MPH course Syllabus & Subjects 2024

The Master of Public Health syllabus portrays the 2-year postgraduate medical programme structure. It addresses the training needs of health professionals worldwide who want to work in public or global health or who want to learn new skills in this field. Practitioners in modern public health must be versatile and flexible, having wide experience in a variety of subject areas. While Master of Public Health is a quickly changing and interdisciplinary area, this programme is always expanding, with new course units and topics being added on a regular basis at par with contemporary public health practice in India.

The Master of Public Health syllabus and curriculum prepares students to safeguard and improve the health of entire communities. By thoroughly studying the MPH Syllabus, aspirants and graduates with an MPH degree will be able to analyse data, influence public policy, study and monitor public health hazards, and/or conduct health research. Furthermore, knowledge gained from the Master of Public Health syllabus might lead to higher-paying positions with more responsibility. Many hospitals and healthcare facilities seek master's degree candidates. The healthcare industry is predicted to add more employment than any other in the future decade, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Between 2018 and 2028, healthcare occupations in general are predicted to grow by 14%, with managerial roles growing by 18%. 

This is a two-year full-time postgraduate medical programme that involves an internship and a dissertation. The degree also includes 15 core modules and many elective modules, which are available at most Indian universities based on their capacity and capabilities. In general, the Master of Public Health syllabus consists of four elective streams of five modules each, in addition to 15 core courses. To successfully finish the programme, a candidate must pass 15 Core (compulsory) modules and 5 Elective (optional) modules.

Semester Distribution of Master of Public Health Syllabus

The MPH course structure is summarised as follows:

• Four semesters
• Core and elective subjects
• Internships in research and thesis
• Projects/assignments

Course Objective

Graduates of the two-year Master of Public Health programme are expected to exhibit the following skills in the context of public health:

• In the public health realm, apply current ideas to impact programme organisation and administration, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
• Conduct operational research in academic and field settings.
• Work with socially, culturally, and economically diverse communities, paying attention to the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and being familiar with existing healthcare systems.
• Demonstrate leadership and mentoring abilities.
• Be a valuable member of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
• At all levels, demonstrate integrity and accountability (professional, personal and social).
• Apply professional competence, a scientific mindset, and scholarship.
• Showcase societal accountability and duty.

Students who are interested to pursue a Master in Public Health, must know of the MPH Course Objective beforehand. The Master of Public Health course objective is a guidebook to the entire course, exhibiting the following skills in the context of public health:

• In the public health domain, it is important to apply current ideas and strategies to visualize impactful results for the organisation and administration, to enhance overall problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities. 
• Candidates pursuing a MPH course are expected to conduct operational research in academic and field settings, for a practical explore in the field. 
• MPH Course graduates are required to work with socially, culturally, and economically diverse communities, by constantly focusing on the immediate needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. They are also well aware of the existing healthcare systems.
• They are also responsible for demonstrating leadership and mentoring abilities to their teams and wherever else required. 
• It is important for Master of Public Health graduates to become a valuable member of the multidisciplinary healthcare team.
• It is also crucial for MPH graduates to demonstrate integrity and accountability (professional, personal and social) at all levels during their career prospect throughout. 
• Master of Public Health graduates must apply professional competence, and a scientific mindset in order to be successful in their career. Thrg also must additionally apply for scholarships for a better opportunity in terms of work aspects. 
• All MPH graduates must project proper societal accountability and duty.

As mentioned earlier, the syllabus for the Master of Public Health is organised into four semesters. Each semester's courses are structured to guarantee that students gain specific competencies. The redesigned MPH programme will be delivered in an interdisciplinary manner, combining knowledge and practice across disciplinary boundaries to address public health concerns. The programme is made up of various core and elective courses, some of which are concentrated in a single semester, while others, such as nutrition and social epidemiology, are spread across multiple semesters of MPH study.

Master of Public Health Syllabus & Subjects First Year 

Semester 1

• Principles and Practices of Public Health
• Introduction to Health System and Policy in Developing Countries
• Health Management: Management Principles and Practices (Strategic Management)
• Basic Epidemiology
• Basic Biostatistics
• Statistical Methods in Public Health Research
• Demography and Population Sciences
• Human Psychology

Semester 2

• Introduction to Health Economics
• Health Promotion Approaches and Methods
• Introduction to Financial Management and Budgeting
• Social and Behaviour Change, Effective Communication in Health Care
• Introduction to Epidemiology
• Demographic Transition
• General Overview of Communicable Diseases
• Internship 

Master of Public Health Syllabus & Subjects Second Year 

Semester 3

• Reproductive, Maternal Health, Child Health and adolescent (RMNCH+A)
• Introduction to Health Programs and Evaluation
• Principles of Social Research Methods
• Environment and Occupational Health
• Law and Ethics in Public Health
• Definition and Concept of Vulnerable Populations
• Fundamentals of Occupational Health
• Healthcare Legislation in India

Semester 4

• Principles of Human Nutrition
• Digestive Absorption, Metabolism of Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Lipids
• Introduction to Various Health Systems
• Socio-cultural Perspectives of International Health
• Public Health in Developing and Developed Countries
• Ethical Issues in International Health Research
• Dissertation/Research Project

