Master of Public Health (MPH)

Master of Public Health (MPH) at National Medical College, Birgunj

The Master of Public Health (MPH) program at National Medical College, Birgunj is a master’s-level course affiliated with Tribhuvan University. The program has an approved intake of 3 seats at the college and follows the MECEE-PG entrance framework. It is intended for health professionals seeking advanced academic preparation in public health, with focus areas that include health leadership, health services, research, planning, and public health management.

National Medical College was established in 2001 and operates from a single-campus setting in Birgunj, Parsa. The campus brings together academic departments, a teaching hospital, hostels, staff quarters, and a central library within one institutional environment. At this college, the MPH program is situated within a broader health science setting that supports academic study, professional development, and health-related learning across medical and allied disciplines.

Quick Highlights

• Course: Master of Public Health (MPH)

• Institution: National Medical College

• Location: Birgunj, Parsa, Nepal

• Affiliation: Tribhuvan University

• Level: Masters

• Duration: 2 years

• Seat Capacity: 3

• Entrance Exam: MECEE-PG

• Email: info@nmcbir.edu.np

• Phone: +977-51-591014, +977-591320

• Address: Post Box No. 78, Birgunj, Parsa, Nepal

Course Overview

The MPH program is designed to prepare public health professionals who can understand existing and emerging public health issues and contribute to health education, service delivery, research, and program leadership. The course is meant for multidisciplinary health professionals who want to strengthen their competency in public health and take on broader responsibility in preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and management-oriented work.

At National Medical College, the program is offered within a college environment that already supports undergraduate and postgraduate study in health sciences. This larger institutional setting supports advanced public health learning through academic resources, hospital-linked exposure, library access, and a campus structure built around health education and professional training.

Program Focus and Academic Direction

The MPH course is intended to develop public health specialists who can respond to health needs at community, institutional, and systems levels. The academic direction of the program includes understanding public health problems, planning solutions, improving service delivery, strengthening primary health care, and supporting health-related research and leadership.

The course is also shaped around the need for trained professionals who can work across education, management, health promotion, disease prevention, coordination, and program implementation. Its broader scope goes beyond classroom instruction and supports the development of public health judgment, analytical ability, and professional responsibility.

Learning Goals

The program supports the development of professionals who can contribute in areas such as:

• public health problem analysis

• planning and management of health services

• health education and health promotion

• disease prevention activities

• leadership in health-related fields

• inter-sectoral and intra-sectoral coordination

• community health development

• training and development of health workers and volunteers

• monitoring, supervision, and evaluation of health programs

• epidemiological, clinical, biomedical, social, behavioural, and educational research

• advisory and counseling roles in health services and education

• planning and management of health aspects of disasters

The course also supports continued academic growth and further advanced study in public health and related fields.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold one of the following qualifications, or an equivalent qualification recognized by the Government of Nepal:

• MBBS

• BDS

• BPH

• BN, BNS, or BSc Nursing

• BSc MLT or BMLT

• BAMS

• B.Pharmacy

• B.Optometry

• B.V.Sc.

• BASLP

Applicants must also be registered with the relevant professional council, including one of the following where applicable:

• Nepal Medical Council

• Nepal Nursing Council

• Nepal Health Professional Council

• Nepal Pharmacy Council

• Nepal Ayurveda Council

• Nepal Veterinary Council

To be eligible for merit listing, candidates must secure at least 50 percent marks in the entrance examination conducted by the Medical Education Commission.

Entrance and Admission

Entrance Exam: MECEE-PG

Admission to the MPH program follows the common entrance system under MECEE-PG. Nepalese and foreign applicants are required to appear in the common entrance examination. Merit lists for Nepalese and foreign students are published separately, and admission is made on a merit basis in open house counseling where applicable.

Candidates must secure at least 50 percent marks in the entrance examination to qualify for admission consideration.

Entrance Examination Format

The entrance examination follows a multiple-choice format with single best response questions. The structure includes:

• Question Type: Single best response multiple-choice questions

• Options: Four options

• Number of Questions: 200

• Full Marks: 200

• Duration: 3 hours

• Cognitive Distribution: Recall, understanding, and application in a 30:50:20 ratio

This format reflects both knowledge-based and applied public health reasoning.

