Develop your understanding of global public health and strengthen your ability to apply critical thinking to some of the most pressing health challenges. Explore issues ranging from malaria to sexual health, and consider how public health approaches can address inequalities and improve health in underserved communities in low- and middle-income countries.
The MSc Public Health for Global Practice is designed for students interested in addressing complex public health challenges. Students typically have a strong interest in pursuing a career in global public health, and many bring relevant academic, professional or practical experience that they are keen to build upon.
You will learn from specialists across a range of disciplines, including statistics, epidemiology, health economics, social science and health policy. You will explore how these different perspectives can be brought together to understand complex health and development challenges, and develop the knowledge and skills to design, implement and manage interventions that improve health outcomes, particularly among the most marginalised and underserved populations.
What you will learn
- Gain in-depth knowledge of a range of current issues and topics in public health in low- and middle-income settings.
- Explore core public health disciplines, including epidemiology, statistics, social science research, health economics and health policy.
- Develop an understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, their respective strengths and how they can be applied to global health challenges.
- Learn how to identify health problems, design and implement appropriate interventions, and evaluate their impact.
You’ll be taught by a team of diverse experts, and benefit from 1:1 tailored advice and guidance over the course of the year. With a maximum of 40 international students in each cohort, who have very diverse backgrounds and experiences, you will build on your existing knowledge and experience as you hear first-hand experiences from other students.
Alongside the compulsory courses, which provide students with the core skills needed for global public health practice, we hold weekly sessions to explore and discuss a range of ideas and topics as a group. Students also benefit from our strong alumni network, whose members provide an additional source of support, advice and connections during the programme and beyond.
A wide range of optional modules will then allow you to shape your studies around your personal interests and career ambitions. You might choose to explore topics such as the design and management of disease control programmes, nutrition or sexual health, or develop more specialised skills through modules in statistics or economic evaluation.
Your own research project towards the end of the degree will give you an additional chance to examine a global public health problem of your choice in more depth.
Who is it for?
From public health programme planners and health researchers to humanitarian relief workers and clinicians in conflict areas, students join this course from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds. We’ve designed the content to be multidisciplinary, meaning you can hone your skills alongside each other.
You should be enthusiastic and keen to consolidate and develop your knowledge in public health – alongside a desire to apply new knowledge and skills in a low- and middle-income settings. You will already have some relevant work experience that can provide a basis for further learning.
Having built up skills in a range of key topics, you could open up exciting roles at organisations such as the United Nations, UNICEF, or the WHO. Or perhaps you’re considering an academic career, progressing to a higher research degree in your chosen area of global health.
Duration
One year full time; part-time or split study over two years. Ways to study explained.
Public Health for Global Practice
Hear Programme Director Hannah Blencowe talk about the MSc Public Health for Global Practice (formerly known as Public Health for Development).
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:
- Concepts in Epidemiology
- Foundations for Global Health Practice
- Health Economics, Systems and Policy
- Statistics for Epidemiology & Population Health 1
- Terms 2 and 3
Students take a total of four elective modules in terms 2 & 3, across module slot (C1, C2, D1, D2, and E1), leaving 1 slot free for summer research project preparation. Students work 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.
C1 slot
- Family Planning Programmes
- Health Systems
- Intermediate Epidemiologic Methods
- Maternal & Child Nutrition
- Methods in Climate Change & Planetary Health
- Reviewing the Literature
C2 slot
- Designing Public Health Programmes
- Economic Evaluation Evidence
- Health Policy, Process and Power
- Nutrition in Emergencies
- Population, Poverty and Environment
- Qualitative Methodologies
- Social Epidemiology
D1 slot
- AI in Health: Principles and Applications
- Conflict and Health
- Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Economic Analysis for Health Policy
- Malaria: From Science to Policy and Practice
- Medical Anthropology and Public Health
- Research Design & Analysis
- Statistics for Epidemiology and Population Health 2
- 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
- Integrated Vector Management
- Nutrition Related Chronic Disease
- Sexual Health
E1 slot
- Current Issues in Maternal & Perinatal Health
- Designing and Delivering Public Health Interventions
- Evaluation of Public Health Interventions
- Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases
- Health Decision Science
- HIV
- Spatial Epidemiology for Public Health
E2 slot
- Applying Public Health Principles (compulsory)
All students take the unifying module Applying Public Health Principles in the E2 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.
- 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 students 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.
The fees below include a compulsory field trip, paid in the first year for part-time students.
| Fees 2027/28 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Full-time | £16,710 |
| Part-time | £8,495 | |
| EU/Overseas | Full-time | £34,560 |
| Part-time | £17,420 |
*Mobile users, scroll right to view fees
Sources of funding:
In order to be admitted to an LSHTM master's degree programme, an applicant must:
- hold either a first degree at Second Class Honours (2:2) standard in a relevant discipline, or a degree in medicine recognised by the UK General Medical Council (GMC) for the purposes of practising medicine in the UK, or another degree of equivalent standard awarded by an overseas institution recognised by UK ENIC or the GMC.
or
- hold a professional qualification appropriate to the programme of study to be followed obtained by written examinations and judged by LSHTM to be equivalent to a Second Class Honours (2:2) degree or above.
or
- have relevant professional experience or training which is judged by LSHTM to be equivalent to a Second Class Honours (2:2) degree or above.
If you have not previously studied in the UK, you can check our guide to international equivalent qualifications for our master's degrees.
Additionally for the MSc Public Health for Global Practice, successful applicants are expected to have one year’s professional experience in public health in a low- or middle-income country.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirement, but who have relevant professional experience may still be eligible for admission. Qualifications and experience will be assessed from the application.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, you will need to meet these requirements: Band B.
