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From policy to practice; bridging the gap in public health training for grief, loss, and end-of-life care.

Public health approaches to dying, grief, caregiving and loss have been a part of government and palliative care policies for almost two decades, promoting community readiness and integration into medical training. But public health training is limited and emphasises surveillance sciences over practical applications like community development or civic policy.

Northumbria’s Master of Public Health (MPH) Palliative & End-of-Life Care is a unique course designed to fill this gap, aligning with public health policies and addressing workforce needs in end-of-life care.

Throughout this course, you will critically evaluate public health theories, policies, and practices, focusing on health promotion, improvement, care services, and civic actions. You will also learn to apply evidence-based approaches to design public health interventions, addressing health challenges across government, workplaces, schools, faith groups, non-profits, and other community sectors.

You will be taught by some of the key international experts in the field – from the founder of the public health palliative care international movement to prominent academic and clinical figures from global professional bodies.

Why choose Northumbria to study MPH Palliative & End-of-Life Care?

Unique Course: This pioneering degree focuses on public health approaches to palliative care, this unique course emphasises policy and practice over traditional research, reframes dying, caregiving, and loss as quality-of-life issues rather than public health threats, and combines interdisciplinary training with a focus on community-based care models.

Research Powerhouse: Social Policy research at Northumbria is ranked 3rd in the UK for research power in the UK out of 76 submissions (REF 2021)

 

This course is also available as full-time study.

Course Information

Level of Study
Postgraduate

Mode of Study
28 months Part Time

Department
Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing

Location
City Campus, Northumbria University

City
Newcastle

Start
September 2025

Fees
Fee Information

Modules
Module Information

Funding and Scholarships

Discover the funding options available to you.

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Alumni Discount

Receive up to £2,470 off your course fees.

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Masters Funding and Scholarships

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The Postgraduate Loan

More about the UK Government Loan.
Entry Requirements Modules Overview Fees, Funding  and Scholarships

Entry Requirements 2025/26

Standard Entry

Applicants should normally have:

A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in a subject related to health or health sciences, or work experience at a senior level in public health/healthcare and evidence of a clear commitment to a career in public health. Other subject qualifications, equivalent professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be considered on an individual basis.

International qualifications:

If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry

English language requirements:

International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 6 in each component (or approved equivalent*).

*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS.  You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications

Fees and Funding 2025/26 Entry

Full UK Fee: £9,700

Full International Fee: £19,350



Scholarships and Discounts

Discover More about Fees, Scholarships and other Funding options for UK and International applicants.

ADDITIONAL COSTS

There are no Additional Costs

If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

Modules Overview 2025/26

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Year one Year two Year three

Year one

AC0782 -

Public Health Fundamentals: Concepts, Theories and Frameworks (Core,30 Credits)

This module will offer you the opportunity to demonstrate a systematic understanding of fundamental public health concepts and to begin the process of critically evaluating them at a deeper level. You will learn how to critically analyse a broad range of public health theories, concepts and frameworks that are fundamental to public health policy and practice. You will also evaluate the complex interconnecting links between political, social, economic, biological, technological and environmental determinants of public health and explore underpinning discourses. The module will focus on the three key areas of public health – health protection, health improvement and health care services and in particular the following:

• Social dimensions of public health
• Health inequalities
• Assessing and analysing population health needs
• Social capital
• Health promotion
• Health beliefs
• Self efficacy
• Social marketing
• Community development

You will also be encouraged to reflect on your communication skills when working with peers from a variety of ethnic and cultural contexts as well as your developing self-awareness of new knowledge gained from both national and global public health contexts.

More information

AC7140 -

Public Health Palliative Care: An Introduction (Core,20 Credits)

This module will offer you the opportunity to demonstrate a systematic understanding of fundamental public health concepts and practices in palliative and end-of-life care and to begin the process of critically evaluating them. You will learn how to critically analyse a broad range of public health theories, concepts and practices that are fundamental to palliative care practice and policy development. You will learn how the public health approach to palliative and end of life care is a social model that complements the clinical/professional approach to late-stage palliative and end of life care. You will evaluate the complex interconnections between a focus on populations living with life-limiting illnesses, their caregivers and the bereaved, and the wider population. You will critically explore the popular discourses of ‘healthy ageing’, ‘death-denial’, and ‘dying as end-stage or terminality.’

