SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

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SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
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SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

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Master of Public Health

Campus: Astana, Kazakhstan, NU School of Medicine building

Language: English

Delivery mode: Full-time, on-campus

Duration: 2 years

Total ECTS credit: 120

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Accreditation


Nazarbayev University School of Medicine is proud to announce the successful curriculum validation process of its Master in Public Health program (MPH) by the European Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation (APHEA). The Curriculum Validation award will be valid for 6 years.

General information

The Master of Public Health program provides graduates with skillsets and competencies based on the latest international standards that are required for careers in health administration and management, health education and health promotion, epidemiological health and disease research, health behavioral research, biostatistics, health systems and facilities research, and health policy development. The competencies acquired from this program are sought by a broad variety of employers both in public and private sectors nationally and internationally.


Health-related positions in the United Nations (WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, UNAIDS, and others) and unilateral international agencies (USAID) almost always require or prefer candidates with MPH degrees. There is a growing need for MPH-trained personnel as administrators, researchers, and assessment specialists in hospitals and other health institutions. In the private sector pharmaceutical, health insurance and biotechnology companies are hiring public health professionals. Sometimes MPH graduates start their own businesses.

Increasing numbers of universities, both in Kazakhstan and outside Kazakhstan, are hiring MPH graduates for teaching, administrative work, and research. The MPH is also a gateway degree for MPH graduates who want to pursue a doctorate in a public health field in universities outside of Kazakhstan.

Program aims

Engage students through transformational education and training in internationally accepted best practices in population-based approaches to address health, health conditions, and disease determinants for the prevention and control of disease, disability, and untimely death.

  • To provide graduates with competencies in public health sciences to produce health and biomedical research and program evaluations of the highest quality based on international standards.
  • To provide graduates with competencies in management and health service assessment for the administration of health institutions and the development of health policies.
  • To produce skilled public health professionals who draw on knowledge and methods from multiple disciplines to ethically define, critically assess, and resolve problems affecting the public’s health.

Curriculum

The Master of Public Health Program is a two year full-time program. The MPH program provides the basic core competencies to practice in a large range of public health fields and to contribute to the body of knowledge in public health and population medicine. The curriculum focuses in basic public health sciences and essential managerial and analytical skills including project planning and evaluation, analytical epidemiological investigation and statistical data analysis and modeling, understanding complex determinants of health and health disparities, effective communications to professionals and the public, and leadership.


Year 1: Semester 1

Year 1: Semester 2

Year 2: Semester 3

Year 2: Semester 4

Course descriptions

Program learning outcomes

On successful completion of the Master of Public Health program graduates will be able to:

  • Assess the health needs of defined populations, including critically characterizing distributions of determinants of health, morbidity, mortality, disability, the burden of disease, and application to inform the development of more effective and more cost-effective interventions.
  • Develop, analyze, and implement targeted health policies, projects, and programs.
  • Assure the appropriateness and effectiveness of a given public health intervention through monitoring and evaluation and other means.
  • Communicate and disseminate public health messages to targeted audiences in the general public and professional groups, including the writing of scientific papers for international conferences and submission to international biomedical and public health peer-reviewed journals.
  • Apply behavioral sciences in public health research and practice, including identifying psycho-social determinants and etiologies of health conditions and design of behavioral interventions to improve health and well-being.
  • Apply biomedical sciences in public health research and practice, including characterizing and evaluating modes of transmission and etiology, pathophysiology, and host responses to vaccines, chemoprophylaxis, and pharmacological methods of prevention, treatment, and management of disease of public health importance.
  • Apply environmental health sciences in public health research and practice, including identification and appraisal of environmental exposures associated with disease, disability, and death, especially for susceptible populations, and conducting risk assessment/risk management analysis.
  • Apply management sciences in public health research and practice, including characterizing health service systems’ organizations and structures, evaluating health delivery system models, assessing and improving health service management through changes in strategic planning and organizational design, applying concepts of human resource management to achieve strategic objectives, and preparing budgets.
  • Utilize quantitative sciences to design, conduct, analyze and interpret quantitative health research and statistical analysis, plan and conduct epidemiological surveillance, and critique and explain published peer-reviewed biomedical and public health literature.
  • Utilize qualitative sciences to design, conduct, analyze and interpret health research and critique
  • Demonstrate integration of new knowledge and skills with previous training and experience by critical and selective application within a personally and professionally relevant context, including fostering life-long learning and open critical thinking.

