About the programme

There are enormous unmet needs in mental health provision both in developed and developing countries. There is a need of public mental health research on health service systems, interventions and prevention. Remote, digital and new technology-assisted interventions are needed to address the global challenges to provide evidence-based solutions. The perspective of public mental health is lacking in higher education in Finland and in most other countries.

More public mental health professionals who are able to plan, develop and implement evidence-based preventive and early interventions for mental health of children, adolescents and families are urgently needed. The development of novel approaches and implementation of interventions in the mental health care system must be anchored in research-based knowledge. This requires understanding of mental health, epidemiology and health care service systems. The programme educates research and healthcare development and administration professionals for the field of mental health. The programme will prepare students to work e.g. as epidemiologists, researchers, health care service managers and promoters at a vast array of organisations including public and private healthcare, federal government, universities and institutes.

Our programme will provide knowledge, subject-specific expertise, specialised skills, and global network you need to forge the career you want in Public Mental Health. The Master of Public Mental Health degree opens you an extraordinary path to a meaningful career.

Programme Structure

The extent of the Master’s degree in Public Mental Health is 120 ECTS credit units and the completion time of the program is two years.

Master’s studies (60 ECTS) will include for the following entities:

• Orientation and introduction to University studies
• Epidemiology and biostatistics
• Mental health promotion and prevention strategies
• Policy and advocacy
• Research methods – quantitative and qualitative
• Global mental health
• Intervention, development and evaluation
• Community engagement
• Ethics and cultural competence
• Integration of services
• Leadership and management
• Interdisciplinary approach
• Master’s theses (30 ECTS)

The topics of the Master’s theses (30 ECTS) will be provided by the research groups and the theses will be supervised by the research group members. Many courses are already organised by MPInvest and the students of the proposed programme will be able to join them.

The structure of the programme will provide the qualifications needed and supports in building the theoretical framework for future Public Mental Health expert. The studies consist of independent and group-based studying. Learning and teaching methods utilize the modern, diverse student-centered learning methods.

Career Prospects

After completing this programme, you will be able to demonstrate ability to apply knowledge of the following disciplines of public mental health, consisting of epidemiology, statistics, interventions, health policy, leadership and global mental health to real mental health problems of children, adolescents and families.

Possible job options after graduating Master’s studies:

• Global mental health promotion specialist
• Policy advocate
• Researcher
• Health care administrator
• Public health care service manager
• Public health coordinator/educator

Career in Research

A completed Master’s degree Program of Public Mental Health gives eligibility for doctoral studies. Doctoral programme on Inequalities, Interventions and New Welfare State (DPInvest) is part of the University of Turku Graduate School (UTUGS). DPInvest includes doctoral candidates from two faculties (ie. social sciences and medicine) and three disciplines (ie. child psychiatry, psychology and sociology).