The module will focus on the three key areas of public health – health and wellbeing at the end-of-life; the social epidemiology at the end-of-life; and key social practices in public health approaches in palliative and end-of-life care. Our key topic areas will particularly focus on the following areas:

1. Historical and theoretical origins of public health palliative care
2. Health promotion at the end-of-life (in dying, caregiving, and grieving)
3. Assessing and analysing key patterns of morbidity and premature mortality at the end of life
4. Principles of Prevention, harm reduction, and early intervention
5. Community development (Compassionate Communities)
6. Social ecology (Compassionate Cities)
7. End-of-life (a.k.a. death) literacy
8. Civic and other public policy development
9. Services redesign
10. Social and policy determinants of public health sustainability

You will also be encouraged to reflect on your communication skills when working with peers from a variety of ethnic and cultural contexts as well as your developing self-awareness of new knowledge gained from both national and global public palliative care contexts.

More information

AC7141 -

Death, Dying, and Grief: Public health challenges (Core,20 Credits)

This module will offer you the opportunity to demonstrate a systematic understanding social, medical and psychological experiences at the end of life and to begin the process of critically evaluating them in public health terms. You will learn how to critically analyse a broad range of these end-of-life experiences and examine them to assess their positive and negative roles in the support of people at the end of life, their families and their wider communities. You will also learn about the limitations of traditional public health thinking and practices that have sought to exclude or deny populations at the end-of-life and understand where and why those theoretical and practice gaps emerged during 20th century public health and social history. The module will focus on four key areas of behaviour at the end of life – dying and other end-of-life conduct, grief and bereavement, caregiving, and the crucial importance of a holistic/interdisciplinary understanding of all experiences at the end of life. The importance of health promotion theory will be emphasized throughout. Our key topic areas will focus on the following areas:

1. An Introduction to the value of an interdisciplinary gaze
2. History of Death, Dying & Bereavement
3. Typologies of social conduct at the end-of-life
4. Key social and medical theories of dying
5. Current social ecologies (settings) of dying
6. Mystical experiences associated with the end-of-life
7. History and anthropology of grief and bereavement
8. Social, medical, and psychological theories of grief and bereavement
9. Social and health service understanding of caregiving
10. Health promotion assets and challenges: summary and review

You will also be encouraged to reflect on your communication skills when working with peers from a variety of ethnic and cultural contexts as well as your developing self-awareness of new knowledge gained from both national and global public health palliative care contexts.

More information

Year two

AC0778 -

Research: Approaches, Methods and skills (Core,30 Credits)

On this module you will appreciate the knowledge and skills needed to undertake research. You will learn about research philosophy, methodology and the different methods associated with a range of research traditions. You will explore the value of research evidence in informing public health and healthcare management practices and be able to apply the principles of research to critically appraise research quality. Specifically on this module you will learn about:
• Locating and organising literature
• Philosophical assumptions and foundations of enquiry
• Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodological approaches
• Data collection, data analysis and interpretation
• Research governance and ethical issues
• Analysis and interpretation
By the end of the module you will be able to prepare a research proposal on a topic of interest to yourself and of value to public health / healthcare management.

More information

AC7024 -

Dissertation Project (Core,60 Credits)

This research rich module will enable you to bring together the knowledge, understanding and skills that you have accrued from other modules on your programme. Prior to the undertaking this module, you will have completed the appropriate level of study that prepares you for engagement with a Masters dissertation process. The module provides you with a vehicle for developing, refining and applying your research skills in an independent project.
You will identify a topic with which you are familiar, and which you believe has scope for development or change that will be the focus of your independent study. You can chose one of two methods to structure your dissertation.
- Systematic Review :A structured analysis of evidence
- Empirical research: Based on primary data analysis or secondary sources

In the module, you will revisit and deepen your understandings of a range of key topic areas linked to the research process within your chosen method. This may include discussion of worldviews and research paradigms, research design, working with literature and theory, developing ethical codes, collecting robust research evidence, ensuring quality assurance within your research work, and writing and disseminating the research dissertation work.
There will be a series of research seminars during the module and you will have access to a named supervisor for one to one supervision work. Both the seminars and supervision will enable you to critically examine how the research process will work best for your dissertation goals and design.

