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Graduate

MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine

Aimed at aspiring Global Health leaders, this course provides rigorous foundations in public health, combined with the communication and leadership training needed to tackle health challenges in resource limited contexts.

Full time

Open
Upcoming application deadline for 2027-28 entry:
12:00 midday UK time on Tuesday 1 December 2026

Expected length
12 months
Expected start date
October 2027
English language level
Higher level required

Application deadlines

12:00 midday UK time

Final application deadline for entry in 2027-28

After the final application deadline has passed, this course may remain open or reopen if places are available.

Student amongst scientific storage racks, Medical Sciences Division

Student amongst scientific storage racks, Medical Sciences Division (University of Oxford Images / Ian Wallman)

About the course

The MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine provides various mechanisms to support your development as an independent learner, team player, problem solver and effective communicator. It is not expected that you will memorise facts and figures or simply apply formula. Rather, you will be expected to:

  • Evaluate the salient features of the relevant health problem and propose effective, efficient and innovative solutions;
  • Appropriately synthesise, interpret and critically engage with evidence; and
  • Apply a suitable set of methods to generate evidence where evidence gaps exist.

While the curriculum is separated into three core modules and a set of options, you will be expected to integrate the content across the modules. This means taking information about a certain disease and its risk factors, a set of methodologies, ethical issues and awareness of policy processes and applying them to real scenarios to understand what works, what does not and why.

The course aims to develop your:

  • Capacity to lead and work in multidisciplinary teams to tackle health challenges in resource-limited settings;
  • Ability to apply an ethical approach to address inequities;
  • Foundational skills in research techniques applied in the analysis of global health challenges;
  • Capacity to critically appraise evidence in global health;
  • Skills and practical experience in research; and
  • Capacity to apply critical thinking skills to identify core issues and practical reasoning to design coherent solutions.

Upon completion of the course, you will be equipped to continue to advance your knowledge, understanding and skills in research or professional practice in global health and assume a leadership position within major international health organisations and ministries of health in your own country or internationally.

You will also have gained the following competencies:

  • Ability to evaluate different approaches to addressing challenges of working in resource constrained settings;
  • Confidence in applying integrated and holistic problem solving to address challenges of working in resource constrained settings; and
  • Proficiency in professionalism and working in diverse teams.

International Health and Tropical Medicine aims to continually innovate course content and delivery, and teaching has been recognised with a number of University of Oxford teaching and public engagement awards. 

Course structure

This section provides an overview of the course structure, while details of the individual course components are provided below.

The first term will consist of core modules on research methods, an overview of major global health challenges, and topics related to the research and practice of global health. During the second term, in addition to some continued core content, you will select two option modules.

The third term will involve a funded placement of up to eight weeks on a global health project in a resource limited setting. This placement provides the foundation for your dissertation.

In addition to the core curriculum, you will benefit from leadership and communication training integrated throughout the academic year. 

All students are expected to become engaged members of their cohort by actively participating in all classroom sessions, group work activities and cohort exercises. The teaching programme, by design, relies on collaboration. Peer and self-directed learning are key elements of our cohort-based teaching. The overall collective orientation of the course is deliberately designed to contribute to the students’ professional development.

Core components

You will take three core modules, undertake a project placement and complete a dissertation. You will also undertake leadership and communication training.

Option modules

You will select two option modules.

Course details

Entry requirements

For entry in 2027-28

Funding and costs

College preference

Before you apply

Completing your application

Contact details