Public Health

• Acquire an internationally recognized degree (90 ECTS credits)
• Engage with an international group of students from different cultural and professional backgrounds
• Learn from experienced professors and researchers with international acumen
• Experience interactive teaching methods
• Combine your professional career with part-time studies

There is growing national and international demand for highly trained professionals within the changing field of public health. This Master of Public Health degree course is ideally suited to professionals aiming to attain academic knowledge and skills in evidence-based practice, empirical research and the implementation of research findings to designing and improving public health policies and practices at regional, national and global level.
As a public health professional, you will be qualified to take-up positions in:

• International health organizations and NGOs,
• Health promotion organizations,
• Health management in hospitals and public administration,
• Health research and surveillance institutions, and
• Health insurances and different industries.

Covering a standard duration of three semesters, this Master of Public Health course can be divided into two parts. The first entails the study of 10 modules over two semesters (60 CP in total), exploring the determinants of health and major health problems from a global and interdisciplinary perspective. The second part, comprising of the third and final semester is worth 30 CP where students work on their Master thesis, examining a relevant public health topic of individual interest to them.

The admission requirements are as follows:

• Applicants must possess a first degree either in health sciences/public health or a similar degree relevant to health sciences, such as, for example, medicine, social sciences, nursing or a degree in a health care profession or a degree in a discipline that is closely related to health sciences such as, for example, economics with a minimum of 210 ECTS
• Diploma Supplement/Transcript of Records
• Proof of one year of professional experience in public health or qualified scientific work with convincing substantial and methodological relevance to health sciences / public health (attestation of employer)
• Internationally recognised certificate of English language knowledge (CEFR Level C1), such as TOEFL (min. 110/ 270/637), IELTS (min. 6,5), CAE (min. C), TOEIC (945), PTE Academic
• International students need a VPD - preliminary review documentation from Uni assist  

International applicants should clarify admission requirements, courses of studies, and acceptance of foreign reports and certificates  well in advance of coming to Germany, ideally as early as eight months to one year before the intended start of the degree course.

Additional papers you must submit:

• Curriculum vitae
• Letter of motivation (personal statement of understanding of public health and commitment to pursuing a career in public health. Statement should explain the relevance of education and/or experience to pursue a career in public health)

Documents you may submit (optional):

• Proof of professional experience/qualification/work in a comparable field
• Letter of recommendation from a university professor from the first degree programme

Application Period

• 1 December - 31 March for the following winter semester starting in September
• 1 June - 30 September for the following summer semester starting in March

The application portal is only open during the application period; applications outside this period cannot be accepted.

Getting the VPD (International Students):
On behalf of HAW-Hamburg, Uni-Assist checks whether your school and university certificates would qualify to study at a HAW Hamburg. Uni-Assist will issue a document called VPD (Vorprüfungsdokumentation) with the result, a grade converted via the German system.

Please follow the steps to receive a VPD document from Uni-assist before you directly apply at HAW Hamburg: 

• Register and create an account
• Search Study Offers – Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften, Hamburg – Master – alle Fächer
• Start filling in your uni assist application and follow the procedure outlined
• Within 4-6 weeks, you would get the result. If it is positive, Uni-assist will issue you a VPD
• Upload this document with the other requested documents to the application portal of HAW Hamburg

Submitting Your Application:

• You must fill the application form and upload all necessary documents there to submit your application for MPH.
• In case of queries regarding application process, you can contact master-application( (@) )haw-hamburg.de.

The study fees for the Master of Public Health are €2,400 per full-time semester (total cost of €7,200). In addition, all students must pay a general semester contribution (€335.60) which includes a semester ticket allowing unlimited travel on Hamburg's public transport system.

Master's degree courses that explicitly require professional experience as a prerequisite are not eligible for scholarships offered for international students at HAW Hamburg, as these kinds of courses are considered further education. However, under certain conditions international MPH students may be eligible for funding programmes from other scholarship providers, such as the German Academic Exchange Service or international non-governmental organisations providing development-oriented scholarship programmes.