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Brighton & Sussex Medical School

Global Health

BSMS > Postgraduate > Global Health

Global Health

Key facts

MSc, PGDip, PGCert 
Full-time: 1 year
Part-time: 2 years 
Eligible applicants: UK, EU, international
Location: University of Sussex Falmer campus
Course Leader: Dr Anne Gatuguta 
This course is validated by the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex.
Watch our video below with staff and current students to find out more about our Global Health course. 

 

Course delivery statement

The importance of global health has never been more apparent. Our course focuses on understanding current global health issues, their complex determinants and potential solutions to various global health problems. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are swiftly adapting to necessary changes and maximising opportunities for enhancing learning on our Global Health MSc. As a Global Health team, our priority is the safety and well-being of our students and staff. Here is what you should know about the upcoming academic year (2020-2021):

The academic year will start as normal and term dates will not be changed. Induction for the Global Health programme is planned to take place on 9 September 2020, with teaching starting in the week beginning 14 September 2020.

It is likely that the Global Health MSc will be taught online for the whole year, using a blend of live, synchronous teaching, and pre-recorded/asynchronous materials. Our timetables, teaching methods and course content will all be adapted to make the most of this approach.

During the Spring term of 2021, students will have the opportunity to choose two from a range of optional modules. Some of the optional modules that we normally make available to our students are delivered by the University of Sussex and IDS, and depending on their decisions for provision it may or may not be possible to study these modules entirely online. We are committed to ensuring that all our students have a choice of optional modules which they can complete remotely.

In the Spring term of 2020, we successfully delivered two modules online, to positive feedback from students. You can find out more about our online teaching in the video below, featuring Dr Sarah Marshall, Lecturer in Global Health and Course Leader Global Pharmacy at BSMS.  

Please contact the Global Health MSc course team at globalhealthteaching@bsms.ac.uk if you have any queries and for information about how to apply.

Key areas of study

  • Determinants of health and ill-health in a globalised world
  • Global burden and management of disease and injury
  • Access to medicines
  • Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
  • Health, poverty and development
  • Global mental health
  • Emerging infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance
  • Sexuality, fertility and reproductive rights
  • Conflict and violence
  • Research practice in global contexts

Course overview

The health and wellbeing of people differs widely across the globe. Life expectancy varies from 45 years in some countries to double that figure in others, and similar inequalities exist within countries. 

Many complex factors and processes simultaneously operating from the local to the global spheres affect the health of individuals, populations and nations. As these factors change, so do the challenges and opportunities for improving health locally and globally. The global health programme at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Global Health Research develops students’ understanding of the complex determinants of health and their potential solutions in order to help them contribute to the improvement of health and the achievement of health equity and social justice worldwide. With this purpose, this programme offers an inter-multi and cross-disciplinary approach to health and ill-health. 

The course brings together experts from the health sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, development studies, anthropology, economics and political sciences among others in order to deliver a stimulating and vibrant programme. We combine traditional didactic teaching with dynamic and interactive methods, using case studies alongside evidence and insights from the various disciplines to facilitate students’ critical understanding of current global health issues, their complex determinants and their potential solutions.

Two workers on the road pushing a coal cart

Dissertation (Research Project)

Our MSc in Global Health has a strong research component. The dissertation or research project allows students to develop an area of expertise through in-depth focus on a topic of their particular interest.

Students can gain first-hand research experience with one of our overseas partner institutions. With the support of a research supervisor, students are expected to learn and work independently, access and critique information from a variety of sources, and competently design and report a research project. Students will be also required to obtain the necessary ethics approvals when needed.

Course structure

Global Health MSc course structure

Please note that module availability can change from year to year according to the availability of lecturers and levels of student interest.

 

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Career opportunities

Graduates of this programme will have the skills to work as global health practitioners, policy makers, consultants or researchers within international health and development agencies.

Previous graduates have gone into a range of careers, including working for national and international NGOs and Public Health England (PHE). Others are working in national and international-level research organisations and universities, and some have continued for further postgraduate training at PhD level. 

Entry requirements

A first- or upper second-class undergraduate honours degree or equivalent in any global health-related subject (eg, development studies, anthropology, nursing, political sciences, geography, psychology, biomedical sciences, etc) or the successful completion of at least three years’ basic medical science at a UK medical school (having gained at least 360 credits). Relevant global health experience is desirable but not essential.
For international students an IELTS score of 7 or above is required, with no less than 6.5 in each section.

Fees and funding

The fees listed below are the overall costs for full-time courses taken in the academic year 2020-21. Where courses are taken part-time over more than one academic year, fees are usually charged pro-rata for the modules taken during each academic year.  

MSc

UK / EU / Island students £8,262
International £15,156

PGDip

UK £5,508
International £10,008

PGCert

UK £2,754 
International £5,004

Scholarships

All BSMS students on Masters courses accredited jointly by the University of Sussex and the University of Brighton are eligible to apply for University of Sussex postgraduate scholarships in 2020-21. 

more about Sussex Postgraduate scholarships  >

Some postgraduate applicants may be eligible to apply for Rotary International Global Grant Scholarships.

more about Rotary International Global Grants >

Check out this handy article from the Institute of Development Studies for tips applying for this and other scholarships >

podo patient receives treatment

Global Health Scholarships

BSMS offers a number of scholarships for students admitted to the full-time Masters degree in Global Health at the Brighton and Sussex Centre for Global Health Research.

BSMS Global Health scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic and/or professional merit and financial need. The scholarship provides one £5,000 award or two £2,500 awards towards tuition fees. UK, EU and International (Non UK/EU) students are eligible and encouraged to apply.

Application procedure

You must first apply for admission to the MSc in Global Health course via our online application process (see 'Apply here' below). You will need your applicant number to complete the BSMS Global Health Scholarship application form.

The completed application form should be submitted as a single Word document saved as a PDF via email to Dr Anne Gatuguta (A.gatuguta@bsms.ac.uk).

The subject of your email should read BSMS Global Health Scholarship. Successful candidates will be notified by the end of July. Unfortunately we are not able to provide feedback regarding unsuccessful applications.