Career opportunities

There is a growing national and international demand for MPH graduates. The Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy identifies preventive medicine, environmental protection, population health, and access to health as priorities- all requiring public health-trained professionals. The Ministry of Health and Social Development and its affiliated institutes and centers, and the National Medical Holding hire MPH-trained professionals.

Faculty

Entry requirements

Applicants to the Master of Public Health program are expected to have:

Regular Requirement
Details

Undergraduate degree (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant discipline;

Graduate degree (if applicable)

During the application period, final year students may submit official transcripts for current coursework for consideration. Applicants recommended for admission must provide final transcripts and diplomas before the end of the Programs’ enrollment term. Graduates of the University may be enrolled based on evidence of their final transcript confirming degree completion, with diploma submission required within a month;


  • Applicants may be enrolled conditionally based on evidence from their graduating university confirming program completion and that the applicant expects the formal issuance of the final transcript and/or diploma by a certain date. In that case, the decision on enrollment shall prescribe the period within which the applicant must provide the necessary documents to the University;
  • A minimum CGPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 (or equivalent) on the applicant’s degree (bachelor's, master's, or Ph.D. if the program uses a GPA approach);

High level of English proficiency.

1. The absolute minimum requirement for English language proficiency test reports for admission to the Program is an Academic IELTS – overall 6.0 (writing 6.0, reading 5.5, listening 5.5, speaking 5.5) or the equivalent TOEFL score (except Home edition) as posted on the ETS website;

2. Applicants to the Program, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, may be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:

  • One of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country where English is the language of official communication, academic instruction, and daily life;
  • An undergraduate or graduate degree was earned in a program that was officially taught in English;
  • The applicant is a graduate of NU.

Strong reading, analytical, and mathematical skills

As demonstrated by GRE or GMAT (optional). Although an official GRE/GMAT score is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance their application with a competitive GRE/GMAT score;

Statement of purpose

A high level of motivation and a strong interest in the Program, as outlined in the statement of purpose;

Letters of recommendation

Two confidential letters of recommendation;

Important dates

Online application deadlines for those who are applying for the 2025-2026 academic year

  • Citizens of Kazakhstan: available until June 25, 2025, 14:00 (Astana time).
  • International applicants from countries requiring a visa prior to arrival: available until March 27, 2025, 14:00 (Astana time).
  • International applicants from countries eligible for visa issuance upon arrival: available until June 25, 2025, 14:00 (Astana time).

The deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates:

  • Citizens of Kazakhstan: July 4, 2025, 11:59 P.M. (Astana time).
  • International applicants from countries requiring a visa prior to arrival: March 31, 2025.
  • International applicants from countries eligible for visa issuance upon arrival: June 26, 2025.

First day of classes: August 2025

Tuition fee

The tuition fee for Master’s Degree Program is $16,000 (8 176 000 KZT) per one academic year for both local and international students.


To learn more about tuition fees, please contact us at bursars_office@nu.edu.kz.

How to apply

Entry requirements

Candidates applying to the Master of Public Health program are expected to have:

  • an undergraduate degree (bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in a relevant discipline. During the application period, final-year students may submit official current transcripts for consideration. Applicants recommended for admission must provide final transcripts and diplomas before the end of the programs’ enrollment term. Graduates of the university are enrolled based on the evidence of the final transcript, confirming the degree completion followed by diploma submission within a month;
  • graduate degree (if applicable);
  • Applicants may be enrolled conditionally based on evidence from their graduation from a university, that the applicants have completed the educational program and the applicant expects formal issuance of final transcript and/or diploma by a certain date. In that case, the decision about enrollment shall prescribe the period of time within which the applicant shall provide the necessary documents to the university;
  • a minimum CGPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 or equivalent on the applicant’s degree (bachelor's, master or Ph.D. (if masters and Ph.D. have adopted a GPA approach);
  • the required level of English language proficiency;
  • strong reading, analytical and mathematical skills as demonstrated by GRE or GMAT test (optional). Although an official GRE/GMAT score is not an essential requirement, an applicant can enhance his/her application with a competitive GRE/GMAT score;
  • high level of motivation and a strong interest in the program outlined in the statement of purpose;
  • 2 (two) confidential letters of recommendation;

The required level of English proficiency:

1. The absolute minimum requirement for English language proficiency test reports for admission to the program is an academic IELTS – overall 6.0 (writing 6.0, reading 5.5, listening 5.5, speaking 5.5) or the equivalent TOEFL score (except the home edition) as posted on the ETS website;

2. Applicants to the program, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, can be exempted from submitting the language proficiency test report if:

  • one of their earlier academic degrees was earned in a country with English as the language of official communication, academic instruction, and daily life;
  • an undergraduate or graduate degree was earned in a program that was officially taught in English;
  • the applicant is a graduate of NU.

