Global Health Policy MSc

The programme is available on a full-time basis over one year or on a part-time basis over two years.

Courses

You will take two compulsory courses and several option courses.

Dissertation

You will complete your dissertation in Semester 3, investigating a topic of your choice in depth under the supervision of an academic member of staff.

You can complete either:

• a standard research dissertation

or

• a placement-based dissertation

Placement-based dissertation

The placement-based dissertation option aims to offer you the opportunity to work on your dissertation within the context of a workplace of your choosing, subject to Programme Director and Placement Adviser approval.

The placement will generally consists of eight weeks of research with a host organisation in the UK or overseas, from our network of contacts which includes:

• NGOs and charities
• social enterprises
• think-tanks
• government bodies

Your placement can be completed either in-person, remotely, or in a hybrid format. You will have the option to arrange your own placement, subject to university approval.

Please note that a placement-based dissertation is not guaranteed as part of this programme and will be assigned based on competitive applications during Semester 1.

Find out more about the placement-based dissertation option:

• SPS placement-based dissertation

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Upon completion of this programme, you will be able to understand, critically appraise and apply key concepts and theories within policy studies, international political economy and public health science with specific reference to:

• social and economic determinants of population health status
• public health policy norms
• research methods
• processes and institutions of public policymaking

You will also develop the skills to:

• apply social science perspectives to public health questions
• assess the changing context of health policy formulation
• analyse diverse source materials and apply these to public health questions
• articulate your own conception of core challenges confronting public health
• engage in public health advocacy
• work across disciplinary boundaries

This highly regarded qualification will improve your chances of securing professional roles that are rewarding.

Recent graduates have taken up employment and research positions with:

• non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• health agencies
• government departments
• international organisations

We have structured the programme to allow you to undertake a placement during your dissertation, which can provide valuable experience and opportunities to develop professional connections.

The transferable skills you gain from the programme in areas such as communication, critical thinking and research will give you an edge in the employment market, whatever your eventual career.

A number of our students, particularly from social science backgrounds, use this programme to prepare for applications to medical school, law school, and PhD programmes.

Our programmes are also recognised by the UK Faculty of Public Health for training and development purposes, enabling practising doctors to undertake study with us.

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

Students from China

This degree is Band C.

• Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component. We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
• C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
• Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 59 in each component. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
• Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 6 in each component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

• English language requirements

Tuition fees

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

• borrowing money
  • taking out a loan
  • family support
• personal savings
• income from work
• employer sponsorship
• scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding