Master's Programme in Global Health

The purpose of the programme is to give students a deeper knowledge and an analytical ability of relevance to the subject of global health. Knowledge, approaches to knowledge, theories and methods from different disciplines are integrated in the courses to give students an understanding of the complexity of the subject area. The programme has a particular emphasis on critical analysis, problem-solving ability and the ability to integrate knowledge from different subject areas when formulating health policy and health interventions. Furthermore, the programme enables the students to illuminate, analyse and problematise the uneven spread of health and to equip students to be able to carry out interventions in practice. The programme also aims at providing students with the ability to integrate aspects of sustainable development, human rights and power related to age, gender, ethnicity and socio-economic status when analysing the determinants of health and when formulating interventions to promote good health. Completing the programme will equip students with knowledge and abilities that make them suitable for a professional career within public sector, private sector and idea-driven organisations, at international, national and local levels.

The programme leads to Master's degree and prepares students for continued studies at third-cycle level.

In order to be accepted for the Master's Programme in Global Health, students must meet the basic entrance requirements, hold a Bachelor's degree worth 180 credits in a social sciences/health sciences/economics/arts main area or equivalent and English B/English 6 at upper secondary level or the equivalent level of an internationally recognized test, for example TOEFL, IELTS.

This programme leads to a Degree of Master of Medical Science (120 credits) with a major in Global Health (Medicine masterexamen med huvudområdet Global hälsa).

The programme is based on integrating several scientific perspectives in order to give students an understanding that the areas of knowledge of various disciplines are needed in order to understand and to be able to carry out actions within the field of global health.

The programme problematises global health in relation to its history, governance and interventions. It provides theoretical and practical skills to be able to work in complex political and economic contexts, with the goal of adressing global health inequities.

The programme is delivered out on a full-time basis, and includes the following courses. Courses worth 90 credits are given within the main area of global health, marked with an ∗. Semester 3 consists of elective courses.

Semester 1

Global health challenges in an interdisciplinary context, 15 hec∗

Quantitative and qualitative methods, 15 hec∗

Semester 2

Governing health and illness in a global perspective, 15 hec∗

Global health economics, 15 hec∗

Semester 3

Health promotion and disease prevention in at risk groups: strategies and method, 15 hec∗ or  Public health work: intervention, planning and evaluation, 15 hec

Applied qualitative methods, 7.5 hec

Applied epidemiology and biostatistics, 7.5 hec

Semester 4

Degree project in Global Health, 30 hec∗

The order of the courses within the programme may be subject to change.

General outcomes for Degree of Master (120 credits)

Knowledge and understanding
For a Degree of Master (120 credits) the student shall:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding in the main field of study, including both broad knowledge of the field and a considerable degree of specialised knowledge in certain areas
  of the field as well as insight into current research and development work, and
• demonstrate specialised methodological knowledge in the main field of study.

Competence and skills
For a Degree of Master (120 credits) the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to critically and systematically integrate knowledge and analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, issues and situations even with limited
  information;
• demonstrate the ability to identify and formulate issues critically, autonomously and creatively as well as to plan and, using appropriate methods, undertake advanced tasks within predetermined time frames and so contribute to the formation of knowledge as well as the ability to evaluate this work;
• demonstrate the ability in speech and writing both nationally and internationally to clearly report and discuss his or her conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they
  are based in dialogue with different audiences, and
• demonstrate the skills required for participation in research and development work or autonomous employment in some other qualified capacity. 

Judgement and approach
For a Degree of Master (120 credits) the student shall:

• demonstrate the ability to make assessments in the main field of study informed by relevant disciplinary, social and ethical issues and also to demonstrate awareness of ethical aspects
  of research and development work;
• demonstrate insight into the possibilities and limitations of research, its role in society and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used, and
• demonstrate the ability to identify the personal need for further knowledge and take responsibility for his or her ongoing learning.

Local outcomes
The programme has the following local learning objecttives:

Knowledge and understanding
For a Master's degree, students shall:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding within the interdisciplinary field of global health, as well as a deeper insight into current research and development work;
• demonstrate deeper methodological knowledge within quantitative and qualitative methods that are relevant to the subject of global health;
• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of health economic aspects on global health developments;
• describe distribution, discrimination, health and social poverty issues with both local and global perspectives;
• define the concepts of sustainable development and human rights and their historical development within a global context.

Competence and skills
For a Master's degree, students shall:

• be able to critically and systematically integrate knowledge from different disciplines and be able to analyse, assess and deal with complex phenomena, questions and situations relating to health;
• demonstrate an ability to critically, independently and creatively identify and formulate questions within the main area in order to be able to plan and use adequate methods to carry out advanced tasks within given time frames, and be able to evaluate this work;
• identify, formulate, discuss and account for issues relating to fairness and health from local to global level;
• compile and differentiate between information about sustainable development from a global perspective;
• demonstrate the skill required to participate in research and development work or to work independently in other advanced activities

Judgement and approach
For a Master's degree, students shall:

• demonstrate an ability to make assessments within the subject of global health, taking into account relevant scientific, social and ethical aspects, and demonstrate an awareness of ethical aspects of research and development work;
• reflect on the interaction between social, political and economic equality and inequality in relation to physical and mental health, i.e. the relationship between people's opportunities for fair and good living conditions and health outcomes;
• reflect on the link between ecological, economic and socially sustainable development and global health developments;
• demonstrate an ability to identify their need for further knowledge and to take responsibility for their knowledge and development.

The programme syllabus applies for students who begin their studies on the program from the autumn semester 2025. Students admitted according to the previous education plan and who after a study break wish to resume their studies, should contact the study counsellor for the planning of further studies.

The teaching language for courses within the programme will be in English.

Costs

In connection with study visits and similar activites, costs may arise for travel, accommodation, etc. Free alternatives to participation in compulsory activites will be offered.

Work placements and equivalent work-based education may involve additional cots for travel and accommodation.

The study programme will be followed up and evaluated in accordance with the applicable Policy for the Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement of Education at the University of Gothenburg (Policy för kvalitetssäkring och kvalitetsutveckling av utbildning vid Göteborgs universitet).

Students who have been admitted to the master's program in global health and at the prescribed pace follow the program and who apply for the program's courses and meet the prerequisites have a place guarantee for all courses within the program except for the course Public health work: intervention planning and evaluation, 15 hec, as this course presupposes the student him-/herself to arrange an internship.