Structure
The below structure outlines the proposed modules for this programme. Programme and module specifications provide full details about the aims and objectives of each module, what you will study and how the module is assessed.
- Structure of the year
Term 1 (September - December) consists of ten teaching weeks for AB1 slot modules, plus one Reading Week* in the middle of the term. Followed by the Winter break.
Term 2 (January - March) consists of a further ten weeks of teaching for C and D slot modules, plus a Reading Week in the middle of the term. C modules are taught in five half-week blocks before Reading Week. D modules are taught in five half-week blocks after Reading Week. Followed by the Spring break.
Term 3 (April - September) consists of five weeks of teaching for E slot modules, taught in half-week blocks, and the project report.
*Reading Week is a week during term where no formal teaching takes place. It is a time for private study, preparing for assessments or attending study/computer skills workshops. There are two Reading Weeks at LSHTM: one in November and the other in February.
- Term 1
Students take the following compulsory AB1 modules, which are assessed formatively during the term and form the basis of one of the final exam papers in the summer:
- Extended Epidemiology
- Health Policy, Process & Power
- Introduction to Health Economics
- Principles of Social Research
- Statistics for Epidemiology & Population Health
- Terms 2 and 3
Students take a total of five study modules, one from each timetable slot (C1, C2, D1, D2, E), working with personal tutors to identify a pathway through the programme which best serves their career. Students may choose to develop research skills in statistics and epidemiology; qualitative methods; health policy; or health economics. They may also choose to develop a specialist public health focus such as vector control; maternal and newborn health; sexual and reproductive health; or water, sanitation and health.
All students take the unifying module Applying Public Health Principles in the E slot. This module builds on the learning from Terms 1 and 2 so students apply public health disciplines to review evidence, produce policy recommendations, develop strategic public health programme plans and conduct strategic reviews.
C1 slot
- Designing Disease Control Programmes
- Economic Evaluation
- Health Care Evaluation
- Health Promotion Approaches and Methods
- Malaria: From Science to Policy and Practice
- Maternal & Child Nutrition
- Research Design & Analysis
- Sociological Approaches to Health
- Study Design: Writing a Study Proposal
C2 slot
- Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs
- Conflict and Health
- Design & Analysis of Epidemiological Studies
- Family Planning Programmes
- Health Systems
- History & Health
- Population, Poverty and Environment
- Qualitative Methodologies
- Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
D1 slot
- Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Current Issues in Maternal & Perinatal Health
- Economic Analysis for Health Policy
- Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases
- Evaluation of Public Health Interventions
- Medical Anthropology and Public Health
- Nutrition in Emergencies (Climate, Conflict, Global Crises)
- Organisational Management
- Social Epidemiology
- Spatial Epidemiology in Public Health
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, and Health
D2 slot
- Design & Evaluation of Mental Health Programmes
- Environmental Epidemiology
- Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases
- Ethics, Public Health & Human Rights
- Globalisation & Health
- Reviewing the Literature
- Sexual Health
E slot
- Applying Public Health Principles
- Field trip
The field trips, or retreats, are an integral part of the programme, where we introduce students to peer learning.
The first is a compulsory residential two-day retreat during the orientation period. Students spend one day on a rural walk and learn about one another's public health experience. On the second day they form groups based on common themes in public health, which may be based on geography, disease-specific or skill-specific such as delivery care, logistics or health promotion. These discussions form the basis of reflections and presentations at the Student Seminar Series.
During the second retreat after the summer examinations, students reflect in a structured way on their public health learning over the year and undertake a formal evaluation of the course.
There is an additional fee for students on the programme, which covers the cost of the retreats.
- Project report
During the summer months (June - August), students draw on all their academic skills by undertaking a project on a subject of importance to public health in a low- or middle-income country, for submission by early September. The project can take the form of a literature review, analysis of a data set, a policy report or a study protocol. The project is an independent piece of work, but students have contact with their supervisors who guide them in this work.
Changes to the programme
LSHTM will seek to deliver this programme in accordance with the description set out on this programme page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for LSHTM to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. For further information, please see our page on changes to courses.
