INVEST Master’s Degree Programme in Public Mental Health

Interested in becoming an expert in Public Mental Health? Gain the intellectual foundation and specialised skills you need to become an expert on mental health service systems, prevention and interventions for children, adolescents, and families.

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.

Next application period: January 2025

Programme in brief

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.

Curriculum for the Master´s Degree Programme in Public Mental Health covers:

Major Studies and Research Methods in Public Mental Health (40 ECTS)

• Orientation to University Studies
• Transmissions and Seminars
• Study Seminars and Journal Club
• Fundamentals of Public Mental Health
• Public Mental Health in Humanitarian Crises
• Global and Local Public Mental Health
• Basics of Epidemiology
• Statistical Methods in Clinical Trials
• Epidemiology in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Intervention Development, Implementation and Impact for Public Mental Health
• Digital Mental Health Interventions
• Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
• Qualitative Research in Public Mental Health

Master’s Thesis 40 ECTS

Minor Studies 25 ECTS

Elective Studies 15 ECTS

Learning and teaching methods utilize the modern, diverse student-centered learning methods. The programme will provide the qualifications needed in building a theoretical framework for a future Public Mental Health expert. The Research Centre for Child Psychiatry has several ongoing research projects related to psychiatry, mental health and psychosocial well-being of children, youth and families. Students have the opportunity to choose their topic for master’s thesis from existing or starting research. Internship is carried out as part of research projects.