Which master's specialisation suits a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health graduate applying to New Zealand?

Your BA in Public Health already gives you the strongest possible starting point for New Zealand's public-health-focused master's, so the real decision is less about eligibility and more about which pathway inside public health, practice, policy or research, actually matches what you want to do after graduating.

Ranking the Options for a Public Health Background

• Master of Public Health (top pick): the broadest and most direct continuation of your BA, with pathways in epidemiology, health promotion, disease prevention and surveillance, offered at Auckland, Otago, Canterbury and AUT.
• Health Policy or Public Policy: the better choice if government, healthcare management or policy analysis interests you more than direct public-health practice; Auckland explicitly accepts a public health background for its Master of Public Policy.
• Health Sciences: suited to a more research-oriented direction, though your exact undergraduate subjects will determine how strong a fit this is.
• Epidemiology or Biostatistics: the right pick specifically if your BA carried strong statistics or research methods coursework.

What to Check Before You Apply

• English proficiency waiver: some New Zealand universities waive standardised English tests for applicants from certain undergraduate backgrounds, worth confirming directly with your shortlisted university.

This Information Is Also Available On

University of Auckland, University of Otago and University of Canterbury's own Master of Public Health program pages.

My Advice

My honest advice is to default to an MPH with an Epidemiology or Health Promotion focus unless you already know you want a policy or government career specifically, since it is the most direct and widely recognised continuation of your degree. Confirm your BA's exact curriculum against each university's entry criteria, since acceptance of a public-health-related bachelor's can vary between Auckland and Canterbury.