Some applicants may be exempt if they have previously studied in English or meet other specified criteria. Please see our English language requirements for details.
It is possible to apply without English language test results however the results of a test may be listed as a condition of an offer of admission.
Intercalating students
This option is available for in-person MSc programmes. You will need the equivalent of a bachelor's degree to undertake a master's degree. This will usually require you to have a BSc degree or have completed the first three years of your medical degree. More information on intercalating a Master's at LSHTM.
Access and widening participation
At LSHTM we are committed to ensuring that excellent students feel encouraged to apply for a course of study with us. We have introduced an innovative contextual admissions system that is designed to support those students who have faced the greatest barriers to their learning. More information on widening participation at LSHTM.
Applications for this programme are now open for 2027/28 entry.
Applications should be made online and will only be considered once you have provided all required information and supporting documentation.
Please also read LSHTM's Admissions policies (pdf) prior to submitting your application.
You can apply for up to two master's programmes. Make sure to list them by order of preference as consideration will be given to your top choice first.
Please ensure you pay careful attention to the content of your personal statement, as we do not invite applicants to interview for this programme, so the clarity and relevance of the information you can provide is of considerable importance to us. We would like to know your experiences in the relevant field(s), your reasons for applying to our programme, what you hope to gain from the training we offer, and how you intend to use the knowledge and skills you acquired to further your career and contribute to improving health.
Application fee
A standard non-refundable application fee of £75 applies to all master’s, postgraduate diploma and postgraduate certificate programmes and is payable upon application submission. The application fee also applies to PG Diplomas and PG Certificates where appropriate. Income generated from the application fee is shared between scholarships and the student hardship funds.
Application deadline
All applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible to ensure availability of a place and a timely decision on their application. This is particularly important for applicants with sponsorship deadlines.
Closing dates for all taught face-to-face MSc, PG Diploma and PG Certificate applications for entry in the 2027/28 academic year is:
- Sunday 25 July 2027 at 23:59 UK time for all students requiring a Student visa
- Tuesday 31 August 2027 at 23:59 UK time for all UK, Irish and non-Student visa students.
Applicants will be required to meet the conditions of their offer and provide all necessary documents by the date of their Offer of Admission.
Tuition fee deposit
All applicants must respond to their offer of admission within 28 days or their place will be released and the offer automatically declined. The deposit is deductible from tuition fees upon full registration with LSHTM. Applicants in receipt of a full scholarship will not be required to pay the deposit.
- Home students: £500 non-refundable deposit, payable within 28 days of the offer date
- Overseas students: £2,000 non-refundable deposit
- Offers made before 31 January 2027: deposit due by 1 March 2027
- Offers made from 1 February 2027 onwards: deposit due within 28 days of the offer date.
Do you need a visa?
Please visit our Visa & Immigration pages for advice and guidance.
Important notice for nationals/citizens of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar or Sudan: If you require a UK student visa, the government has introduced a “visa brake”. As a result, LSHTM is currently unable to sponsor student visas for applicants from these countries.
Graduates from this programme enter a diverse range of positions in public health, research, NGOs, health programmes, health services, government, policy and planning.
Employability
On average, 90% of our master's graduates from the 2019/20-2022/23 cohorts were in employment or undertaking further studies 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes Surveys, 2020-2023).
Hear from a MSc Public Health for Global Practice alumni
Deborah reflects on her experience of studying the MSc at LSHTM and how it shaped her work in global health education policy and research.
Graduates from this programme work in global health, health service management, in health programmes in low-income countries, in NGOs, and in research.
Below you will find just a few of the positions and organisations that our graduates from this course have entered. Please note that this is a small, representative sample of the types of organisations and roles that graduates enter, and is not comprehensive.
- Example job titles
- Clinical Director
- Consultant Technical Adviser
- Doctor
- Environmental Public Health Scientist
- Epidemiology Department Sub-Director
- Freelance Consultant
- Global Health Specialist
- Health and WASH Project Co-Ordinator
- Malaria Technical Adviser
- Nutrition Adviser
- Project Manager
- Research and Evaluation Specialist
- Research Associate
- Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Programme Manager
- TB/HIV Program Officer
- Neglected Tropical Diseases Medical Adviser
- Biological Scientist
- Women's Health Adviser
- Example organisations
- Action Against Hunger
- Heritage International
- InterHealth Worldwide
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
- Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)
- National Institute for Medical Research
- Public Health England
- Research and Development Division, Ghana Health Service
- Save the Children
- The Latin American and Caribbean Sex Workers' Federation
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- World Food Programme
- World Health Organization
- World Vision
- Marie Stopes International
LSHTM Alumni
LSHTM’s alumni community includes over 35,000 graduates across more than 190 countries. It offers a lifelong connection to LSHTM and to each other.
We are proud of our global alumni network, which includes many notable members, such as:
- Tedros Adhanom, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), who completed his MSc in Immunology of Infectious Diseases
- Karina Rando, the Minister of Public Health in Uruguay, studied MSc Public Health – Health Economics stream
- Christopher Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Adviser to UK Government, studied MSc Epidemiology.
- Vanessa Bradford Kerry, founder of the non-profit Seed Global Health, director of the Program in Global Public Policy and Social Change at Harvard Medical School, and Special Envoy for Climate Change and Health for the World Health Organization (WHO), studied the MSc in Health Policy, Planning and Financing
- Career support - the LSHTM Careers Service provide a range of services from 1-1 appointments to events and workshops.
- Alumni blogs - did you know LSHTM has over 35,500 alumni in more than 190 countries.
- International alumni chapters - find an LSHTM network of alumni near you from our over 30 chapters.