For students attending the Master programme in Global Health - 60 credits Programme outline

Content and presentation

Global Health is a new discipline that integrates knowledge and experiences from different disciplines such as public health, medicine, health economics, environmental medicine, anthropology and behavioural sciences.

Global health focuses in identifying and assessing the global challenges in the public health field. The overarching aim is to contribute to a reduction of the global burden of disease. Global health contributes a new arena for research, education and information related to the health challenges facing the global population.

Research in Global Health is multidisciplinary in orientation with three important pillars: public health, clinical research and translational research. Focus is placed on the distribution and determinants of health, diseases and injuries in populations with different social, economic and cultural characteristics.

This one year programme consists of three parts:
core courses (10 weeks)
courses (10 weeks)
degree project (20 weeks)

The first part with the core course modules provides a common basis for all students to become familiar with the concept of global health and to become more competent regarding relevant research methods. The core courses are equivalent to 15 credits (2 x 7.5 credits).

The second part with advanced course modules will include a variety of courses addressing different specific areas of global health such as: human resource development, reproductive health; health systems; global infectious disease; climate change and disaster preparedness etc. At this stage the students will focus on one of several specific areas and continue to prepare their thesis in the same area.

The degree project can either be based on primary research in a low- or middle-income country where KI has an existing collaboration or on secondary data from registers, such as demographic health surveys (DHS). Those students wishing to travel must secure their own funding. Swedish citizens and permanent residents may apply for funding via Minor Field Studies (MFS).