Learn how you can shape the future to ensure the health of people, communities and environments in Aotearoa and around the world. Study in Dunedin, Christchurch or Wellington.
Why study postgraduate Public Health?
Public Health is about fostering environments where everyone can live well. At Otago, postgraduate study gives you the knowledge and skills to understand complex health issues and find practical, evidence-based solutions. Explore the social, environmental, and behavioural factors that influence health and health equity – from housing and nutrition to policy and health systems. You’ll consider measures at a population level such as immunisation to prevent infectious disease or screening to reduce cancer.
Whether you’re advancing from an undergraduate degree or building on professional experience, you’ll learn to the skills you need to make the changes that improve health outcomes locally and globally. Otago’s strong research culture and public health networks connect you with experts working across government, community, and research sectors.
Career opportunities
A postgraduate qualification in Public Health opens doors to roles in policy, research, and community health across public, private, and non-government sectors. Graduates play a key part in building healthier, fairer societies.
Career pathways include:
- Health promotion and community development roles
- Policy analysis or advisory positions in government and NGOs
- Public health research
- Planning and management roles within the health sector
- Environment and health protection officer roles
What it’s like to study at this level
Otago’s postgraduate public health programme includes in-person and online papers though each of our 3 campuses: Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin. You can study full-time or part-time to fit study around your work.
Learning is collaborative, applied, and deeply connected to real-world issues. You’ll engage with academics, practitioners, and peers from across disciplines – reflecting the diverse nature of health itself.
Courses combine seminars, case studies, and interactive engagement with research that helps you translate evidence into public health practice. Students can also complete research projects under the supervision of experienced, world-leading researchers to deepen their expertise and take their skills to the next level.
Through this mix of theory and practice, you’ll gain both intellectual depth and practical skills to make a real difference to people’s health by turning evidence into action.
This is for you if ...
Public Health attracts students from a wide range of fields, including health sciences, social sciences, and environmental studies. A curiosity about what affects the health of people and communities and how you can make positive change is the best preparation.
Are you just starting uni?
Learn about studying Public Health as an undergraduate at Otago.
Take your passion for improving health further
Postgraduate Public Health at Otago is backed by one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most respected research communities. You’ll study with academics who are shaping national and global conversations on equity, sustainability, and health policy.
Otago’s flexible programmes and diverse study options allow you to specialise in areas such as epidemiology, environmental health, or health promotion – all while building the analytical and leadership skills that set our graduates apart. You’ll join a vibrant network of practitioners and researchers working toward one shared goal: better health for all.
Choose a study option
Whether you are advancing your career with our specialised graduate qualifications or pursuing in-depth research and expertise through our postgraduate programmes, Otago is here to support your aspirations.
Postgraduate qualifications
Honours, masters’, PhDs, and other advanced degrees for graduates. Just one additional year of study will earn you a valuable postgraduate degree. Or perhaps you want the depth of a full year of research-only time during a master’s or to step up to a PhD.
Postgraduate Certificate in Public Health (PGCertPH)
A one-semester (at full time), coursework programme, with many endorsed options, that can be completed on its own or taken as a step towards the DPH
Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health (DPH)
A one-year full-time (or longer part-time) programme covering a broad range of public health topics
Master of Public Health (MPH)
A two-year programme (full time) comprising coursework plus thesis or coursework plus dissertation, equipping graduates to work in non-clinical fields
Ready to apply?
Take your expertise to the next level with advanced study.
Papers
View a list of all related papers below.
PUBH papers
| Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POPH192 | 2026 | Population Health | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| PUBH192 | 2026 | Foundations of Epidemiology | 18 points | Not offered in 2026 |
| PUBH202 | 2026 | Health Promotion | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| PUBH203 | 2026 | Health Policy and Politics: Global and Local | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| PUBH204 | 2026 | Hauora Māori: Challenges and Opportunities | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| PUBH211 | 2026 | Epidemiology of Global Health Conditions | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| PUBH303 | 2026 | Public and Global Health: Current Issues | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| PUBH304 | 2026 | Rangahau Hauora Māori - Māori Health Research | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| PUBH311 | 2026 | Public Health Research | 18 points | Semester 1 |
| PUBH711 | 2026 | Principles of Epidemiology | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (27 April 2026 - 19 June 2026) |
| PUBH712 | 2026 | Foundations of Hauora Māori | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (23 February 2026 - 17 April 2026) |
| PUBH713 | 2026 | Society, Health and Health Promotion | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (14 September 2026 - 6 November 2026) |
| PUBH714 | 2026 | Public Policy and Health Systems | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 4 September 2026) |
| PUBH721 | 2026 | Methods for Epidemiological Research | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (14 September 2026 - 6 November 2026) |
| PUBH723 | 2026 | Survey Methods | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 4 September 2026) |
| PUBH724 | 2026 | Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (14 September 2026 - 6 November 2026) |
| PUBH725 | 2026 | Applied Biostatistics 1 - Fundamentals | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (27 April 2026 - 19 June 2026) |
| PUBH726 | 2026 | Applied Biostatistics 2 - Regression methods | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 4 September 2026) |
| PUBH732 | 2026 | Using Epidemiology in Public Health Practice | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 4 September 2026) |
| PUBH733 | 2026 | Environment and Health | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (27 April 2026 - 19 June 2026) |
| PUBH734 | 2026 | Health Protection | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (23 February 2026 - 17 April 2026) |
| PUBH735 | 2026 | The Economics of Health Policy Decision Making | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (23 February 2026 - 17 April 2026) |
| PUBH736 | 2026 | Economic Evaluation | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (14 September 2026 - 6 November 2026) |
| PUBH737 | 2026 | Public Health Law and Public Health Ethics - Fundamentals | 15 points | Not offered in 2026 |
| PUBH738 | 2026 | Global Health Law and Global Health Ethics | 15 points | Not offered in 2026 |
| PUBH739 | 2026 | Special Topic | 15 points | Not offered in 2026 |
| PUBH740 | 2026 | Special Topic: One Health | 15 points | Not offered in 2026 |
| PUBH741 | 2026 | Hauora Māori- Policy Practice and Research | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (27 April 2026 - 19 June 2026) |
| PUBH742 | 2026 | Global Health and International Health Systems | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (14 September 2026 - 6 November 2026) |
| PUBH743 | 2026 | Health Promotion Programme Planning and Evaluation | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (23 February 2026 - 17 April 2026) |
| PUBH744 | 2026 | Healthy Public Policy | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 4 September 2026) |
| PUBH745 | 2026 | Introduction to Pacific Public Health | 15 points | 1st Non standard period (23 February 2026 - 17 April 2026) |
| PUBH890 | 2026 | MPH Dissertation | 60 points | 1st Non standard period (23 February 2026 - 19 February 2027), 2nd Non standard period (13 July 2026 - 18 June 2027), 2nd Non |
Contacts
Postgraduate contact details
Christchurch
Postgraduate Programme Administrator
Department of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine – Christchurch
Email publichealth.christchurch@otago.ac.nz
Dunedin
Public Health Postgraduate Programme Administrator
Department of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine – Dunedin
Email publichealth.dunedin@otago.ac.nz
Wellington
Postgraduate Co-ordinator
Department of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine – Wellington
Email publichealth.wellington@otago.ac.nz
Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) contact details
Contact your local schools' liaison officer if you're currently at secondary shool.
Or contact the Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHealSc) team:
Tel +64 3 479 7202
Email bhealsc@otago.ac.nz
This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.
Regulations on this page are taken from the 2026 Calendar and supplementary material.
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