Portugal’s National Health Service has eliminated user fees for almost all services, with limited exceptions for certain emergency visits without prior referral. The OECD reports that life expectancy in Portugal is 82.5 years, 1.4 years above the OECD average. A frequently cited WHO ranking placed Portugal 12th among 191 member states for overall health system performance; however, the ranking was published in 2000 and used estimates for 1997.
Portugal also offers several graduate programs in public health. Let’s take a look at top schools offering public health programs in Portugal!
Top Schools Offering Public Health Programs in Portugal
1. University of Porto
The University of Porto Faculty of Medicine offers a Master’s Degree in Public Health in collaboration with the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. The program lasts four semesters and carries 120 ECTS. It examines public health problems with particular attention to national health patterns and environmental, psychosocial, and biological factors. Its curriculum includes epidemiology, biostatistics, social determinants of health, and environmental health.
2. Nova University Lisbon
Created in 1966 and integrated into NOVA University Lisbon in 1994, the NOVA National School of Public Health is a long-established Portuguese institution specializing in public health education, research, and engagement with health policy and practice.
Its Master’s in Public Health provides multidisciplinary training in epidemiology, health economics, health promotion, health policy and management, and occupational and environmental health. The program is designed to prepare students to contribute to population health and health systems, conduct research, and participate in public health studies and projects.
The degree takes two years and is delivered in a hybrid format in Portuguese. Mandatory curricular units are taught in person, while optional units may be delivered online. The first year comprises the curricular component, while the second year is dedicated to a dissertation. The master’s holds international accreditation from the Agency for Public Health Education Accreditation. The school also offers a Bachelor’s in Global Public Health and a Ph.D. in Public Health.
3. Polytechnic Institute of Porto
The Polytechnic Institute of Porto’s School of Health offers education and research across the health sciences and health technologies. Among its graduate options is the Master’s in Clinical Analysis and Public Health.
The active 120-ECTS master’s has two specialization branches: Microbiology and Public Health, and Immunohemotherapy and Transplantation. The program is offered on an after-work schedule. Depending on the branch, coursework includes molecular diagnostic methods, immunopathology, microbiology, hematology, transfusion medicine, bioinformatics, quality management, and epidemiological research. In the second year, students complete seminars and either a dissertation or an internship.
We hope that this article on universities offering public health programs in Portugal was helpful. If you are interested, check out the Programs in Europe for International Students!
