This course is designed for those interested in public health programmes in low- or middle-income countries, with a focus on developing the skills needed to improve their design and implementation. Students choose from around seven to eight scenarios, each addressing a different public health challenge in a specific setting, based on staff expertise and availability.
Through lectures, guided workshops and panel discussions, the course covers key aspects of programme planning and effective intervention design, with an emphasis on practical, real-world skills. Students work in groups to evaluate evidence and design a public health programme for a defined problem and context, supported by an LSHTM facilitator and an in country expert.
Intended learning outcomes
By the end of this module, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate appropriate knowledge related to solving a practical public health problem in a given setting.
- Summarise and evaluate appropriate epidemiological information for setting priorities and selecting appropriate interventions.
- Carry out a critical appraisal of different intervention options and select appropriate interventions.
- Formulate appropriate programmatic goals, outcomes, outputs, activities and inputs, including development of Theories of Change and Logical Frameworks.
- Describe how to organise a public health programme with respect to human resources, logistics, capacity building, gender, equity and social inclusion, sustainability and climate change, strengthening local structures and embedding the programme in national systems.
- Describe how to build an effective monitoring and evaluation system into a public health programme.
- Demonstrate skills related to the costing and budgeting of programme activities.
- Develop critical reflections on the ways of working in groups, and how bpublic health programmes in low- or middle-income countries are affected by the role of development assistance and aid funding.
Mode of delivery
This module is delivered predominantly face-to-face. Teaching methods will include lectures, guided workshops, group work and panel discussions. In most instances, these will be delivered face-to-face, but for the panel discussions, this will be in a hybrid format (where staff or external lecturers are based overseas).
Assessment
Formative assessment may be used to monitor progress, including written and verbal feedback on the project proposal in Week 3 from Module Organisers and Facilitators. Only summative assessments contribute to the overall award GPA.
Assessment is based on:
- The group final proposal document (70%)
- An individual reflection on personal and peer contributions (10%)
- An individual MCQ exam (20%)
Credits
- CATS: 15
- ECTS: 7.5
Module specification
For full information regarding this module please see the module specification.
No pre-requisites, however this module is best for those with experience of, or interest in, public health programmes in low- or middle-income countries.
Applications for Term 2 C1 modules are open.
The application deadline for 2026/27 entry will be 23:59 (UK time) on Sunday 13 December 2026. We strongly advise that you apply early as courses may close earlier than the stated deadline if they become full.
Please visit the list of individual modules for more upcoming study opportunities.
Visa information
Please refer to the current visa requirements for short-term study.