More information

AC7028 -

Public health intelligence and epidemiology: informing policy and strategy (Core,20 Credits)

This is an essential module in public health that will aid your understanding of the ever changing health patterns of the population and threats to health through outbreaks and epidemics. The module will allow you the opportunity to explore the most up to date information and gathering techniques used in public health to inform policy response to contemporary local and global public health issues. Epidemiological theory is used to explore examples of public health at population levels. The module further aims to develop your abilities to conceptualise and critically appraise the relationships between public health issues and the political, economic, social, technical, legal and environmental dimensions that inform policy response. Specialist experts in epidemiology and public health contribute to this module and enhance both the research rich aspect and the grounded application which is essential to your learning experience.

The content of the module will cover topics such as:

Public health challenges for the 21st century.
Epidemiological investigations of public health.
Disease outbreaks, management and control
Information data identification and analysis.
Data sets at population levels to identify population health needs assessment for planning purposes and or commissioning of services. Identifying aspects of health inequalities at a local level
Exploring data such as deprivation indices.

You will develop your learning of public health along with a deepening appreciation of global health challenges and issues. There will be opportunities to explore with other group members awareness of various global health systems, health priorities and cultural issues.

More information

Year three

AC7024 -

Dissertation Project (Core,60 Credits)

This research rich module will enable you to bring together the knowledge, understanding and skills that you have accrued from other modules on your programme. Prior to the undertaking this module, you will have completed the appropriate level of study that prepares you for engagement with a Masters dissertation process. The module provides you with a vehicle for developing, refining and applying your research skills in an independent project.
You will identify a topic with which you are familiar, and which you believe has scope for development or change that will be the focus of your independent study. You can chose one of two methods to structure your dissertation.
- Systematic Review :A structured analysis of evidence
- Empirical research: Based on primary data analysis or secondary sources

In the module, you will revisit and deepen your understandings of a range of key topic areas linked to the research process within your chosen method. This may include discussion of worldviews and research paradigms, research design, working with literature and theory, developing ethical codes, collecting robust research evidence, ensuring quality assurance within your research work, and writing and disseminating the research dissertation work.
There will be a series of research seminars during the module and you will have access to a named supervisor for one to one supervision work. Both the seminars and supervision will enable you to critically examine how the research process will work best for your dissertation goals and design.

More information

Modules Overview 2026/27

Modules

Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.

Year one Year two Year three

Year one

AC0782 -

Public Health Fundamentals: Concepts, Theories and Frameworks (Core,30 Credits)

This module will offer you the opportunity to demonstrate a systematic understanding of fundamental public health concepts and to begin the process of critically evaluating them at a deeper level. You will learn how to critically analyse a broad range of public health theories, concepts and frameworks that are fundamental to public health policy and practice. You will also evaluate the complex interconnecting links between political, social, economic, biological, technological and environmental determinants of public health and explore underpinning discourses. The module will focus on the three key areas of public health – health protection, health improvement and health care services and in particular the following:

• Social dimensions of public health
• Health inequalities
• Assessing and analysing population health needs
• Social capital
• Health promotion
• Health beliefs
• Self efficacy
• Social marketing
• Community development

You will also be encouraged to reflect on your communication skills when working with peers from a variety of ethnic and cultural contexts as well as your developing self-awareness of new knowledge gained from both national and global public health contexts.

