- UCAS course code
- VL38
- UCAS institution code
- M20
Early clearing information
This course is available through clearing for home and international applicants
If you already have your exam results, meet the entry requirements, and are not holding an offer from a university or college, then you may be able to apply to this course.
Contact the admissions team
Bachelor of Science (BSc)
BSc International Disaster Management & Humanitarian Response
Duration: 3 years
Year of entry: 2025
UCAS course code: VL38 / Institution code: M20
- Typical A-level offer: AAB
- Typical contextual A-level offer: BBB
- Refugee/care-experienced offer: BBB
- Typical International Baccalaureate offer: 35 points overall with 6,6,5 at HL
Fees and funding
Fees
Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2025 will be £9,535 per annum (subject to Parliamentary approval). Tuition fees for international students will be £26,500 per annum. For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.
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
- Find out more from student finance
- Eligible UK students can apply for bursaries and scholarships
- Funding for EU and international students is on our country-specific pages
- Many students work part-time or complete a student internship
Course unit details:
Introduction to Global Health
| Unit code | HCRI30021 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 20 |
| Unit level | Level 3 |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | Yes |
Overview
The unit conceptualises current approaches and issues in global health. A total of 11 individual lectures explore what global health is and cover. It explores key issues such as the global burden of diseases, social the determinants of health and health inequalities, global health goals and key agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals; and important contemporary key topics such as emerging infectious diseases.
Students will also have the opportunity to develop their knowledge of health systems and the key actors in global health and reflect on people’s health.
Lectures are complemented by a weekly seminar series to explore issues of global health in context, in the UK and globally, and increase awareness of specific health issues and challenges.
Aims
The unit aims to:
- Understand the main concepts of importance in analysing global health, including basic principles in epidemiology and public health;
- Understand the root causes that contribute to inequality in health and health access within and between countries.
- Introduce the main contemporary players within the global health system, and to critically evaluate their strengths and weaknesses.
- Engage with global health challenges through an interdisciplinary approach, appreciating and including insights from public health, social theory, and other disciplines.
Teaching and learning methods
The module is delivered using lectures, individual/group structured reading, discussion and preparation sessions, and seminars. The study sessions and seminars provide a structured environment for students to initiate and carry out independent and group work, supported by staff.
Session material including unit handouts, assigned readings, videos, and web links are made available via VLE (accessed via the student system). Information on how to use e-learning tools is included in Welcome Week and in the course unit introductory lecture.
Knowledge and understanding
- Gain a deep understanding of the basic concepts of Global Health and apply these sensibly to contemporary health challenges.
- Understand the socio-economic, cultural, political and environmental factors impacting on health and diseases.
- Develop critical understanding of the diversity and changing nature of the determinants of health and health inequalities.
- Recognise the role and impact of global actors and systems on the health and well-being of populations.
- To understand important contemporary global health topics.
Intellectual skills
- Critically analyse the concept of global health and its relation to other related concepts such as international health
- Critically reflect on the ‘causes of the causes’ of ill-health, social determinants of health and health inequalities
- To understand the critical global health challenges, and the factors that have contributed to their emergence as well as key governance issues
Practical skills
- Plan, research and execute individual and group work.
- Develop oral and written presentation skills to present a critical analysis.
- To conduct critical analysis on contemporary global health issues.
Transferable skills and personal qualities
- Improve research, writing, and presentation skills, both independently and in collaboration.
- Ability to plan and execute individual and group research.
- Develop and deliver oral and written communication skills.
- Critical analysis skills: e.g. research, critique of interventions.
- Enhanced student awareness of global health challenges and global health inequities, and their implications.
- Increased awareness of students’ own values as an individual and global citizen.
Employability skills
- Analytical skills
- Critical analysis
- Project management
- Ability to plan and execute individual and group research
- Other
- Presentation skills
Assessment methods
| Assessment Task | Formative or Summative | Weighting within unit |
| 1x group presentation | Summative | 40% |
| Essay | Summative | 60% |
Feedback methods
| Feedback method | Formative or Summative |
| Verbal feedback during seminars and office hours (students receive verbal feedback for the practice essay plan) | Formative |
| Written feedback on assessed presentations - using SALC feedback form | Summative |
| Written feedback on essays- using SALC feedback form | Summative |
Recommended reading
Seye Abimbola (2018) On the meaning of global health and the role of global health journals, International Health, 10:63-65.
Hani Kim, et al. (2019). A critical assessment of the ideological underpinnings of current practice in global health and their historical origins, Global Health Action, 12:1, 1651017 (13 pages).
Paul Farmer (2013) “Reimagining Global Health - An Introduction”, University of California Press.
Joia Mukherjee (2017) “An Introduction to Global Health Delivery¿: Practice, Equity, Human Rights”. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Michael Marmot, et al. (2020) Health equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On - Executive Summary
Study hours
Scheduled activity hours
Lectures
22
Seminars
11
Independent study hours
Independent study
167
Teaching staff
Staff member
Role
Sabah Boufkhed
Unit coordinator
Byron Bitanihirwe
Unit coordinator