Course structure

Michaelmas Term (Oct - Dec)

Core content

The first term is intensive with a high number of contact hours, and relies on peer learning through group activities and problem-based learning assignments.

Core topics include:

• Paradigms and Tools for Global Health: epidemiology and statistics, health economics, social sciences for health, evaluation, and R and reproducible research
• Challenges and Change in International Health:  communicable and non-communicable diseases, risks and transitions, and a life course sub-module covering maternal, child and adolescent health and ageing
• Global Health Research and Practice:  ethics and governance, health diplomacy, intersectionality, health systems and policy in practice, and health leadership, management and finance

Hilary Term (jan - mar)

optional modules and Core content

Alongside continued core content, the second term provides students the opportunity to choose two of six optional modules:

• Vaccinology

• International development and health (IDH)

• Development, environment and health (DEH)

• Introduction to mathematical modelling for infectious diseases (MMID)

• Health innovation and entrepreneurship (HIE)

• Pandemic sciences (PS)

Students may be permitted to audit a third module, in discussion with their academic adviser and the course director. 

The second term also includes a public debate at the Oxford Union and a visit to the Houses of Parliament, where students present policy briefs to UK policymakers. 

Trinity term (apr - Jun)

Research Placement and dissertation

The third term is a funded eight-week placement with a global health project in a resource-limited setting.  This is unique to the IHTM MSc course.  Travel, accommodation and research costs are covered. Projects reflect the range of subjects taught and are hosted across the Oxford Tropical Network. 

Students return to Oxford in late June to present their research placement findings and experiences, then write a 10,000-word dissertation over the summer, submitted in August.

View the latest research placements undertaken by IHTM students.