

UK (home) or international fees? The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student. Check your fee status.

Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.

Postgraduate taught fees and expenses

Funding information

Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2026/27 throughout the year.

If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a 10% Masters fee discount.

Funding opportunities

Chevening Scholarships

We are pleased to work with Chevening Scholars to offer funding for our Masters programmes. Chevening Scholarships provide one year of fully-funded postgraduate study in the UK for international (including EU) students. The scholarships are open to early and mid-career professionals who have the potential to become future leaders.

Living costs

You can use our living costs guide to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.

Teaching format

The modules for this course have been specifically developed for postgraduate study. You'll be taught through a combination of hands-on workshops, lectures and seminars. You'll find that small group working and establishing your own perspective on social issues will become a core part of your studying process.

One-to-one supervision while undertaking an extended social and public policy research project on a topic of your choosing
A friendly, supportive and intellectually stimulating environment in which to study
Small group teaching with lectures typically no larger than 40 people and workshops and seminars typically no larger than 20 students

You'll also be able to attend the School's lectures and University lectures from visiting speakers from across the world.

Teaching location

You'll be based in the School for Business and Society in the Church Lane Building on Campus West. Teaching will take place in Church Lane Building and Alcuin College and other locations across Campus West.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's easy to get around campus - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.

Assessment and feedback

Your assessment will be continuous and based mainly on essays and reports. You'll receive written feedback on all assessed work.

You'll complete a 8,000 word dissertation as part of your own specialist research project.

Careers and skills

You'll develop a rounded awareness of, and sensitivity to, a range of perspectives and interests that will be essential for employability in the public policy field and more widely. You'll develop independent and team-working skills, including planning, collaboration and time-management, culminating in your Independent Study Project.

Modules are applied in nature, equipping you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in the workplace. For example, the module ‘Investigating Contemporary Policy Problems’ enables you to simulate policy design and implementation and therefore reflect on how your theoretical knowledge can apply practically in real-world contexts.

The programme’s substantive focus on public policy will enhance the employability of graduates in both UK and non-UK settings, including employment in international, national and local organisations dedicated to public policy research and analysis (including public, private and non-for-profit organisations that are involved in the designing, consultation and delivery of public policy).

Career opportunities

Policy analyst
Public health consultant
Policy Advisor
International organisation officer/consultant
Civil servant
Government officer
Campaign organiser
Academia

Transferable skills

Communicate effectively, drawing on a range of skills and presentation techniques for different settings and audiences.
Manage time effectively to work independently to deadlines.
Work effectively in a group and as a member of a team in a variety of roles, including taking on leadership responsibilities.
Working effectively in a variety of workplace settings by understanding the internal dynamics of institutions and being self-aware..
Evaluate, analyse and design effective policy delivery and outcomes
Retrieve and interpret data from a variety of sources, including electronic databases.
Use computer skills to present and analyse data.

Careers and employability

Turn ambition into achievement with our expert guidance and connections. From your first day here to life after graduation, we'll help you find your career advantage.

Entry requirements

Qualification	Typical offer
Undergraduate degree	2:2 or equivalent.
Other international qualifications	Equivalent qualifications from your country

English language

If English isn't your first language you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. We accept the following qualifications:

Qualification	Minimum requirement
IELTS (Academic and Indicator)	6.5, minimum 6.0 in each component
Cambridge CEFR	B2 First: 176, with 169 in each component
Oxford ELLT	7, minimum of 6 in each component
Oxford Test of English Advanced	136, minimum 126 in each component
Duolingo	120, minimum 105 in all other components
LanguageCert SELT	B2 with 33/50 in each component
LanguageCert Academic	70 with a minimum of 65 in each component
Kaplan Test of English Language	478-509, with 444-477 in all other components
Skills for English	B2: Merit overall, with Pass with Merit in each component
PTE Academic	61, minimum 55 in each component
TOEFL	87, minimum of 21 in each component
Trinity ISE III	Merit in all requirements

For more information see our postgraduate English language requirements.

If you haven't met our English language requirements

You may be eligible for one of our pre-sessional English language courses. These courses will provide you with the level of English needed to meet the conditions of your offer.

The length of course you need to take depends on your current English language test scores and how much you need to improve to reach our English language requirements.

After you've accepted your offer to study at York, we'll confirm which pre-sessional course you should apply to via You@York.

Applying

You can apply and send all your documentation online. You don’t need to complete your application all at once: you can start it, save it and finish it later.