Charting diverse careers in health and social care
A Master of Public Health degree opens up vast avenues for careers in health and social care, moving beyond conventional clinical work.
Whether a professional’s strength lies in meticulous data analysis, policy writing, or dedicated community organising, there is a vital pathway for them. Exploring advanced health and social care courses in Malta prepares graduates for management, policy, and research roles that drive systemic change rather than merely treating the symptoms of societal issues.
Strategy and policy roles
These roles are suited to those who think strategically and seek to influence large populations.
Professionals work as public health analysts or policy officers in governmental or non-governmental organisations (NGOs), crafting regulations and managing budgets. This work requires a deep knowledge of ethical standards and EU health policy, focusing on prevention and broad societal equity, which is a key defining aspect of the future of health and social care.
MPH graduates are also ideally placed as epidemiologists, analysing disease patterns and population trends. Training in modules like Health Research and Research Methods is essential for enabling data-driven outbreak response and predictive health modelling, often incorporating rapidly evolving technologies like artificial intelligence (AI).
Management and leadership roles
For those who wish to scale their impact, management roles are key.
Positions like healthcare executive or programme director involve overseeing the operations of entire hospitals, clinics, or regional NGO branches. This work requires blending organisational efficiency and business acumen with public welfare goals.
Similarly, wellness coordinators focus on community or corporate health promotion, designing holistic initiatives to improve mental and physical well-being.
For professionals specifically eyeing social work career opportunities, the Leadership and Management MPH pathway at GBS Malta is designed to facilitate a move into supervisory and directorial roles, enabling them to tackle systemic issues, like resource shortages and burnout that plague the sector locally.
Frontline and advocacy roles
Graduates can utilise their advanced qualifications in specialised direct-impact roles.
This includes advanced social work career opportunities focusing on complex areas such as international aid coordination, advanced crisis intervention, or political advocacy for marginalised populations in Malta.
Community health workers and advocates, meanwhile, focus on the ground level, implementing policy and ensuring resources reach citizens effectively. The health and social care degree in Malta provides the authority and knowledge base needed to lead these crucial interactions.
Value of health and social care programmes in Malta
Choosing the right health and social care degree in Malta is a highly strategic investment in professional purposes. Programmes here offer globally recognised, accredited qualifications paired with Malta's unique position as a central EU hub.
These courses effectively turn raw compassion into concrete, demonstrable skills, providing the complex expertise needed to step directly into high-demand careers in health and social care across Europe or locally, particularly within specialised social work career opportunities.
Malta offers a unique advantage in health education. It is an English-speaking environment within the EU, meaning that an MQF Level 7 qualification gained here carries immediate and full recognition across the continent.
Its geographical position provides an easy link to continental policy hubs. This immediately increases the career mobility of the holder of a health and social care degree in Malta. Beyond location, there is a substantial financial incentive: the Get Qualified scheme. This government-approved scheme allows local, EU, and international students to reclaim up to 70% of the €10,000 tuition fee.
This generous scheme is far more than just a discount; it is a significant government endorsement of the sector’s importance. It signals that Malta prioritises attracting and retaining highly skilled public health professionals.
This focus creates a safe, financially subsidised career path and strengthens the local job market for careers in health and social care. Therefore, the financial strategy in place actively supports the growth and stability of the future of health and social care in the region.
Spotlight on Master of Public Health at GBS Malta
If a professional is serious about leading in this field and shaping the future of health and social care, the GBS Malta’s Master of Public Health (MPH) is the essential launchpad.
This one-year, 90 ECTS programme is a powerhouse of strategic training, offering four crucial specialisations designed to turn empathy into expert leadership. It is deliberately structured to be one of the most flexible health and social care courses in Malta and is designed to prepare graduates for impactful roles in the EU and beyond, including advanced social work career opportunities.
“The Master’s in Public Health & Social Care at GBS Malta is designed for individuals ready to go beyond practice and step into roles of influence and decision-making. Delivered by seasoned academic professionals with rich experience in the field, this program transforms academic insight into strategic leadership. With flexible pathways in Epidemiology, Health Promotion, and Leadership & Management, students can tailor their studies to match their professional goals. We aim to develop graduates who not only understand public health systems, but have the clarity, confidence, and vision to lead them”.
Dr. Dana Al Laham, Academic Program Manager, Public Health & Social Care, GBS Malta
Programme structure and specialisations
The MPH is a Level 7 qualification, requiring 90 ECTS credits, with an annual fee of €10,000 (with Get Qualified rebates available).
To accommodate various student schedules, intakes are offered in February, May and October. All students must complete six 10 ECTS modules alongside a major 30 ECTS dissertation.
The core curriculum ensures a strong foundation, covering Contemporary Issues and Ethics in Public Health and Health Research and Research Methods.
The focus on ethics and contemporary issues directly trains students to handle global challenges like health inequities and technology impact, ensuring they are prepared for the strategic demands of the future of health and social care.
Assessment and skill development
The assessment methods are varied and practical, including case studies, poster presentations, and the substantial 30 ECTS dissertation.
For instance, the Contemporary Issues module requires a 3,000-word case study evaluation of global public health policy, ensuring students develop the practical, policy-level skills necessary for high-level careers in health and social care.
The 30 ECTS dissertation is a crucial opportunity for independent research, allowing students to tailor their studies to pressing local needs (e.g., tourism health or aging demographics). This personalised research provides a strong, specialised portfolio piece, offering a clear route to specialised social work career opportunities or policy roles by proving advanced subject matter expertise.
The health and social care degree in Malta is structured to build experts ready for immediate contributions.
The future of health and social care
The future of health and social care is highly dynamic, characterised by rapid digital optimisation and an intense focus on systemic equity.
Professionals holding a health and social care degree in Malta will be essential leaders in navigating emerging fields such as climate health policy, expanded telemedicine, and the ethical integration of artificial intelligence. These emerging trends guarantee that careers in health and social care will remain secure, innovative, and infinitely purposeful for decades to come.
Rapid acceleration in digital health funding across Europe, surging by 52% in the first half of 2025, is driving this change (European HealthTech Market). This growth is backed by new EU regulations that streamline innovation.
This context requires MPH graduates who are skilled not just in public health but also in the ethical use and implementation of technology. Simultaneously, addressing health inequities and preparing health systems for demographic shifts, particularly aging populations, remain top priorities across Europe (OECD).
This ensures consistent demand for health promoters and policy analysts trained through GBS Malta's specialised health and social care courses in Malta.
Script your impact story at GBS Malta
If a professional is seeking a life where their work profoundly matters, careers in health and social care provide that clear pathway to purpose.
By pursuing a health and social care degree in Malta like the Master of Public Health programme at GBS Malta, professionals are preparing not just for a job, but to take on the most pressing systemic and public welfare challenges of our time.
From enhancing local social work career opportunities to shaping the regulatory future of health and social care across the continent, these advanced qualifications will be in high demand.
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