This programme provides ophthalmic professionals with the knowledge and skills required to reduce blindness and visual disability in their populations by developing an evidence-based public health approach for the control and management of blinding eye diseases. It enables students to contribute effectively at a local, national and international level in research, training and service delivery.
The training will enable students to develop a public health oriented approach to eye care services and the control of blindness in keeping with the objectives of Vision 2020: The Right to Sight.
They will acquire and apply skills in epidemiological and operational research, critical analysis of strategies for the control of major blinding eye diseases, in programme planning, management and evaluation; facilitate a personal development, so enabling individuals to contribute more fully to their countries’ and societies’ eye health; engage with local, national and international networks of health professionals and systems, for the prevention of blindness worldwide.
By the end of this programme students will be able to:
- describe the basic epidemiology of the major blinding eye diseases
- design and interpret studies to assess public health eye care needs using appropriate research methods
- critically appraise and select appropriate public health interventions for the major blinding eye diseases
- design a comprehensive eye care programme for appropriate preventive and therapeutic measures for a community
- develop the skills necessary for resource mobilisation, management and evaluation of local comprehensive eye care programmes and integration into health systems
- discuss the importance of disability in the global context, appraise the epidemiology of visual and impairment leading to disability and the impact of disability on people’s lives
Further information on the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH).
Duration: one year full-time or split-study over two years. Ways to study explained.
Public Health for Eye Care
Watch Programme Director John Buchan 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
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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
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All students take the following AB1 compulsory modules:
- Basic Epidemiology
- Basic Statistics for Public Health & Policy
- Epidemiological Methods Applied to Eye Diseases
- Foundations of Global Eye Health and Eye Care Programmes
- Introduction to Health Economics
- Skills for Field Projects in Eye Care
- Terms 2 and 3
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Students take a total of five study modules, one from each timetable slot (C1, C2, D1, D2). The list below shows recommended or compulsory modules. There are other optional modules which may be taken only after consultation with the Programme Director.
C1 slot
- Childhood Eye Disease and Ocular Infections (compulsory)
C2 slot
- Non-Communicable Eye Disease (compulsory)
D1 slot
- Implementing Eye Care: Skills and Resources (compulsory)
D2 slot
- Ethics, Public Health and Human Rights
- Global Disability & Mental Health
- Reviewing the Literature
E module
- Applying Public Health Principles
- Principles and Practice of Public Health
- Project report
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During the summer months (July - August), students complete a research project on an appropriate topic. Students undertaking projects overseas will require additional funding of about £1,500 to cover costs involved.
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.
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 Eye Care, students are expected to be health care professionals involved in eye care, or to have an appropriate technical qualification and work experience.
Students accepted onto this MSc are typically:
- Medical doctors already working in eye care (ophthalmologists, at any stage of their career), ophthalmic public health or eye health related research;
- Optometrists with an interest in ophthalmic public health or eye health related research;
- Medical doctors or intercalating medical students who have a strong interest in eye care.
Eye health programme managers or researchers with suitable experience in eye care delivery may also be accepted onto the MSc, even if from a non-clinical background, if their prior experience is deemed adequate.
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.
Scholarship funding application
The competitive nature of scholarship funding is such that successful applicants will usually have at least 3 years' clinical experience after graduating, and who already have roles where they either plan and deliver eye care services and community eye health interventions; undertake research work targeting blindness prevention; or have planning and programme management roles with governmental or NGO delivering eye care to those in resource-poor settings.
English language requirements
If English is not your first language, you will need to meet these requirements: Band C
Please see our English language requirements for more information.
Intercalating students
You will need the equivalent of a bachelor's degree to undertake an MSc. 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 an MSc at LSHTM.
Access and widening participation
At LSHTM we are committed to ensuring that students from all backgrounds feel encouraged to apply to study with us. To that end, we have introduced an innovative contextual admissions system that is designed to consider any barriers applicants may have faced and take account of the circumstances in which their grades have been achieved, rather than relying on results alone. More information on widening participation at LSHTM.
| Fees 2023/24 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Full-time | £12,330 |
| Part-time | £6,165 | |
| EU/Overseas | Full-time | £28,540 |
| Part-time | £14,270 |
*Mobile users, scroll right to view fees
Funding available for this programme:
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2023-24 Lieutenant Colonel Henry Kirkpatrick Scholarship (application deadline: 16 April 2023)
- 2023-24 Commonwealth Shared Scholarships (PHEC) (application deadline: 13 December 2022)
Please note: this funding is only to citizens of the following eligible Commonwealth countries: Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu and Zambia
Sources of funding:
Graduates from this programme are expected and encouraged to enter into careers with ministries of health, universities and NGOs involved in developing health services to prevent blindness and improve vision.
Below you will find just a few of the positions and organisations that our graduates from this course have entered:
- Example job titles:
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Paediatric Ophthalmologist
Community Ophthalmologist
Director Blindness Prevention Program
Medical Director
Eye Specialist - Example organisations:
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The Lancet
United States Department of Health & Human Services
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
World Health Organisation
Business Without Borders
Al-Shifaa
University of Science and Technology
Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching & Referral Hospital
Civil Hospital
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 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.
Application deadlines
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.
We strongly advise that you apply early as popular programmes will close earlier than the stated deadline if they become full.
The final closing dates for all taught Master’s applications for entry in the 2023/24 academic year is:
- Sunday 23 July 2023 at 23:59 UK time for all students requiring a Student visa
- Thursday 31 August 2023 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.
Application fee
A standard non-refundable application fee of £50 applies to all taught Master’s degree programmes and is payable upon application submission. Income generated from the application fee is shared between scholarships and student hardship fund.
Tuition fee deposit
Applicants are required to respond to their Offer of Admission and pay the £500 deposit within 28 days of receipt, or their place will be released and the offer automatically declined. The deposit is deductible from tuition fees upon full registration with LSHTM.
Do you need a visa?
Please visit our Visa & Immigration pages for advice and guidance.