Important dates

Online application deadlines for Masters programs:

  • Citizens of Kazakhstan: available until January 23, 2025, 2:00 P.M. (Astana time).
  • International applicants: available until March 3, 2025, 2:00 P.M. (Astana time).

Deadline for submission of IELTS/TOEFL, GRE/GMAT certificates:

  • Citizens of Kazakhstan: February 3, 2025
  • International applicants: March 4, 2025

The start of orientation week (for newly enrolled students): August 2025

First day of classes: August 2025

List of documents to be submitted by the applicants

All submitted documents shall be in English or with notarized English translation:

  • Complete application form;
  • National ID or passport;
  • Official document confirming name changes (if applicable);
  • Degree diplomas with transcripts;
  • An official electronic IELTS/TOEFL certificate (except Home edition) (valid at the time of document submission) sent to the University through IELTS/TOEFL VERIFICATION SERVICES. Code for IELTS: NU. Code for TOEFL: 6762
  • Document confirming English as the language of instruction (only for applicants who earned their degree in a program which was taught in English and request an exemption from submitting IELTS or TOEFL);
  • GRE/GMAT test certificates valid as of the date of online documents submission (optional);
  • Two confidential letters of recommendation written within the last 12 month (to be provided by referees electronically or in hard copy). You can find the Instruction for submission of recommendation letters here;
  • Statement of purpose of 500 words or less;
  • 075у medical certificate (for Kazakhstani applicants) or a similar medical certificate with indication of general health (for international applicants);
  • A document stating the presence or absence of a criminal record;
  • Consent of the applicant/student to the processing of personal data;
  • The Admissions Committee and/or Admissions Department may request additional documents when necessary.

How to apply

Status assigned to the candidate

All registered candidates can check the status of their application in the Personal account. Description of the status below is presented in the order of assignment to the candidate in the Personal account.


Application in processing. This is interim status, which means that the application is being processed. Admissions Committee will evaluate the application and inform the candidate on further steps/stages. Notification on final results will be sent to your email address.


Does not meet entry requirements. The status is assigned to the candidates who do not meet the minimum entry requirements. It is given after checking the application forms and the documents by the Admissions Department.


Disqualified. The status is assigned to candidates who are disqualified for gross violations of the conditions of the competition. For example, provided deliberately false information.


Rejected by Admissions Committee. At one of the competition stages, the Admissions Committee decided to reject the candidate’s application.


Transfer to another program. At the stage of an application screening the Admissions Committee has decided to recommend the candidate for consideration by the Admissions Committee of another program within the same School.


Pending. Candidate’s application is pending.


Waiting list. The Admissions Committee has finished reviewing the candidate’s application and made a decision to put you on a waiting list. Such candidates should expect notification from the University, as there is a possibility that if other candidates reject to study, they may be sent an invitation letter to study.


Recommended for admission to program. Admissions Committee has decided to recommend candidate for the program without going through the Year of Graduate programs.


Recommended for conditional admission. The Admissions Committee has decided to recommend a candidate for the conditional admission with a requirement to fulfill the condition by the deadline specified in the notification.


Withdrawn. Candidate decided to withdraw from the competition.


Accepted Program admission offer. The status is assigned to candidates who received offer letter, signed Enrollment confirmation form and fulfilled all the сonditions of the University indicated in the offer letter.


Refused admission offer. The candidate was recommended for admission, but refused to study.


Refused in favor of another NU program. The status is applicable for those candidates, who applied for several graduate programs at NU. The status is assigned when the candidate chooses another program.


Deferred. The status is assigned to candidates who were accepted for the program, but decided to postpone their studies until the next year.


Did not submit the documents/Refused. The status assigned to candidates who did not provide originals of the documents by the stated deadline, which means that the candidate refuses to study at University.


