Public Health PhD/MD

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;

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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:

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)

7.0 overall with no subtest less than 6.5
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

96 Overall, no subtest lower than Reading 23; Listening 23; Speaking 23; Writing 24

Tests taken from 21 January 2026

98 overall with no subtest less than Writing and Listening at 5 and Reading and Speaking at 4.5

Pearsons PTE Academic (test centre only)

70 overall with no subtest less than Reading 62; Listening 62; Speaking 75; Writing 68
We do not accept the online PTE Academic

Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency

185 overall, no subtest less than 176

Oxford ELLT

8 overall with Reading and Listening no less than 7 and Writing and Speaking no less than 8

LanguageCert Academic SELT/Academic/Academic Online

75 overall with two subtests at 75 and no subtest less than 70

Password Skills Plus

7.0 overall with no subtest less than 6.5

Trinity College Integrated Skills in English II

105 overall with no subtest less than 105

Kaplan Test of English

Any two subtests at 510 or higher, and any two subtests at 480 or higher

PSI Skills for English

C1 Pass

Duolingo English Test

130 overall with Writing at 130 and no subtest less than 120

Oxford Test of English Advanced

146 overall with no subtest less than 136

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:

Pre-sessional courses

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.

Fee status and policies

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.

Full details of our Alumni Discount

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.

External funding information

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.

Supervisor search

Research projects

If you are interested in a research project listed above, please include the title on your application.

Gather your documents

Before applying please make sure you gather the following supporting documentation:

Final or current degree transcripts including grades (and an official translation, if needed) – scanned copy in colour of the original document.
Degree certificates (and an official translation, if needed): scanned copy in colour of the original document.
Two references on headed paper and signed by the referee. One must be academic, the other can be academic or professional. References may be uploaded as part of the application form or you may enter your referees' contact details on the application form. We will then email your referee and notify you when we receive the reference.
MVLS PGR programme cover letter template must be completed and uploaded with a copy of your CV.