Public Health: Fees, Admission 2023, Syllabus, Top Colleges, Top Exam, Salary, Scholarship, Cutoff

Updated on Jul 18, 2022 06:17 IST
Sreetama Datta Roy

Sreetama Datta RoyManager Content

Public Health is a scientific study that aims to improve the healthcare index of society and create awareness about basic healthcare among people. Public Health as a course teaches methods to promote a healthy lifestyle, researching disease and injury prevention, and detecting, preventing and responding to infectious diseases. The objective of Public Health is to protect the health of entire populations, which may include a small community or a large one.

Public Health can be defined as the science and art of preventing diseases as well as increasing the average life expectancy and improving the quality of living. Public Health professionals aim to analyse the health factors and the threats to curb those in order to ensure a better health curve for the society or a particular section of the society in total.

What is Public Health Course?

The Public Health course is a scientific study that is offered under the Medical and Management stream. The duration of the undergraduate Public Health course is four years and that of the postgraduate course is two years. The curriculum of the Public Health course includes industrial visits, research projects and internships.

Along with the flagship medical subjects, other subjects which are taught in Public Health include Health Economics, Ethics & Laws of Public Health, Disaster Management and Health System Management.

Public Health Course Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for Public Health courses are given below:

  • For undergraduate courses, students should pass the Class 12 Board exam from a recognised board with a minimum 55 per cent aggregate.

  • They must have studied Science stream in the higher secondary level with the combination of Physics, Chemistry and Biology subjects.

  • For postgraduate courses, candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in Public Health or an allied medical course or a relevant course with a minimum 60 per cent aggregate.

Public Health Course Admission Process

Admission to the Public Health course takes place through merit as well as entrance tests. For merit-based admission, candidates’ scores in Class 12 exams are considered. Some of the top entrance exams at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels are as follows:

Undergraduate Entrance Exam

Postgraduate Entrance Exams

NEET

NEET PG

GPAT

NEET SS

LPU NEST

INI CET

KITEE

--

Top Colleges and Courses on Public Health

Some of the top colleges offering Public Health courses are as follows:

College

Course

Duration

PGIMER Chandigarh

Bachelor of Public Health (BPH)

Three years

Masters in Public Health (MPH)

Two years

Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Management (PGDPHM)

One year

National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore

Master of Public Health (Epidemiology)

Two years

Parul University, Vadodara

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Two years

Indian Institute of Public Health, Gandhinagar

MPH

Two years

JIPMER Puducherry

MPH

Two years

Sri Ramchandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai

MPH in Occupational and Mental Health

Two years

DMIMSU, Wardha

MPH

Two years

KS Hegde Medical Academy, Mangalore

Master of Public Health

Two years

Public Health Course Curriculum

The Public Health course can be classified as BPH and MPH. The curriculum involves subjects like Biology, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Environmental Studies, Epidemiology, Demography, Health Systems Management, among others. In this section, we bring forth the course curriculum of BPH and MPH programmes.

Public Health Course CurriculumUndergraduate

The undergraduate Public Health course or BPH is divided into eight semesters. The semester-wise course curriculum of BPH is given in the table.

Semester I

Semester II

Introduction to Public Health

Biostatistics

Human Biology 1(Anatomy, Biochemistry & Physiology)

Demography

Human Biology 2 ( Microbiology & Pathology)

Environmental Health

Epidemiology 1

Social & Behavioural Health

Semester III

Semester IV

Epidemiology 2

Women’s Health

Occupational Health

Child & Adolescent Health

Infectious & Chronic Diseases

Health Systems Management

Public Health Nutrition 1

Health Economics 1

Semester V

Semester VI

Health Education & Communication

Global Health

Public Health Policy

Ageing of Population

Public Health Ethics and Law

Health Economics 2

Public Health Informatics

Public Health Nutrition 2

Semester VII

Semester VIII

Disaster & Emergency Management

Recent Developments in Public Health

Monitoring and Evaluation in Public Health

Internship

Public Health Project Management

--

Public Health Leadership & Managing Healthcare Organisation

--

Public Health Course Curriculum – Postgraduate

The subjects taught in the MPH or postgraduate course in Public Health include Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Biology, Public Health Nutrition, etc. The following table brings the semester-wise course curriculum for MPH.

Semester I

Semester II

Fundamentals of Public Health

Infectious Diseases and Control Programmes

Epidemiology

Public Health Nutrition

Biostatistics

Quantitative Research Methods

Basic Nutrition

Qualitative Research Methods

Population and Health

Health Policy and Planning

Social Epidemiology I

--

Human Biology

--

Semester III

Semester IV

Non-communicable Diseases, Injuries and Control Programmes

Health Systems Management

Nutrition Methods and Techniques

PH in Disasters and Outbreaks

Maternal and Child Health Programmes

Environmental and Occupational Health

--

Urbanisation and Health

Elective Subjects in Public Health Course

Following are the elective subjects taught in a Public Health course:

  • Immunology

  • Monitoring and Evaluation

  • Diagnostics

  • Public Health Internship

  • Health Behaviour

  • Gender Issues and Health

  • Global Health Case Studies

  • Integrative Medicine and Public Health

  • Disability and public health

  • Bioethics, biosafety and regulations

Required Skillset for Public Health

Students willing to pursue a Public Health course must possess the following skills:

  • Communication skill

  • Analytical skill

  • Interpersonal skills

  • Problem-solving ability

  • Flexibility/adaptability

  • Technical skills

Public Health Career: Job Profiles and Top Recruiters

Public Health as a career can be challenging as well as rewarding. Medical professionals working in the Public Health domain not only practice medicine but also works with people at large from various sections of society to create awareness regarding healthcare and wellness. Public Health professionals not only work at hospitals or clinics but with NGOs, Government Health departments, Healthcare organisations, Educational Institutes, etc.