More information

AC7140 -

Public Health Palliative Care: An Introduction (Core,20 Credits)

This module will offer you the opportunity to demonstrate a systematic understanding of fundamental public health concepts and practices in palliative and end-of-life care and to begin the process of critically evaluating them. You will learn how to critically analyse a broad range of public health theories, concepts and practices that are fundamental to palliative care practice and policy development. You will learn how the public health approach to palliative and end of life care is a social model that complements the clinical/professional approach to late-stage palliative and end of life care. You will evaluate the complex interconnections between a focus on populations living with life-limiting illnesses, their caregivers and the bereaved, and the wider population. You will critically explore the popular discourses of ‘healthy ageing’, ‘death-denial’, and ‘dying as end-stage or terminality.’

The module will focus on the three key areas of public health – health and wellbeing at the end-of-life; the social epidemiology at the end-of-life; and key social practices in public health approaches in palliative and end-of-life care. Our key topic areas will particularly focus on the following areas:

1. Historical and theoretical origins of public health palliative care
2. Health promotion at the end-of-life (in dying, caregiving, and grieving)
3. Assessing and analysing key patterns of morbidity and premature mortality at the end of life
4. Principles of Prevention, harm reduction, and early intervention
5. Community development (Compassionate Communities)
6. Social ecology (Compassionate Cities)
7. End-of-life (a.k.a. death) literacy
8. Civic and other public policy development
9. Services redesign
10. Social and policy determinants of public health sustainability

You will also be encouraged to reflect on your communication skills when working with peers from a variety of ethnic and cultural contexts as well as your developing self-awareness of new knowledge gained from both national and global public palliative care contexts.

More information

AC7141 -

Death, Dying, and Grief: Public health challenges (Core,20 Credits)

This module will offer you the opportunity to demonstrate a systematic understanding social, medical and psychological experiences at the end of life and to begin the process of critically evaluating them in public health terms. You will learn how to critically analyse a broad range of these end-of-life experiences and examine them to assess their positive and negative roles in the support of people at the end of life, their families and their wider communities. You will also learn about the limitations of traditional public health thinking and practices that have sought to exclude or deny populations at the end-of-life and understand where and why those theoretical and practice gaps emerged during 20th century public health and social history. The module will focus on four key areas of behaviour at the end of life – dying and other end-of-life conduct, grief and bereavement, caregiving, and the crucial importance of a holistic/interdisciplinary understanding of all experiences at the end of life. The importance of health promotion theory will be emphasized throughout. Our key topic areas will focus on the following areas:

1. An Introduction to the value of an interdisciplinary gaze
2. History of Death, Dying & Bereavement
3. Typologies of social conduct at the end-of-life
4. Key social and medical theories of dying
5. Current social ecologies (settings) of dying
6. Mystical experiences associated with the end-of-life
7. History and anthropology of grief and bereavement
8. Social, medical, and psychological theories of grief and bereavement
9. Social and health service understanding of caregiving
10. Health promotion assets and challenges: summary and review

You will also be encouraged to reflect on your communication skills when working with peers from a variety of ethnic and cultural contexts as well as your developing self-awareness of new knowledge gained from both national and global public health palliative care contexts.

More information

Year two

AC0778 -

Research: Approaches, Methods and skills (Core,30 Credits)

On this module you will appreciate the knowledge and skills needed to undertake research. You will learn about research philosophy, methodology and the different methods associated with a range of research traditions. You will explore the value of research evidence in informing public health and healthcare management practices and be able to apply the principles of research to critically appraise research quality. Specifically on this module you will learn about:
• Locating and organising literature
• Philosophical assumptions and foundations of enquiry
• Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodological approaches
• Data collection, data analysis and interpretation
• Research governance and ethical issues
• Analysis and interpretation
By the end of the module you will be able to prepare a research proposal on a topic of interest to yourself and of value to public health / healthcare management.

