MSc Global Health

Year of entry: 2024

Overview

Degree awarded
MSc
Duration
3 years (part-time)
Entry requirements

We require a Lower Second Class Bachelor's degree or the overseas equivalent, although each application is judged on its own merits and exceptions to this entry requirement may be made.

Applicants who do not have a Bachelor's degree or the overseas equivalent may apply if they can demonstrate (via a personal statement) that they can communicate clearly, are highly motivated, and have experience of prior learning.

Full entry requirements

How to apply
Apply online

Course options

Full-time Part-time Full-time distance learning Part-time distance learning
MSc N N N Y

Course overview

  • Study the worldwide improvement of health, reduction of disparities and protection against global threats;
  • Cover topics such as emergency medicine, disaster management, community health, anthropology, and sociology of health and illness;
  • Benefit from insights from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), collaborators on the content of this course;
  • Option to specialise in either Disaster Management, Humanitarian Response, or Emergency Medical Response;
  • Both January and September intakes available.

Open days

We are pleased to be able to offer individual virtual drop-in sessions with course director Dr Amanda Mccorkindale. This will be your chance to talk about the course content, teaching methods and application process. You can see the available times and reserve a space here: MA HCRI Drop-In Sessions .

Find out what it's like to study at Manchester by visiting us on one of our open days .

Fees

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

  • MSc (part-time distance learning)
    UK students (per annum): 3833 p.a.
    International, including EU, students (per annum): 9000 p.a.

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Policy on additional costs

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Scholarships/sponsorships

Each year, we offer a number of awards and subject-specific bursaries (the values of which are usually set at Home/EU fees level), open to both Home/EU and international students. The deadline for these is early February each year.

Details of these funding opportunities, including deadlines, eligibility and how to apply, can be found on the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures' funding page where you can also find details of the Government Postgraduate Loan Scheme.

See also the HCRI fees and funding page and  the University's postgraduate funding database to see if you are eligible for any other funding opportunities.

Contact details

School/Faculty
School of Arts, Languages and Cultures
Contact name
Postgraduate Taught Admissions Team
Email
Website
http://www.hcri.manchester.ac.uk/
School/Faculty

See: About us

Courses in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of courses in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview

We require a Lower Second Class Bachelor's degree or the overseas equivalent, although each application is judged on its own merits and exceptions to this entry requirement may be made.

Applicants who do not have a Bachelor's degree or the overseas equivalent may apply if they can demonstrate (via a personal statement) that they can communicate clearly, are highly motivated, and have experience of prior learning.

English language

An overall grade of 7.0 in IELTS with 7.0 in writing an no skill below 6.5 is required or 100+ in the TOEFL iBT with a minimum writing score of 25 and no skill below 22.

If you have obtained a different qualification, please check our  English language requirements  to ensure that it is accepted and equivalent to the above requirements.

English language test validity

Some English Language test results are only valid for two years. Your English Language test report must be valid on the start date of the course.

Application and selection

How to apply

Advice to applicants

Queries regarding the content of this course should be sent to the Programme Director, Dr Darren Walter , who can discuss the course in greater detail and address any questions prior to applying.

During the course of your study, you will be able to select a specialisation (pathway) in either Disaster Management, Humanitarian Response, or Emergency Medical Response. However, you are not required to select a specialisation and can continue to graduate with a MSc in Global Health only (without pathway title). Alternatively, you can apply to a specific pathway at the point of application.

Skills, knowledge, abilities, interests

Students who do not clearly meet the academic requirements may be considered based on relevant professional experience. Applicants who fall into this category should contact  MASALC@manchester.ac.uk for advice.

Overseas (non-UK) applicants

Students must meet our English language requirements to be accepted onto the course.

Course details

Course description

The MSc Global Health at Manchester was originally developed in collaboration with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to fit the needs of global health practitioners in the humanitarian sector. Now aimed at both those new to the humanitarian health field and professionals who want to expand their knowledge and skills, our course offers a practical means of study.

