The planning, financing, and organisation of health services is becoming an increasingly important concern for countries across the globe. Lower income countries are looking to transition to a universal coverage model, middle income countries are scaling up health provision, and higher income countries are facing challenges with service cost-effectiveness, health equity, an aging population and workforce shortages.
By studying MSc Health Policy, Planning and Financing, you will gain a holistic perspective of policy making that is relevant to countries at all levels of development. You’ll discover how to critically analyse health system issues, evaluate the effectiveness of policies, and devise appropriate health policy responses.
Co-designed and co-delivered with the London School of Economics & Political Science (the LSE), you’ll benefit from the expertise, resources and networks available at both institutions. And with staff who are world-leading researchers in their subjects, you’ll hear about the latest research and developments in the field from true global experts. By the end of the course, you could be making valuable contributions to local, national, or international health services and systems.
What you will learn
- Critically understand a diverse range of international and national health policies, including current and emerging trends
- Gain knowledge of selected topics related to the study of health policy, planning and financing, such as epidemiology, health economics, and social sciences
- Develop skills in applying conceptual and theoretical knowledge using a multidisciplinary approach to formulate, design, implement, evaluate and appraise health policies and plans
- Know how to assess and communicate empirical evidence, including critically appraising debates relevant to issues of health policy
- Grow your research and presentation skills, including the ability to plan and carry out a literature search to evaluate research findings
Taught by research-active academics, you’ll benefit from their knowledge and cutting-edge insights. You’ll also work alongside peers from a diverse range of countries, enabling you to learn first-hand insight about the varying health systems and health challenges faced around the world.
All of this will prepare you to work towards your dissertation in the area that interests you. Whether that’s health policy and politics, behavioural incentive design, pharmaceutical economics and policy, or one of the many other topics you’ll study. This is where you’ll apply your new skills to complete in-depth policy analysis and independent research, consolidating your learning and building confidence to influence the health policy, planning and financing field.
Who is it for?
We designed this course for anyone interested in understanding policy making for health services from a nuanced position, to make effective decisions in the delivery of health services in low-, middle- and high-income settings.
Students come from a wide variety of backgrounds – and most have experience working in health policy or public health services. Perhaps you’re looking to progress your career, or you’d like to change roles to work for an international organisation or global charity. Whatever your background, you’ll have at least one year’s experience working in health services or policy-related work. This means you’ll be working alongside students who have an enormous wealth of expertise in clinical, policy, or research-related settings with relevance to health.
Soon, you could be influencing national and global health policy and planning, leading health policy research, or working in advisory or advocacy roles in governments and international agencies.
Duration
One year year full-time or part-time over two years. Ways to study explained.
Health Policy, Planning & Financing
Watch programme directors and students talk about the programme.
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 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 plus a Reading Week in the middle of the term. Followed by the Spring break.
Term 3 (April - September) consists of five weeks of teaching for the final module, 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
All students must take one compulsory module from each institution:
- Financing Health Care (LSE)
- Health Services or Health Policy, Process & Power (LSHTM)
Students must also take one additional semi-compulsory module from each institution from the following:
- Basic Epidemiology (LSHTM)
- Introduction to Health Economics (LSHTM) - may not be taken in conjunction with Health Economics (LSE)
- Issues in Public Health (LSHTM)
- Health Policy, Process & Power (LSHTM) - may not be taken in conjunction with Introduction to Health Policy & Politics (LSE)
- Health Services (LSHTM)
- Health Economics (LSE) - may not be taken in conjunction with Introduction to Health Economics (LSHTM)
- Introduction to Health Policy & Politics - may not be taken in conjunction with Health Policy, Process & Power (LSHTM)
- Health Systems and Policies in Developing Countries
- Pharmaceutical Economics and Policy (note: this is a Term 2 option, so if students select this as their semi-compulsory choice, they can take a different LSE option from an approved list in Term 1)
- Terms 2 and 3
Students take two additional modules from each institution, including (but not restricted to) the following subject to availability:
LSHTM
C1
- Economic Evaluation (LSHTM) - may not be taken in conjunction with Health Care Economic Evaluation (LSE)
- Health Care Evaluation (LSHTM)
- Sociological Approaches to Health (LSHTM)
C2
- Conflict & Health (LSHTM)
- Design & Analysis of Epidemiological Studies (LSHTM)
- Health Systems (LSHTM)
D1
- Economic Analysis for Health Policy (LSHTM)
- Evaluation of Public Health Interventions (LSHTM)
- Organisational Management (LSHTM)
- Medical Anthropology adn Public Health (LSHTM)
D2
- Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (LSHTM)
- Globalisation & Health (LSHTM)
- Health Decision Science (LSHTM)
- Reviewing the Literature (LSHTM)
LSE
- Advanced Health Economics (LSE)
- Behavioural Incentive Design in Health and Health Care (LSE)
- Economic Analysis for Health Policy in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LSE)
- Evidence Appraisal for Health Policy Analysis (LSE)
- Evidence Review and Synthesis for Decision Making (LSE)
- Global Health Policy: Institutions, Actors and Politics (LSE)
- Global Health Security (LSE)
- Health Care Economic Evaluation (LSE)
- Health Care Regulation (LSE)
- Health Equity, Climate Change and the Common Good (LSE)
- Labour, Social Services and Development (LSE)
- Measuring Health System Performance (LSE)
- Mental Health Policy (LSE)
- Randomised Evaluations of Health Programmes: From Design to Implementation (LSE)
- Statistical Methods in Health Care Economic Evaluation (LSE)
- Social Determinants of Health (LSE)
- Any of the semi-compulsory LSE options listed above not already taken.