Subject Weightage

The entrance examination covers a range of public health and related subjects. The stated subject areas and marks distribution include:

• Biostatistics: 30

• Epidemiology: 30

• Health Promotion and Education: 20

• Food and Nutrition: 20

• Research Methodology: 12

• Basic Medical Science: 8

• Demography and Health Informatics: 8

• Public Health and Primary Health: 8

• Environmental Health and Occupational Health: 8

• Family Health and Reproductive Health: 8

• Global Health and International Health: 8

• Sociology and Anthropology: 8

• Public Health Administration and Management: 8

• Health System Management: 8

• Project Planning, Development, Implementation and Evaluation: 8

• Health Economics and Health Financing: 8

Curriculum Structure

The MPH curriculum is organized into 10 papers, each carrying 100 marks. The course includes taught components as well as research and dissertation work. Teaching and learning activities include lectures, seminars, proposal development, field research, data analysis, and report writing.

Course Modules

The course structure includes the following papers:

• Paper I: Epidemiology

• Paper II: Biostatistics and Computer Application

• Paper III: Environmental Health and Disease Control

• Paper IV: Medical Sociology, Anthropology and Population Studies

• Paper V: Family Health

• Paper VI: Health Promotion and Health Education

• Paper VII: International Health and Primary Health Care

• Paper VIII: Research Methods in Health Sciences

• Paper IX: Health Systems Management

• Paper X: Dissertation

This structure combines public health theory, analytical subjects, health systems learning, and research-based work.

Evaluation and Academic Requirements

The course includes continuous assessment as part of student evaluation. It also includes a comprehensive examination and dissertation requirement. Dissertation work is carried out under supervision and must be completed according to the prescribed academic format.

The program also includes attendance expectations and theory-based assessment requirements across the course. Students are required to complete the academic and research components successfully in order to receive the MPH degree.

Scholarships

Scholarship provisions for MPH admission follow the applicable framework of the Medical Education Commission and the National Medical Education Act, 2018 and National Medical Education Regulations, 2020.

Learning Environment at National Medical College

National Medical College provides a single-campus setting of about 40 acres where major academic and institutional facilities are located together. The campus includes pre-clinical and clinical departments, a teaching hospital, a nursing school, student hostels, staff quarters, and a central library.

For MPH students, this setting supports access to a structured health science environment that combines academic learning with institutional resources. The central library is housed in a separate double-storied building and has seating capacity for 250 readers. Its collection includes textbooks, reference books, print and electronic journals, WHO publications, research reports, theses, Nepalese health literature, Ministry of Health publications, and related academic materials. HINARI journal access is also available, along with photocopy and audiovisual learning support.

Hostel accommodation is available separately for boys and girls. Internet access is available through Fiber Optic LAN and WiFi in hostels and residential quarters. The campus also includes an auditorium, canteens, sports facilities, a gymnasium, an aerobic exercise hall, and banking services including ATM support.

Why the Course Setting Matters

The MPH program at National Medical College benefits from being placed within an established health science institution rather than a standalone academic setup. The presence of academic departments, a teaching hospital, library resources, and student facilities within one campus supports a wider learning environment for public health education.

The location in Birgunj also places the college in a major urban and commercial center near the Indo-Nepal border. Within the college environment, the academic structure supports professional learning in medicine, nursing, allied health sciences, and public health, which adds depth to the institutional setting of the MPH course.

Contact

National Medical College
Post Box No. 78, Birgunj, Parsa, Nepal
Email: info@nmcbir.edu.np
Phone: +977-51-591014, +977-591320

FAQ

What is the level of the MPH course at National Medical College?

The Master of Public Health is a master’s-level program.

Which university is the MPH program affiliated with?

The program is affiliated with Tribhuvan University.

How many seats are available in MPH at National Medical College?

The approved seat capacity for MPH at the college is 3.

Which entrance exam is required for MPH admission?

Admission follows the MECEE-PG entrance examination framework.

Who can apply for the MPH program?

The program is open to eligible health professionals from backgrounds such as MBBS, BDS, BPH, nursing, medical laboratory technology, pharmacy, optometry, veterinary science, Ayurveda, and related fields, subject to the stated eligibility and council registration requirements.

What does the MPH curriculum include?

The curriculum includes epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, family health, health promotion, international health, research methods, health systems management, and dissertation work.

Does the MPH program include research work?

Yes. The course includes research proposal development, supervised dissertation work, data collection, analysis, and report writing.

What facilities support MPH students at National Medical College?

Students have access to the central library, academic departments, teaching hospital environment, hostels, internet services, auditorium, canteens, sports facilities, and banking support within one campus.