More information

AC7024 -

Dissertation Project (Core,60 Credits)

This research rich module will enable you to bring together the knowledge, understanding and skills that you have accrued from other modules on your programme. Prior to the undertaking this module, you will have completed the appropriate level of study that prepares you for engagement with a Masters dissertation process. The module provides you with a vehicle for developing, refining and applying your research skills in an independent project.
You will identify a topic with which you are familiar, and which you believe has scope for development or change that will be the focus of your independent study. You can chose one of two methods to structure your dissertation.
- Systematic Review :A structured analysis of evidence
- Empirical research: Based on primary data analysis or secondary sources

In the module, you will revisit and deepen your understandings of a range of key topic areas linked to the research process within your chosen method. This may include discussion of worldviews and research paradigms, research design, working with literature and theory, developing ethical codes, collecting robust research evidence, ensuring quality assurance within your research work, and writing and disseminating the research dissertation work.
There will be a series of research seminars during the module and you will have access to a named supervisor for one to one supervision work. Both the seminars and supervision will enable you to critically examine how the research process will work best for your dissertation goals and design.

More information

AC7028 -

Public health intelligence and epidemiology: informing policy and strategy (Core,20 Credits)

This is an essential module in public health that will aid your understanding of the ever changing health patterns of the population and threats to health through outbreaks and epidemics. The module will allow you the opportunity to explore the most up to date information and gathering techniques used in public health to inform policy response to contemporary local and global public health issues. Epidemiological theory is used to explore examples of public health at population levels. The module further aims to develop your abilities to conceptualise and critically appraise the relationships between public health issues and the political, economic, social, technical, legal and environmental dimensions that inform policy response. Specialist experts in epidemiology and public health contribute to this module and enhance both the research rich aspect and the grounded application which is essential to your learning experience.

The content of the module will cover topics such as:

Public health challenges for the 21st century.
Epidemiological investigations of public health.
Disease outbreaks, management and control
Information data identification and analysis.
Data sets at population levels to identify population health needs assessment for planning purposes and or commissioning of services. Identifying aspects of health inequalities at a local level
Exploring data such as deprivation indices.

You will develop your learning of public health along with a deepening appreciation of global health challenges and issues. There will be opportunities to explore with other group members awareness of various global health systems, health priorities and cultural issues.

More information

Year three

AC7024 -

Dissertation Project (Core,60 Credits)

This research rich module will enable you to bring together the knowledge, understanding and skills that you have accrued from other modules on your programme. Prior to the undertaking this module, you will have completed the appropriate level of study that prepares you for engagement with a Masters dissertation process. The module provides you with a vehicle for developing, refining and applying your research skills in an independent project.
You will identify a topic with which you are familiar, and which you believe has scope for development or change that will be the focus of your independent study. You can chose one of two methods to structure your dissertation.
- Systematic Review :A structured analysis of evidence
- Empirical research: Based on primary data analysis or secondary sources

In the module, you will revisit and deepen your understandings of a range of key topic areas linked to the research process within your chosen method. This may include discussion of worldviews and research paradigms, research design, working with literature and theory, developing ethical codes, collecting robust research evidence, ensuring quality assurance within your research work, and writing and disseminating the research dissertation work.
There will be a series of research seminars during the module and you will have access to a named supervisor for one to one supervision work. Both the seminars and supervision will enable you to critically examine how the research process will work best for your dissertation goals and design.

More information

Any Questions?

Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help.  They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.

 

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

Accessibility and Student Inclusion

Northumbria University is committed to developing an inclusive, diverse and accessible campus and wider University community and are determined to ensure that opportunities we provide are open to all.

We are proud to work in partnership with AccessAble to provide Detailed Access Guides to our buildings and facilities across our City, Coach Lane and London Campuses. A Detailed Access Guide lets you know what access will be like when you visit somewhere. It looks at the route you will use getting in and what is available inside. All guides have Accessibility Symbols that give you a quick overview of what is available, and photographs to show you what to expect. The guides are produced by trained surveyors who visit our campuses annually to ensure you have trusted and accurate information.

You can use Northumbria’s AccessAble Guides anytime to check the accessibility of a building or facility and to plan your routes and journeys. Search by location, building or accessibility feature to find the information you need. 

We are dedicated to helping students who may require additional support during their student journey and offer 1-1 advice and guidance appropriate to individual requirements. If you feel you may need additional support you can find out more about what we offer here where you can also contact us with any questions you may have:

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If you’d like to receive the latest updates from Northumbria about our courses, events, finance & funding then enter your details below.

* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here

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