In all cases, each student's full set of module choices must be approved by the Programme Directors at LSE and LSHTM in order to confirm that students' choices fit with their stated career aims and form a coherent set of modules for the MSc. Students must also meet the entrance requirements for each particular module. Guidance will be provided in the programme handbook, to outline the key differences between recommended modules and provide comments where relevant on optional modules - to help both students and tutors differentiate between and make module choices most appropriately.
- Project report
As the last major component of the programme, students undertake a research project on a relevant topic – assessed through a written dissertation. The project should be an independent piece of work, appropriately guided and supported by a supervisor and other relevant staff. Substantive work, including any travel or fieldwork, should start after the exams in the summer.
Please note: Should it be the case that you are unable to travel overseas or access laboratories in order to complete your project, you will be able to complete an alternative desk-based project allowing you to obtain your qualification within the original time frame. Alternatively, you will be able to defer your project to the following year.
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.
| Fees 2026/27 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Full-time | £17,000 |
| Part-time | £8,500 | |
| EU/Overseas | Full-time | £32,000 |
| Part-time | £16,000 |
*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 Health Policy, Planning & Financing, applicants should ideally have prior work experience in areas relating to health, policy, planning and financing. Preference will be given to such candidates given the competitive nature of this course. A minimum of one year’s experience in health policy or public health related work is recommended.
Any undergraduate degree subject at Second Class Honours standard can be acceptable with a demonstrable commitment to health, policy, planning and financing.
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.
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 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 £50 applies to all Master’s degree 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
The final closing dates for all Master’s applications for entry in the 2026/27 academic year is:
- Sunday 26 July 2026 at 23:59 UK time for all students requiring a Student visa
- Monday 31 August 2026 at 23:59 UK time for all UK, Irish and non-Student visa students
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 2026: deposit due by 1 March 2026
- Offers made from 1 February 2026 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 Health Policy, Planning & Financing alumni
Sagar talks about studying the MSc at LSHTM and how the experience shaped his understanding of global health and his work in cancer care.
Graduates from this joint programme provided by the School and the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) enter a diverse range of positions in global health and national health policy and planning, research, advisory or advocacy roles in governments and international agencies.
Below you will find just a few of the positions and organisations that our graduates from this course have entered:
- Example job titles:
-
Advocacy officer for a medical NGO
Consultant
Doctor
Economist
Field Coordinator
Health Economist
Health Policy Consultant
Health Research and Policy Officer
Medical Officer
Pharmaceutical Adviser
Planning and Evaluation Economist
Policy and Public Affairs manager
Research Fellow
Research Officer
Specialist Registrar (Infectious and Respiratory Diseases)
Teaching Fellow in Global Health
Civil Servant
Programme Manager - Example organisations:
-
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
European Commission
KPMG
LSE (The London School of Economics and Political Science)
McKinsey & Company
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Ministère de la Santé Française (French Ministry of Health)
Ministry of Health
Ministry of Labour and Social Policy
Mott MacDonald
NHS
Overseas Development Institute
Royal College of Physicians
Save the Children
United Nations
World Health Organisation
Civil Service
GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)
HealthTech Women UK
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.