The Netherlands offers a range of master’s programs connected to public health, including health sciences, global health, epidemiology, nutrition, and health policy and management.
Discover opportunities to study public health-related at these top universities for public health in the Netherlands.
Top Schools Offering Public Health Programs in the Netherlands
1. Vrije University
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers a Health Sciences master’s program for students interested in analyzing complex public health challenges. From the 2026–2027 academic year onward, the MSc Health Sciences program changes into the primarily Dutch-language MSc Gezondheidswetenschappen. The one-year, full-time program is worth 60 ECTS and consists of five courses and a scientific research internship.
Students choose one of three study paths: Gezond Gedrag in een Complexe Samenleving, Beleid en Management voor Gezondheid, or International Health in Context. The courses in the International Health in Context study path are taught in English.
After meeting the course requirements, students begin a five-month, 30-ECTS scientific research internship in February. During the internship, students conduct health sciences research in practice. Students are responsible for finding a suitable placement, although the university can provide support.
2. Maastricht University
Maastricht University offers a one-year, full-time MSc in Global Health. The interdisciplinary program examines the biological, social, historical, political, economic, and environmental dimensions that shape health and disease patterns. It also considers how local and global dynamics interact.
Maastricht University states that 55% of its students are from abroad. The Global Health program is embedded within the Consortium for Global Health, which includes partner universities around the world. Students work virtually with students from partner universities and may choose an elective program at Maastricht University or an elective at one of six partner universities. The winter term concludes with a two-week Learning Symposium.
The program uses Maastricht University’s Problem-Based Learning approach, which emphasizes interactive learning in small groups. During the summer term, students collect and analyze data and write a master’s thesis. Students may also choose to base the thesis on a literature review.
3. Utrecht University
The Epidemiology Postgraduate master’s program at Utrecht University leads to a Master in Health Sciences degree. The program provides extensive knowledge and practical skills in patient-oriented research design, implementation, quantitative analysis, and applications in human or veterinary medicine and public health.
Students can choose between a 1.5-year, face-to-face, full-time program and a three-to-five-year, online, part-time program. The 90-ECTS curriculum includes core courses, specialization courses, and a 56-ECTS research project. The face-to-face and online programs cover similar content but use different learning methods.
4. Wageningen University and Research
The online Master’s in Nutritional Epidemiology and Public Health offered by Wageningen University & Research examines the connections between dietary intake, nutritional status, and health outcomes. The program trains future epidemiologists to conduct observational and intervention studies and develop approaches to disease prevention and health promotion.
The program is designed as a three-to-four-year, part-time course of study with an approximate workload of 20 hours per week. Although it is an online program, students take part in a one-week stay on the Wageningen campus during the second year. Two years of coursework are followed by a tailor-made academic internship and a master’s thesis. The curriculum covers topics such as epidemiology, statistics, nutritional status, dietary intake, and the public health cycle.
5. Erasmus University Rotterdam
The Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management at Erasmus University Rotterdam currently lists four master’s programs. The European Master in Health Economics and Management is a two-year, full-time, English-taught MSc worth 120 ECTS. This joint European program is offered by the University of Bologna, the University of Oslo, MCI | The Entrepreneurial School in Innsbruck, and Erasmus University Rotterdam. Students begin the first semester in Bologna and can study in Oslo, Innsbruck, or Rotterdam during later semesters.
The Health Care Management program is a one-year, full-time, English-taught MSc worth 60 ECTS. It focuses on healthcare systems and the ways that strategic management can contribute to change in healthcare organizations. Erasmus University Rotterdam also lists a two-year, part-time Health Care Management program. An internship is available as an elective course in the Health Care Management program rather than as a mandatory requirement.
The Health Economics, Policy & Law program is a one-year, full-time, English-taught MSc worth 60 ECTS. It combines economic, political, and legal perspectives to help students analyze and understand health policy issues. Students can also choose a Health Economics specialization focused on the concepts and tools used to analyze healthcare systems.
We hope that this article on universities offering public health-related programs in the Netherlands was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe and the Netherlands Study Guide to learn more about studying abroad!
