Master's Programme in Public Health - Social Sustainable Development from a Global Perspective
Västerås, Sweden
Master degree
DURATION
2 years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2026
TUITION FEES
SEK 270,000 *
STUDY FORMAT
Distance Learning, On-Campus, Blended
* for students outside EU/EAA
Key Summary
About: This two-year Master’s in Public Health Science focuses on social sustainable development and global health. You’ll study social, economic, political and environmental determinants of health, health systems, and methods for planning and evaluating public health initiatives. Teaching is research-based and in English; on campus in Västerås or via distance learning. Keywords: public health, health policy, epidemiology.
Career Outcomes: The programme prepares you for leadership roles. You’ll gain skills for roles as a strategist, analyst, project manager, or manager in public and non-profit organisations. You’ll qualify for doctoral studies. Related career paths include policy advisor, researcher, and global health consultant.
This two-year Master’s programme provides an in-depth understanding of how public health can be promoted through socially sustainable development. You will explore and analyse the conditions for improved public health from a global perspective.
The programme is suitable for both recent graduates and professionals who wish to strengthen their expertise and advance their careers in public health. You will gain knowledge of social, economic, political, and environmental factors affecting health, as well as of global change, health systems, and policy processes. The curriculum includes methods for planning, implementing, and evaluating complex public health initiatives.
Teaching is research-based, with lecturers actively engaged in current public health research. This ensures that you develop analytical skills and can apply the latest evidence to real-world challenges.
The interdisciplinary structure prepares you for leadership roles in public health and for further doctoral studies. You may tailor your studies through elective courses or a placement in Sweden or abroad.
All teaching is conducted in English. When applying, you can choose whether to study on campus in Västerås or via distance learning.
Upon completion of the programme, you will be awarded a Master’s degree in Public Health Science.
In today’s increasingly interconnected world, where diseases and health challenges do not stop at national borders, public health has become an ever more important field. In your future career, you will encounter issues relating to pandemics, chronic diseases, climate change, and other environmental challenges, as well as growing health inequalities – challenges that demand international collaboration, scientific expertise, and innovative solutions.
By studying this Master’s in Public Health Science, you will equip yourself to become one of the next generation of public health experts. You will gain advanced competence in qualified analysis and development work, and the education opens doors to a broad labour market with career opportunities across multiple sectors, both nationally and internationally.
The programme prepares you for roles such as strategist, analyst, project manager, or manager within the public sector, business, and non-profit organisations – in Sweden and abroad.
The programme also provides eligibility for doctoral studies, either at MDU or at another university anywhere in the world.
The overall objective of the programme is to educate public health experts who can identify, analyse, and manage complex health challenges, as well as promote social sustainability from a global perspective. Upon completion of the programme, the student should possess in-depth knowledge of public health science and social sustainability, as well as the ability to apply scientific methods to promote health and prevent ill health in various societal contexts, from local to global levels. The courses and teaching methods within the programme will also prepare students for further doctoral studies.
Year 1
Theme 1: Global public health and social sustainable development
Courses in Public Health Science:
- Global public health and sustainable development, 5 hp
- Socioeconomic and political health determinants, 5 hp
- Public and planetary health, 5 hp
- Global transitions, 5 hp
- Health systems and global governance, 5 hp
- Societal challenges and health, 5 hp
Theme 2: Public health research methods
Courses in Public Health Science:
- Scientific theory and ethics, 2 credits
- Epidemiological methods to investigate health, 3 credits
- Quantitative methods in public health, 5 credits
- Qualitative methods in public health, 5 credits
- Elective courses (at Swedish or international higher education institutions), 15 credits, for example:
- Internship in public health, 15 credits; or
- Degree project in public health science, one-year Master’s, 15 credits
Year 2
Theme 3: Public health ethics, social sustainability, and politics
Courses in Public Health Science:
- Globalisation, geopolitics, and digitalisation, 4 credits
- Advocacy for public health, 3 credits
- Leadership, change, and systems thinking, 3 credits
Theme 4: Designing, implementing, and evaluating public health research
Courses in Public Health Science:
- Complex health interventions, 7.5 credits
- Research methods, 7.5 credits
- Research communication and impact, 5 credits
- Degree project in public health science, two-year Master’s, 30 credits