This programme is designed for those interested in acquiring a technical understanding of the structure and dynamics of population change, its causes and consequences. The curriculum includes advanced training in the theories and methods of population sciences, statistics, epidemiology, and research methods and data analysis.
The programme will help students acquire technical expertise in demography and an understanding of the interlinkages between population studies and health, including fertility, sexual behaviour, ageing, health inequalities and life expectancy.
Graduates have careers in public health, academic research of a very wide nature, NGOs, reproductive health programmes, health services, government statistical offices, policy and planning. Find out more about our graduate careers and destinations.
The programme is recognised by both the MRC and ESRC as providing high quality research training and a small number of scholarships from these bodies (including 1+3 scholarships) are available to UK or EU residents.
Duration: one year full time; half-time or split-study over two years. Ways to study explained.
Changes to the course
The School will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the School to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. For further information, please see our page on changes to courses.
Demography & Health
Watch Programme Director, Lynda Clarke, and students talk about the programme.
By the end of this programme students should be able to:
- demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of scientific, evidence-based approaches to the study of population issues
- critically assess and apply these approaches to inform development, health and population programmes
- formulate research questions and use demographic and health data, and appropriate methods of analysis, to address them
- identify causes and consequences of population change and relate these to underlying population dynamics
- demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of demographic behaviour in social, economic and policy contexts
- critically assess and apply findings of population studies to health and social policy
- demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of major population trends, including historical trends, in developed and developing countries
The below structure outlines the proposed modules for this programme. Module specifications provide full details about the aims and objectives of each module, what you will study and how the module is assessed.
Term 1
Students take the following compulsory modules:
- Demographic Methods
- Basic Epidemiology
- Population Studies
- Principles of Social Research
- Statistics for Epidemiology and Population Health
Terms 2 and 3
Students take a total of five study modules, one module from each timetable slot (Slot 1, Slot 2 etc.). Students are expected to take modules related to demography for at least two of their other four choices.
*Recommended modules
Slot 1
- Research Design & Analysis*
- Designing Disease Control Programmes in Developing Countries
- Health Care Evaluation
- Sociological Approaches to Health
Slot 2
- Family Planning Programmes*
- Population, Poverty and Environment*
- Conflict and Health
- Design and Analysis of Epidemiological Studies
- Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
Slot 3
- Social Epidemiology*
- Current Issues in Safe Motherhood & Perinatal Health
- Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases
- Medical Anthropology and Public Health
- Modelling & the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases
- Spatial Epidemiology in Public Health
Slot 4
- Population Dynamics & Projections (compulsory)
Slot 5
- AIDS*
- Analysing Survey & Population Data*
- Advanced Statistical Methods in Epidemiology
- Proposal Development
Project Report
During the summer months (July - August), students complete a research project to enable them to acquire personal experience of the process of contributing to knowledge in any of the fields covered by the course, for submission by early September. Acceptable types of project are: data analysis; a project proposal; an original literature or policy review.
Students normally remain in London for the preparation of their project report. Exceptionally, and only if appropriate, part of the project period may be spent away from the School, whether in the UK or abroad. Arrangements for this must be discussed and agreed with the Course Director.
A student must normally satisfy the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine general entrance requirements and the additional programme specific entrance requirements as follows:
The normal minimum entrance qualification for registration at the School on a Master's programme is at least one of the following:
- a second-class honours degree of a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, in a subject appropriate to that of the course of study to be followed
- a registrable qualification appropriate to the course of study to be followed, in medicine, dentistry or veterinary studies
Applications with an appropriate technical qualification, or equivalent qualification and experience from overseas, are also welcomed.
Additional requirements for the MSc Demography & Health are:
- evidence of numeracy skills
Any student who does not meet the minimum entry requirement of a second-class honours degree or equivalent qualification but who has 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
Please see our English Language Requirements FAQs for 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 the School.
| Fees 2018/19 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Full-time | £9,600 |
| Part-time | £4,800 | |
| Overseas | Full-time | £22,600 |
| Part-time | £11,300 |
PIC Masters Studentship Scheme in Population Studies
Three studentships for this Master's degree are open for application to those planning a career in demographic research or in an area where demographic skills are a necessity. The full value of each studentship award is GBP 15,000.00.
To be eligible for consideration for this funding applicants must:
- be assessed to have Home/EU fee status, and
- have applied for either the MSc Demography & Health or MSc Reproductive and Sexual Health Research and
- meet both the residential and academic criteria for this funding, as set on the PIC studentship page.
Graduates from this programme enter a diverse range of positions in public health, academic research of a very wide nature, NGOs, reproductive health programmes, health services, government statistical offices, policy and planning.
Below you will find just a few of the positions and organisations that our graduates from this course have entered:
- Example job titles:
-
Academic Researcher
Clinical Research Nurse
Data Analyst
Epidemiologist
Evaluation Officer
Evidence and Innovation Officer
Health Policy Adviser
Scientist
Secondary School Teacher
Self-Employed Company Director
Senior Data Manager - Example organisations:
-
British Medical Journals
Save the Children
University College London (UCL)
University of California, San Francisco
Vermont Department of Health
WaterAid
World Health Organisation (WHO)
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
Department for Transport
Health Education England (NHS)
Hear Mollie's thoughts on the MSc Demography & Health
Mollie tells us about her experience of studying the MSc Demography & Health at LSHTM, the skills she has learned and her plans for the future.
Applications should be made online and will only be considered once you have provided all required information and supporting documentation.
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.
The final closing date for taught Master’s applications is as follows:
- 31 July 2018 by 23:59 British Summer Time (BST) for international applicants requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa, and
- 21 August 2018 by 23:59 British Summer Time (BST) for applicants not requiring a Tier 4 Student Visa.
Do you need a visa?
EEA Nationals
If you have EU nationality or you are from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, you do not need immigration permission to come to the UK. You can enter, study and work in the UK without restriction. If you have dual nationality, and you choose to come to the UK using your EEA or Swiss passport, you do not need immigration permission.
For useful guidance on EEA nationals in the UK, go to the UKCISA website.
Students from outside the EEA
All non-EEA nationals who want to study in the UK must hold immigration permission that allows you to study in the UK.
If you are coming to the School to study on a full time degree programme and you have no other immigration permission for the UK, you will need to apply for a Tier 4 Student visa. You can only apply for Tier 4 when your offer at the School is unconditional.
If you already hold a Tier 4 visa for a different institution, you will probably have to apply for a Tier 4 visa for the School before you can start studying with us.