Public Health PhD/MD
Postgraduate online event:
Tuesday 3 November 2026, 9am – 5pm
Chat to staff, students and academics to discover what it's like to study at our world changing campus as a postgraduate student at UofG
Postgraduate Study Finance & Funding Event:
Wednesday 4 November 2026, 5pm - 7pm
Advanced Research Centre (ARC), University of Glasgow
Come along to information sessions about finance and funding, meet university service teams and get a tour of the campus
Our aim is to advance world-leading research and teaching that promotes health equity, addresses emerging health threats, and harnesses data-driven innovation to improve local and global population health.
- PhD: 3-4 years full-time; 5 years part-time;
- MD (Doctor of Medicine): 2 years full-time; 4 years part-time;
Overview
Public health research plays a vital role in understanding the impact of biological, social, behavioural, economic, cultural and environmental factors on our health. Our interests span medical, environmental and social sciences and offer students an opportunity to train in a unique interdisciplinary culture and environment.
Core themes
- Health, wellbeing, inequalities & social determinants
- Health data science & artificial intelligence
- Global health, climate & infectious diseases
Cross-cutting areas
- Intervention design, evaluation & policy translation
- Partnerships, collaboration, community engagement & advocacy
- Innovation in data, statistics, epidemiology & social science methodologies
- Teaching, learning, training, mentoring & culture
Our research aim is to advance world-leading research and teaching that promotes health equity, addresses emerging health threats, and harnesses data-driven innovation to improve local and global population health.
Our research objectives are to:
- Advance health equity and improve population health across the life-course through research on social determinants, health inequalities, policy impacts, and chronic disease prevention and management.
- Harness data-driven innovation through expertise in health informatics and disease modelling to develop and evaluate evidence-based interventions.
- Address emerging global and local health threats by understanding climate-related health risks and tackling infectious diseases.
Our supervisors use a variety of approaches to understand complex problems including:
- Advanced statistical analysis
- Global health and infectious disease epidemiology
- Analysis of intervention effectiveness and natural experiments
- Data linkage, data science, and AI
- Longitudinal and life-course epidemiology
- Evidence synthesis and meta-analysis
- Qualitative and social science methodologies
There is a culture of supporting innovative research ideas and our track record of interdisciplinary working supports students interested in reducing the global burden of disease. We have excellent engagement with the government, the NHS and local authorities, other statutory public organisations and third sector organisations, as well as global health bodies. Many of our project supervisors have strong academic connections with international collaborators in universities and research institutes across the world.
We work with four affiliated research groups who can also lead and collaborate with PGR:
- Healthy Working Lives Group
- Malawi Epidemiology and Intervention Research Unit (MEIRU)
- Scottish Cancer Registry and Intelligence Service
- Scottish Veterans Health Research Group
Individual PhD/MD research projects are tailored around the expertise of Principal Investigators within Public Health and the wider School of Health & Wellbeing. Prospective students are encouraged to get in touch with individual academics to find out about opportunities in their areas of research and supervision.
Study options
PhD
- Duration: 3/4 years full-time; 5 years part-time
Individual research projects are tailored around the expertise of principal investigators.
MD (Doctor of Medicine)
- Duration: 2 years full-time; 4 years part-time (for medically-qualified graduates only)
Entry requirements
Our regular standard of admission is usually a 2.1 honours degree. Candidates will also usually be expected to have completed or be undertaking a Master’s qualification.
Required documents
Applicants should submit:- Academic Transcripts and Degree Certificates
- CV
- MVLS Cover Letter
- Two References
Applicants will be considered without a Masters if they have significant work experience in the public health field. Applicants to the MD option must hold an MBChB or equivalent, and have been engaged since graduation for at least three years in either scientific work bearing directly on their profession, or in the practice of Medicine or Surgery. The applicant should also be working clinically in the field of Public Health
English language requirements
For applicants from non-English speaking countries, as defined by the UK Government, the University sets a minimum English language proficiency level.
Accepted English language tests
We accept a wide range of English language tests for entry to this programme. Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of programme start date, and requirements must be met using a single test.