Some of the important core Master of Public Health subjects that aspirants study are enlisted below:

• Principles and Practices of Public Health 
• Introduction to Health System and Policy In Developing Countries
• Health Management: Management Principles and Practices (Strategic Management) and Introduction to Operational Research
• Basic Epidemiology including Non-Communicable and Communicable Diseases
• Basic Biostatistics
• Demography and Population Sciences
• Introduction to Health Economics
• Health Promotion Approaches and Methods
• Introduction to Financial Management and Budgeting
• Social and Behaviour Change
• Effective Communication in Health Care
• Reproductive, Maternal Health, Child Health and Adolescent (RMNCH+A)
• Introduction to Health Programme design and Evaluation
• Principles of Research Methods
• Environment and Occupational Health 
• Law and Ethics in Public Health 

Aspirants will also come across different elective or optional Master of Public Health subjects that they might choose while pursuing this degree. Enlisted below are some of the important elective subjects:

Stream 1: Epidemiology

• Advanced Biostatistics
• Advanced Epidemiology 
• Survey Design and Methods
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology including life
• Outbreak Investigation
• NCD Epidemiology

Stream 2: Program Policy and Planning

• Health Policy, Process and Planning
• Programme Planning and Evaluation of Public Health
• Programmes (including current NHPs) 
• Translating Research into Policy and Health Advocacy 
• Current Issues in Health Policy: National and Global Perspective
• Role of Non-Governmental Organizations in Health Care

Stream 3: Health Management

• Strategic management and Entrepreneurship in Healthcare
• Operational Research (Advanced)
• Advanced Financial Management and Budgeting
• Organizational Management and Services
• Effective Communication in Public Health

Stream 4: RMNCH+A

• Reproductive and Sexual Health 
• Maternal and Child Health-Advanced
• Adolescent Health
• Gender and Health 
• Public Health Nutrition

Public health is a broad topic of research that is influenced by numerous factors. Students can make a difference by specialising in their area of interest. Popular specialisations include diet and nutrition, occupational therapy, and healthcare management. Here are some MPH specialisations available at Indian universities. The Master of Public Health syllabus for these specialisations varies based on different medical universities in India.

Hospital/Healthcare Management

Aspirants will study about the healthcare policies and regulations, healthcare economics and administration, and effective disease control and management approach. Some of the core subjects covered in the Master of Public Health course in this specialisation are:

• Healthcare Policies and Regulations
• Disease Control Management
• Healthcare Economics
• Healthcare Administration
• Organisation of Hospitals
• Medical-Legal Issues
• Quality Assurance
• Hospital Administration
• Disease Control Management

Occupational Therapy

This is a study of rehabilitative medicine for people who have cognitive and physical problems. It assists them in regaining lost life skills. The following are some of the most essential subjects you will study while pursuing a Master of Public Health in this specialisation:

• Anatomy
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Clinical Orthopaedics
• Psychology
• Physiology

Public Health and Management

Students learn how community change affects public health. They will also study illness transmission and control, as well as financial planning. The following are some of the main subjects covered in the Master of Public Health syllabus in this specialisation:

• Health Promotion and Behavioural Change
• Economic and Healthcare Financing
• Ethics
• Community Nutrition
• Epidemiology

The MPH in distance learning programme prepares students to contribute to the improved health of populations and specific groups within them through health promotion and disease prevention; the development and evaluation of care practices; and the investigation and control of environmental threats to health. Students are taught how to create, apply, and critically evaluate conceptual models, evidence, techniques of analysis, and practical actions.

The Master of Public Health program's diverse curriculum and syllabus allow students to pursue a broad range of knowledge or focus on specialised areas. Having said that, the Master of Public Health distance learning programme syllabus is quite comparable to the traditional full-time MPS syllabus, allowing aspirants to study the same subjects and cover the same curriculum in the distance learning format.

Students can get admission to the Master of Public Health programme in Indian medical colleges through merit, an entrance exam, or both. They can take a national-level admission exam, such as NEET-PG, or a university-level exam. Many colleges across the country, however, accept the national-level entrance exams. The syllabus for the Master of Public Health entrance exam of NEET-PG includes topics like:

For students to refer to, there are several MPH subjects and syllabus-relevant books available on the market. Investing in reference books ensures students have access to all of the crucial knowledge they need to ace their degree programme and assessments. The following are some examples of references and important books:

• Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine 
• Mary-Jane Schneider, Introduction to Public Health, 2nd Edn, Jones and Bartlett, 2006
• Essentials of Public Heath - BJ Turnock
• Jones & Bartlett, 2007 Oxford Textbook of Public Health, 4th Edn 
• Maxcy’s Textbook of Public Health
• Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine by K.Park 
• Public Health and Preventive Medicine (Maxcy-Rosenau-Last Public Health and Preventive Medicine) by Robert B. Wallace 
• Basic Epidemiology. R Bonita, R Beaglehole, T Kjellstrom. World Health Organization Geneva. 
• Epidemiology by Leon Gordis. 
• Oxford Textbook of Public Health by Holland W, Detel R, Know G. 
• Essentials of Preventive medicine by Ghai OP 
• Practical Epidemiology by D.J.P Barker