Did not come to Orientation week/Refused. The status is assigned to candidates who accepted the offer letter, provided hard copies of documents, but did not participate in Orientation week. The vacant place, if available, can be offered to the candidates in the Waiting list.


Enrolled to program. The status is assigned to candidates who enrolled to the main program by the Decision of the Provost. Candidate officially became a student.

What do our alumni say
  • Islam Salikhanov
    Alumnus, Class of 2018
    Clinical Research, Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital of Basel
    Basel, Switzerland
    islam.salikhanov@usb.ch
    +41 78 248 99 19
    I was in the first cohort to graduate from the MPH program (2016-2018), and this experience was mind-changing. First, the MPH faculty helped me build a solid foundation in epidemiology, biostatistics, and study designs, which further helped me advance this knowledge during my PhD in Public Health at the University of Basel. The knowledge I gained during the MPH was necessary, and without this program, my further achievements would not have been possible. Second, during this program, I’ve done and published my first research, which I presented at the ISPOR conference in Baltimore, USA. Third, moreover, the soft skills (communication, problem-solving, and international perspective) also expanded my horizons and helped me after graduation. This program helped me understand that I wanted to further advance in the field of research. Now I am working in clinical research in Switzerland and I am grateful to the entire MPH faculty and especially Byron because without it, all my further achievements would not have been possible.
  • Arnur Gusmanov
    Alumnus, Class of 2020
    I highly valued the diversity within my MPH cohort, which encompassed students with various academic backgrounds, including biologists, physicians, nurses, social workers, mathematicians, economists, and many other specialists. This diversity enabled us to leverage our differences and bring fresh insights to the issues at hand. Quantitative research and the utilization of epidemiological and biostatistical methods were what excited me the most regarding academic training. More importantly, there were opportunities to apply newly acquired skills in many research projects with various levels of methodological complexity, from cross-sectional to longitudinal designs, from single hospital to nationwide studies. Through high-quality education, this program trains qualified Public Health specialists who are able to make a difference in people’s lives in Kazakhstan.
  • Dinara Makhadiyeva
    Alumna, Class of 2021
    The MPH program at NU SOM stands out as an exceptionally well-crafted and balanced course, covering all essential aspects of public health. The rigorous training in statistical analysis provides a solid foundation for interpreting complex data, while the focus on critical thinking encourages students to approach public health issues with a strategic and analytical mindset. Additionally, the program incorporates practical experiences and research opportunities, allowing students to apply their knowledge in real-world settings. As a current PhD student in Global Health, I can attest to the exceptional preparation provided by this Master’s program. The strong foundation in public health principles, combined with the advanced training in research methodologies, has enabled me to pursue my PhD with confidence and competence. This program has truly set the stage for my future success in the global health field, and I deeply appreciate the education and opportunities it has provided.
  • Ualsher Akhan
    Alumnus, Class of 2023
    I was the first lawyer ever enrolled in the program. The interdisciplinary approach of the MPH program is very accommodating to students, even those without any experience in biomedical sciences. On the contrary, being in our diverse cohort greatly enhanced my journey. The comprehensive curriculum covered all areas vital for public health, such as epidemiology, biostatistics, management, health policy, and economics. I successfully completed the program with honors, thanks to the immense support from the faculty. I have never experienced such a degree of support and commitment to student success elsewhere. Our professors were always approachable and supportive, even during the uncertain times of the pandemic. Throughout my studies, I had access to many extracurricular opportunities and guidance from our advisers. I graduated with the skills and confidence to drive positive changes in healthcare.
  • Aidana Rakhmankulova
    Student, Class of 2025
    NU SOM’s academic atmosphere provides an opportunity to study effectively and have active and calm leisure time. Large Library collection supports studying. Laboratory facilities are substantially equipped, raising various research opportunities. MPH programme is effectively structured, and courses deepen knowledge in all aspects of the Public Health field. We learn theoretical and practical skills, problem-based learning, and group/individual research projects shape our hard and soft skills. Courses are intertwined, and all the information perfectly remains in the long-term memory. We are allowed to choose a thesis topic and further work with the professor. The faculty is always there to help, advise and guide. Small classes are a great opportunity for a personalised approach. Students who have a passion and desire to move forward are given all kinds of opportunities to develop.
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