Master of Epidemiology Online

What you will study

At UQ, a unit represents the value of individual courses that contribute to the total unit requirements of a program. Most UQ courses have a value of two units, though some may vary depending on the program or course structure.

To earn the Master of Epidemiology, you must complete 32 units, equivalent in value to 16 standard two-unit courses, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth two units.

Core units

Complete all 18 units from the following:

• First Nations Health and Wellbeing
• Foundations of Public Health
• Research and Evidence-Based Practice
• Introduction to Epidemiology
• Epidemiology in Practice
• Introduction to Biostatistics
• Practical Regression Analyses
• Advanced Biostatistics and Epidemiology
• Methods of Clinical Epidemiology

Capstone Courses

You must complete one eight-unit dissertation course.

Through the dissertation, you will undertake a research project focused on a public or population health issue. You will contribute to defining the research topic and methodology before interpreting and reporting the findings.

UQ lists separate dissertation options, including an option for full-time study. The appropriate course will depend on your study arrangement and should be confirmed with the university.

Elective units

Complete six units from the following:

• Foundations of Digital Health and Clinical Informatics
• Qualitative Research: Public Health Applications
• Preventing Disease through Healthy Environments
• One Health: Diseases at the Human–Animal Interface
• Health Promotion in Public Health
• Public Health Impact Lab (four units)
• Fundamentals of Major Diseases
• Planning, Implementing and Evaluating Public Health Programs
• Public Health Advocacy
• Wastewater Surveillance
• Communicable Disease Management and Control
• Public Health in Pandemics
• Health Systems
• Cost Effectiveness in Health and Medicine
• Global Health Policy in Practice
• Data Management and Statistical Computing

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline.
• Hold a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in any discipline and have at least one year of full-time equivalent relevant work experience in a healthcare, public health or research setting.
• Hold a graduate certificate, graduate diploma or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline.

Applicants must have achieved a minimum GPA of 5.0 on UQ’s seven-point scale in their previous qualification.

Relevant disciplines include advanced sciences, behavioural and social sciences, biomedical sciences, biostatistics, counselling, dentistry and oral health, development studies, environmental health, environmental science, exercise and sport science, food science, health economics, health management, mathematics, medicine and medical sciences, nursing, nutrition, occupational health and safety, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physiotherapy, psychology, public health and health sciences, science, sociology, speech therapy and veterinary sciences.

Relevant work experience is assessed in relation to the applicant’s previous qualification.

English language requirements

Applicants must provide evidence of at least one of the following:

• IELTS overall score of 6.5, with no individual band score below 6.0.
• TOEFL iBT overall score of 87, including at least 19 in listening, 19 in reading, 21 in writing and 19 in speaking.
• Pearson Test of English Academic overall score of 64, with no communicative skill score below 60.
• Cambridge English Scale overall score of 176, with no individual skill score below 169.
• Another form of English language evidence accepted by the university.

The Occupational English Test is not accepted for this course.

Contact the university for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of units that you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Career outcomes

The course may support career opportunities across public health, health research, government, healthcare and related research settings.

Potential career outcomes include:

• Epidemiologist
• Biostatistician
• Research Associate
• Research Fellow
• Clinical Research Officer
• Medical Officer

The Medical Officer role requires the relevant medical qualifications, registration and other professional requirements; completion of this master’s alone does not provide medical registration.

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $9,295 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• The number of units studied.
• Choice of units.
• Credit from previous study or work experience.
• Eligibility for government-funded loans.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

• Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
• Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
• Reviewed and adjusted each year.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

HECS-HELP loans are available to eligible CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.