Global Health

Focus on developing innovative solutions that address health inequity
across low, middle, and high-income countries

Global Health

Why study global health?

Global health professionals are trained to analyse and tackle global health inequities. Students of the profession learn about common health challenges across the world and how economic, socio-cultural, gender and political systems intersect to shape health system capacities in varied settings.

Global health subjects are designed to enable students to develop advanced skills in partnering with global stakeholders and developing innovative solutions to address health inequities across low, middle and high-income countries.

Students can tailor subject selections to their specific interests while gaining practical and diverse workplace skills. They can focus on:

Study options in global health

Master of Public Health

Why study global health at Melbourne?

Our global health research bodies
Impactful research

Explore our industry-leading research outputs:

Learn at the intersection of industry, research, national policy, and teaching and learning

Gain the unique opportunity to learn from the hub of global health expertise – the Nossal Institute for Global Health – and to strengthen health systems across the Asia Pacific region.

At Nossal, help improve the public health futures of vulnerable communities through research, education, and practice in:

  • Disability, Inclusion and Rehabilitation
  • Health Systems Governance and Financing
  • Education and Learning
  • One Health (interactions between the wellbeing of humans, animals and the environment)
  • Gender and Women's Health
  • Emerging programs in Global Health and more.
  • Network with the Burnet and the Doherty Institutes that house the most comprehensive infectious diseases capabilities in Australia, with researchers and clinicians responding to current and future global health issues.
Key teaching academics
  • Dr Matt Reeve
  • Dr Alex Robinson
  • Katherine Gilbert
  • Nicole Turner
  • Dr Melanie Bannister-Tyrell
  • Dr Naomi Francis
  • Brigitte Tenni
  • Alison Mcintyre
  • Clare Strachan
  • Dr Anna Barrett
  • Professor Linda Rae Bennett
Key research academics
  • Professor Linda Rae Bennett

Diverse careers

We are a global institution, and our qualifications enable you to progress in your career. The range of roles you can expect after completing a public health education include, but are not limited to:

  • Government Health Officer
  • Government Health Technical Advisor
  • Officer for the design and implementation of global health programs
  • Consultant Technical Advisor
  • Global Health Researcher
  • Community Development Officer
  • Health Communication Officer
  • Policy Development Officer
  • Health Program Evaluation Officer

Global health sectors

Graduates from this elective stream often find themselves in roles within organisations such as:

  • Ministries of Health and Foreign Affairs
  • Non-government organisations (NGOs)
  • United Nations agencies
  • Development banks
  • Development and research consulting firms
  • Community-based organisations focused on health equity and development

Hear from our alumni

Recognising that global health is not simply ‘public health somewhere else’, the struggle to attain good health for all and to reduce health inequities is a common one. Our struggles for a healthier people and a healthier planet are interlinked, and we must work together with humility and mutual respect to overcome the immense challenges that face us.

— Edwin Kwong, Master of Public Health (Global Health), 2019

Photo of Edwin Kwong, Master of Public Health (Global Health), 2019
In this video, Shantanu Sheshgir, Master of Public Health alum (2016) and Senior Evaluation Analyst, Australian Centre for Evaluation, shares his experience.
Meet Shantanu Sheshgir | Master of Public Health Alum (Global Health)
Meet Shantanu Sheshgir | Master of Public Health Alum (Global Health)

Meet Shantanu Sheshgir | Master of Public Health Alum (Global Health)

2m 2s