You will explore issues related to the worldwide improvement of health, the reduction of disparities, and protection against global health threats that disregard national borders, particularly in contexts of conflict and disasters. The course is unique in its interdisciplinary approach, bringing together the study of humanitarian studies, disaster studies, emergency medicine, community health, and the anthropology of health and illness. It also offers students the opportunity to select from three distinct pathways within the Global Health programme, with specialities in emergency response, humanitarian response, or disaster management.

You will have access to leading multidisciplinary academics and practitioners. For example, we have a close working relationship with the charity UK-Med, which trains and deploys medical teams to sudden onset disasters and complex emergencies.

Aims

After Years 1 and 2, you should be able to show a critical understanding of:

• Key issues and debates related to the practices of global health programming. You will show familiarity with different theoretical approaches, practical problems and an appreciation of the diversity of policies at international and national levels;

• The range of social science topics which influence global health (including political, historical, and anthropological understandings). You will become familiar with the theoretical and methodological underpinnings of these disciplines;

• The analytical and policy literature concerning the related issues of global health, including economics, governance structures and institutions, the role and perspectives of the state, multilateral and bilateral agencies, international and domestic NGOs and other civil institutions;

• International, national and local approaches to global health, including an awareness of the advantages, problems and critiques associated with 'bottom up' approaches;

• The range of research methodologies associated with global health research;

• The development of a range of academic and professional/transferrable skills through both independent and group-based work.

After Year 3, you should also be able to:

• Demonstrate your capacity for self-managed learning through planning and conducting research on a topic related to your studies;

• Develop your knowledge of a relevant body of literature, understanding of relevant theoretical perspectives and skills of critical reasoning;

• Seek new research findings which, in some cases, add to the existing body of knowledge on a particular subject area;

• Engage in a limited programme of primary data collection or to reinterpret material already available in the public domain;

• Develop knowledge of, and competence in, an appropriate range of research methods, including the development of research hypotheses, an appreciation of the research methodology and analytical techniques to be utilised, the undertaking of a specific research study, the synthesis and evaluation of findings, and a clear statement of conclusions and recommendations;

• Develop writing, presentation and bibliographic skills, which involves the planning and management of a long document.

Special features

Online course delivery

You will be able to engage fully with the course content and other students via lectures, discussion boards, group work, online chat, question and answer sessions with the tutor, and peer-to-peer feedback and assessment.

Pathways

You can study for a MSc Global Health or graduate with a specialisation in MSc Global Health (Emergency Response); MSc Global Health (Humanitarian Response) or MSc Global Health (Disaster Management).

Teaching and learning

The course will begin with an online induction session that explains how the course will progress and how you can fully engage with the curriculum and online classroom environment.

Academic and pastoral support will be offered online by the programme director, course leaders and teaching staff, who will be responsible for monitoring progression through the course. A designated programme administrator will be responsible for dealing with day-to-day enquiries.The course is designed for part-time students and lasts for three years in total. You will study four course units in each of Years 1 and 2. Each of the units comprises ten weeks of teaching followed by one week of assessment. You will complete each unit in turn before progressing to the next. The format is designed to be adaptable to the needs of professional students and provides opportunity for reflection between units.

Additionally, you will also complete a research methods course in each year (offered between January and June) to provide methodological knowledge needed to complete your course work and dissertation. Year 3 comprises the dissertation for the MSc award. Students will submit a research proposal and be allocated a dissertation supervisor. You will then be guided through key milestones in the completion of your dissertation.

The MSc Global Health has been designed to recreate a classroom learning environment in an online format. You will be able to engage fully with the course content and peers via recorded lectures, discussion boards, group work, online chat, question and answer sessions with your tutor, and peer-to-peer feedback and assessment.