Some of the job profiles of Public Health professionals are as follows:

  • Healthcare Consultant

  • Healthcare Manager

  • Public Health Researcher

  • Public Records Data Research and Information Services

Top Recruiters for Public Health Professionals are as follows:

  • UNICEF

  • World Health Organization (WHO)

  • Public Health Foundation of India

  • Indian Council of Medical Research

  • Apollo Foundation

  • HCL Foundation

  • SELCO Foundation

  • Jhpiego India

  • INCLEN Trust International

FAQs Regarding Public Health

Q: What is Public Health course?

A: Public Health course refers to an academic discipline in the medical domain that focuses on preventing disease, promoting human health through collective efforts and creating awareness of public health in societies, organi s ations, communities, and individuals.  

Q: What are the subjects taught in Public Health course?

A: The subjects taught in the Public Health course are Health Information Management, Epidemiology and Disease Control, Public Health Nutrition, Health Promotion, Environmental Health, Public Health Nursing, etc.

Q: What are the types of programmes offered under the Public Health course?

A: The types of programmes offered under the Public Health course are BPH, MPH and Diploma in Public Health Management.

Q: What is the eligibility criteria for studying Public Health courses?

A: To be eligible for studying an undergraduate Public Health course, students should pass the Class 12 Board exam with a minimum 55 per cent aggregate with the Science stream. For a postgraduate courses in Public Health, students should have an undergraduate degree or diploma in Public Health or an allied course.

Q: Is it mandatory to have studied Mathematics in the higher secondary level for studying a Public Health course?

A: It is not mandatory to study Mathematics at the higher secondary level. But one must study Biology in Class 11 and Class 12 as a core subject if they want to pursue a Public Health course.

Q: What is the duration of Public Health courses?

A: The duration of UG level Public Health courses is four years and that of the postgraduate courses is two years. The diploma course in Public Health Management is of a one-year duration.

Q: What is the difference between Public Health and Public Health Management courses?

A: While Public Health courses are more about practice, increasing awareness, formulating policies, patient contact and creation of awareness. On the other hand, the Public Health Management course aims to ensure smooth management and seamless functioning across departments. Public Health Management professionals focus on the financial, supply chain and operational aspects of the healthcare system.

Q: What are the top colleges offering Public Health courses?

A: Some of the top colleges offering Public Health courses include PGIMER Chandigarh, JIPMER Puducherry, Indian Institute of Public Health, among others.

Q: What is the fee range for the Public Health course?

A: The fee range of Public Health courses range from INR 1 lakh to INR 3 lakh.

Q: What are the types of companies which recruit Public Health professionals?

A: The types of companies that recruit Public Health professionals to include hospitals and clinics, NGOs, Government Health departments, pharmaceutical companies, educational institutes, to name a few.

Q: Are Public Health courses offered in correspondence or distance learning mode?

A: Yes, Public Health courses are offered in correspondence or distance learning mode as well.

Popular Public Health Colleges in India

Following are the most popular Public Health Colleges in India. Learn more about these Public Health colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.
2 Courses
5.0
8 LPA

#2 NIRF

1 Course
1.5 K

#3 NIRF

1 Course
1.5 L

#4 NIRF

2 Courses
2.4 K
24 LPA

#5 NIRF

1 Course
3.0
6.5 LPA
1 Course
13.7 K
2.0

Popular Private Public Health Colleges in India

1 Course
2.2 L

Top 15 in Bangalore

Public Health Applications open. Apply Now

2 Courses
3 L - 3.7 L
5.5 LPA

Top 15 In Pune

Public Health Applications open. Apply Now

1 Course
2 L

Top 5 in Surat

3 L - 3.02 L
2.0
2.33 L - 4.72 L

Top 25 in India

1 Course
5 L
5 LPA

Popular Public Health UG Courses

Following are the most popular Public Health UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

UG Courses

Popular Public Health PG Courses

Following are the most popular Public Health PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.

PG Courses

Popular Exams

Following are the top exams for Public Health. Students interested in pursuing a career on Public Health, generally take these important exams.You can also download the exam guide to get more insights.

Mar '25

NEET 2025 Application Process

TENTATIVE

Apr '25

NEET 2025 Application Correction

TENTATIVE

5 Dec ' 24 - 9 Dec ' 24

NEET PG 2024 round-2 counselling choice filling

4 Dec ' 24 - 9 Dec ' 24

NEET PG 2024 round-2 counselling registration

Jun '24

CT SET 2024 Counselling Start

TENTATIVE

Jun '24

CT SET 2024 Result

TENTATIVE

Nov '24

INI CET July 2024 result declaration

TENTATIVE

10 Nov ' 24

INI CET 2025 exam date for January session

Important Exam Dates

DatesUpcoming Exam Dates

10 Nov '24 -

08 Apr '25

KIITEE 2025 application form phase 1

ONGOING

16 Apr '25 -

20 Apr '25

KIITEE 2025 Phase I Exam Date

08 Jun '25

KIITEE 2025 Application Form Phase II Last Date

14 Jun '25 -

18 Jun '25

KIITEE 2025 Phase II Exam Date

30 Jun '25

KIITEE 2025 Application Form Phase III Last Date

06 Jul '25 -

08 Jul '25

KIITEE 2025 Phase III Exam Date

DatesPast Exam Dates

22 Jul '24 -

30 Jul '24

SHIATS Entrance Exam 2024 Offline Counselling

03 Jul '24

SHIATS Entrance Exam 2024

23 Apr '24 -

30 Jun '24

SHIATS Entrance Exam Application Correction Window

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