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online (not General Training)
- 6.5 with no subtests under 6.0
- IELTS One Skill Retake Accepted
- We do not accept General Training
TOEFL iBT (including MyBest and Home Edition)
Tests taken up to 20 January 2026
- 90 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 20; Listening 19; Speaking 19; Writing 21
Tests taken from 21 January 2026
- 92 Overall, no subtest lower than 4.5
Pearsons PTE Academic (test centre only)
- 65 overall with no subtest less than Reading 60; Listening 60; Speaking 65; Writing 60
Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency
- 176 overall, no subtest less than 169
Oxford ELLT
- 7 overall with no subtest less than 6
LanguageCert Academic SELT/Academic/Academic Online
- 70 overall with no subtest less than 60
Password Skills Plus
- 6.5 overall with no subtest less than 6.0
Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II
- 96 overall with no subtest less than 90
Kaplan Test of English
- Any two subtests at 480 or higher, and any two subtests at 450 or higher
PSI Skills for English
- B2 Pass with Merit
Duolingo English Test
- 120 overall with Writing at 120 and no subtest less than 110
Oxford Test of English Advanced
- 140 Overall with any two subtests at 126 or higher, and any two subtests at 136 or higher
Alternatives to English Language qualification
Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English)
- Students must have studied for a minimum of their final year at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within 6 years of programme start.
TNE degree for UK University taught at a campus outside of the UK.
- Students must be awarded the degree by the UK university and must have completed the degree within 6 years of programme start.
Pre-sessional courses
The University of Glasgow accepts evidence of the required language level from the English for Academic Study Unit Pre-sessional courses. We would strongly encourage you to consider the pre-sessional courses at the University of Glasgow's English for Academic Study (EAS) Unit. Our Pre-sessional courses are the best way to bring your English up to entry level for University study. Our courses give you:
- direct entry to your University programme for successful students (no need to take IELTS)
- essential academic skills to help you study effectively at University
- flexible entry dates so you can join the right course for your level.
For more detail on our pre-sessional courses please see:
We can also consider the pre-sessional courses accredited by the below BALEAP approved institutions to meet the language requirements for admission to our postgraduate taught degrees:
- Heriot Watt
- Kingston Upon Thames
- Middlesex University
- Manchester University
- Reading University
- Edinburgh University
- ST Andrews University
- UCL
- Durham
Fees and funding
Fees
2027/28
- UK: To be confirmed [26/27 fee was £5,238]
- International & EU: £33,708
Prices are based on the annual fee for full-time study. Fees for part-time study are half the full-time fee.
Irish nationals who are living in the Common Travel Area of the UK, EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status, and Internationals with Indefinite Leave to remain status can also qualify for home fee status.
Alumni discount
We offer a 15% tuition fee discount to eligible self-funded alumni starting a Postgraduate Taught (PGT) Masters or Postgraduate Research (PGR) programme in the 2027/28 academic year.
This includes University of Glasgow graduates and those who have completed a Study Abroad programme, Exchange programme, International Summer School or Erasmus programme with us. This discount can be awarded alongside most University scholarships. No additional application is required.
Possible additional fees
- Re-submission by a research student £540
- Submission for a higher degree by published work £1,355
- Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed £350
- Submission by staff in receipt of staff scholarship £790
Depending on the nature of the research project, some students will be expected to pay a bench fee (also known as research support costs) to cover additional costs. The exact amount will be provided in the offer letter.
Support
The School of Health & Wellbeing provides a vibrant, interdisciplinary environment to study your PhD. Through university and school PGR training programmes, we will equip you with robust, transferable research skills that are relevant to a range of career options in academia and public, private and third sector organisations in the UK and globally.
If you require assistance before you apply, please contact our Graduate School: mvls-gradschool@glasgow.ac.uk
How to apply
Identify potential supervisors
All postgraduate research students are allocated a supervisor who will act as the main source of academic support and research mentoring. You must identify a potential supervisor supervisor from the College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences and contact them to discuss your research proposal before you apply. Please note, even if you have spoken to an academic staff member about your proposal you still need to submit an online application form.
Research projects
If you are interested in a research project listed above, please include the title on your application.
Required documents
- Academic Transcripts and Degree Certificates
- CV
- MVLS Cover Letter
- Two References
Contact us
If you require assistance before you apply: mvls-gradschool@glasgow.ac.uk
After you have submitted your application: Admissions Enquiries form
Induction
- Getting started with PGR development: how postgraduate researchers are welcomed into our community