Coursework and assessment

All assessment will take place online. Each of the units in Years 1 and 2 will conclude with a selection of assessments, including multiple choice tests, essays, group assignments such as wikis, and prose-based assessments.

All units include academic contributions to the discussion forums as part of the overall assessment process for each unit (10%). For these contributions, each student is expected to contribute a weekly written academic piece expressing a view or perspective upon a question raised by the tutor/convenor in relation to the week's topic and materials. Engagement on the discussion boards is required throughout the course.

You will also receive formative feedback and guidance throughout the course, which will enable you to progress and develop your confidence and analytical skills.

You will study four course units in each of Years 1 and 2. Year 3 comprises the dissertation for the MSc award.

Course unit details

You will study four course units in each of Years 1 and 2. Each of the four units comprises eight weeks of teaching followed by one week of assessment.

Year 3 comprises the dissertation for the MSc award.

You will receive 60 credits for the successful completion of each year of the course, totalling 180 credits for the MSc award.

Core Units:

Emergency Humanitarian Assistance: The provision of Emergency Humanitarian Assistance to populations in need is a complex area of research, constantly evolving and challenged in different ways with each location and crisis. With a multitude of factors impacting upon the size, scale and form of the response, this module will explore the core elements of a response.

Health Systems: We will examine some of the key building blocks of a good health system as well as the international agendas that frame health system strengthening. It will also explore how a crisis, such as an outbreak or a conflict, impacts health systems and healthcare provision.

Community Approaches to Health: This module introduces students to the theory and practice of community medicine to understand how practitioners can work with communities in order to change health outcomes. It examine various issues from psycho-social care, behaviour change, aging, HIV, nutrition, breast feeding to immunisation.

Research Paradigms and Processes: This module offers an introduction to the theoretical and philosophical foundations of research and knowledge production. It explores the underlying principles of both quantitative and qualitative research, their methodological foundations and provides an understanding of the decision-making process involved in designing and answering research questions.

Applied Research Methods: The module is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental principles and practical techniques involved in conducting applied research following on from the more theoretical Research Paradigms and Processes module.

Dissertation: All students will be allocated a dissertation supervisor who will support you throughout the year. Formal dissertation supervision sessions will be arranged, which may be conducted via video conference (MS Teams or Zoom), phone or email, depending upon your personal preference and the facilities available to you. All assessment will take place online. You will submit your dissertation at the end of your final academic year.

Students can also choose three additional 15 credit course units from the list below. To graduate with a pathway specialisation, all optional units need to be from the same pathway and the dissertation needs to be linked to a related topic.

Course unit list

The course unit details given are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

TitleCodeCredit ratingMandatory/optional
Dissertation (MSc Global Health) HCRI70000 60 Mandatory
Community Approaches to Health HCRI71000 15 Mandatory
Ethics, Human Rights and Health HCRI72000 15 Mandatory
Health Systems HCRI74000 15 Mandatory
Diseases and Trauma in Developing Countries HCRI75000 15 Mandatory
Management and Leadership in Health and Humanitarianism HCRI76000 15 Mandatory
Risk, Vulnerability and Resilience HCRI77000 15 Mandatory
Research Methods in Global Health HCRI78000 15 Mandatory
Disaster Preparedness HCRI79000 15 Mandatory

Course collaborators

The idea for this course was co-developed with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to respond to the needs of medical humanitarians. 

What our students say

You can read blog posts by and profiles of HCRI students on the  Manchester Calling  blog.

Disability support

Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: dass@manchester.ac.uk

Careers

Career opportunities

This course is aimed at both those new to the Global Health and humanitarian sectors and those already in the field.

Those with work experience will be able to harness the knowledge gained from their course to progress within their field of expertise, reaching senior roles in government and non-governmental organisations.

Others will be able to use the course as a starting point to progress into careers within NGOs, national health services, civil service, academic institutions and more.

Find out more about careers and employability and our alumni .

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a student and for two years after you graduate. At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help boost your employability .