International Health MSc

Course overview

Our course is an ideal introduction to international health if you're interested in the sector, but have limited experience. It is designed to develop your understanding of international health issues, systems, programmes and policies to prepare you for a rewarding career in international health. You’ll develop your knowledge and skills to help achieve international development goals and reduce the burden of diseases borne by vulnerable populations.

This course also has a strong emphasis on research methods training, which is an essential grounding if you intend to pursue further postgraduate research (PhD), or intend to work within international health policy, systems or programmes. For aspiring research students without strong training in methods, the MSc should be considered an essential preparatory year prior to beginning a PhD.

This course is also offered as an intercalated MSc course for MBChB medicine degree students, designed to provide a solid grounding in understanding the international health system, policy and service delivery. This will enhance your international/public health knowledge in preparation for your career in medicine in resource-limited settings.

Whether you’re a recent graduate, a medical student wishing to intercalate, or a healthcare professional, you’ll become a part of our international community.

• Learn in an international learning environment, with fellow professionals from a range of countries and areas of expertise.
• Work with leading experts in international health.
• Tailor your course to align your own skills to your own interests with a choice of optional modules.
• Develop the skills and knowledge to build a career within international and national NGOs and national-level research and health and development organisations.

Make an Impact

Understanding how different healthcare systems are organised in response to different healthcare needs is rarely taught in medical and health sciences. The Masters in International Health course addresses this gap.

You’ll gain competence in identifying and analysing factors that generate disparities in health status, health resources, and access to health information and health services, particularly for marginalised and vulnerable population groups.

This course is delivered by the Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development, based in the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences in the School of Medicine.

Course highlights

• A strong emphasis on developing research skills prepares you for future careers in international health and provides a strong grounding for those who intend to pursue further postgraduate studies (PhD).
• A distinctive feature of this course is the research project, which allows you to gain first-hand experience of research into health and healthcare systems, usually in an overseas context. It also offers an opportunity to do experiential learning on how international health organisations work in real-time in low- and middle-income contexts.
• You have the opportunity to take part in a study visit to Geneva (depending on travel restrictions and visa requirements – see course terms and conditions) to attend workshops and meetings with various health-related UN and international organisations such as the World Health Organisation; UNAIDS; UN High Commission for Refugees; United Nations High Commission for Human Rights; International Labour Organisation; International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies; Médecins Sans Frontières; GAVI Vaccine Alliance. Participants are required to pay toward the cost of flights, accommodation, visa and food, an estimated cost is provided to prospective students in welcome information, before arriving in Leeds.
• In one of the optional modules, you can focus on the implications of disasters and conflicts on the health system. In this module, you will be taught by experts who have first-hand experience of working in emergency settings. They include experts from frontline medical aid charities that work towards a world where everyone has the healthcare they need when crises or disasters hit.

Specialist areas of staff that provide the distinctiveness of the course at Leeds

• Academic staff on the course have a wide range of expertise reflecting the multi-disciplinary nature of international and public Health. In addition, academics are engaged in both public health systems, service delivery and intervention research which positively impacts policy and practice at global and national levels.
• Academic staff have all worked in the health systems of low- and middle-income countries and have contextual knowledge of the opportunities and challenges faced by the public health services and programmes.
• The MSc IH students are provided with opportunities to network and study with students on our Master of Public Health [International] course which can be a significant cross-learning benefit and sharing of experiences across different disciplines.

Specialist facilities

Some study sessions use the University's computer resources, with support to enhance your competence in the use of information technology. You’ll have access to our virtual learning environment, which includes teaching materials and resources to prepare you for assignments and your own research.

You’ll be able to use University facilities for independent study, such as computing facilities and the Health Sciences library, with its extensive collection of online journals. You will also have access to the newly refurbished Worsley Building with new teaching spaces and a social space specifically for postgraduate students.

Fieldwork

The benefits of this course include being able to travel to conduct primary research and gain experiential learning of working with international health and development organisations abroad.

While doing the research project, you’ll have the option of doing fieldwork overseas, gaining experience in research design, risk assessment, research ethics, data collection and analysis.

Course details

Our core modules are designed to provide you with a detailed introduction to the key issues and challenges within international health policy, systems and programmes. You’ll become familiar with the current debates around health, poverty and development. You'll also choose from optional modules to tailor your knowledge and skills to your own interests.

Skills Programme

To support learning throughout the course, a skills programme is embedded within the curriculum. You are given an opportunity to develop and strengthen skills in critical reading, writing and thinking, literature searching, and the use of software relevant to international health, among other topics.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read International Health MSc in the course catalogue

Year 1 compulsory modules

Learning and teaching

Under the guidance of our academic staff, who've all worked in low- and middle-income countries, you'll develop core skills and knowledge from day one. You’ll build on your learning with your chosen modules in specialist fields of international health, including health systems, policy, and programmes. In addition, your research project gives you the opportunity to plan, initiate, execute and complete a substantial piece of independent research, with support and guidance from academics with substantial expertise on the subject of studies.

The course introduces key concepts in international health and essential learning skills for postgraduate level study. A reflective learning approach will form the basis of career-long independent learning and continued professional development.

You’ll learn through a mixture of lectures, seminars, group work, workshops, tutorials and case studies. You’ll learn in an international and diverse classroom environment, with students from different countries and academic staff with lived and work experiences outside the UK. You will contribute to an active learning environment, which invites you to reflect on and share your own experiences while learning from others.

Some study sessions use the University's computer resources, with support to enhance your competence in the use of information technology. You will have access to our virtual learning environment, which includes teaching materials and resources to prepare you for assignments and your own research.

You’ll be able to use University facilities for independent study, such as computing facilities and the Health Sciences library, with its extensive collection of online journals. You will also have access to the newly refurbished Worsley Building with new teaching spaces and a social space specifically for postgraduate students.

On this course, you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

Modules are assessed by using a range of assessments. Examples include essays, group and individual presentations, reflective logs, posters, policy briefs, literature reviews, analysis of research papers, and research project reports.

This range of coursework develops your academic skills and supports your future career. They are designed to assess your understanding and application of international health and also to develop essential workplace skills, including analysing and synthesising contemporary research-based knowledge and presenting evidenced-based thinking in a coherent manner in a variety of formats.

Collaborative work is also an important part of the course. You’ll be encouraged to work and interact with academic staff and classmates and develop teamwork skills.

Excitingly, a number of our students have gone on to publish work that has been carried out as part of their course.

Applying

Entry requirements

A bachelor degree with a 2:1 (hons) in a health-related discipline or equivalent qualification. If your degree is in a non-health related discipline, your application will be considered but is less likely to be successful unless you have significant relevant experience.

Alternatively, a diploma in a health-related discipline together with at least three years’ relevant experience.

We will give preference to candidates with work or study experience in areas related to international health.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in all components. For other English qualifications, read English language equivalent qualifications.

Improve your English

International students who do not meet the English language requirements for this programme may be able to study our postgraduate pre-sessional English course, to help improve your English language level.

This pre-sessional course is designed with a progression route to your degree programme and you’ll learn academic English in the context of your subject area. To find out more, read Language for Science (6 weeks) and Language for Science: General Science (10 weeks). 

We also offer online pre-sessionals alongside our on-campus pre-sessionals. Find out more about our six week online pre-sessional.

You can also study pre-sessionals for longer periods – read about our postgraduate pre-sessional English courses.

How to apply

Application deadline: 31 July 2025

Applications are considered on the basis of the applicant’s qualifications and experience. Applications may close before the deadline date if numbers accepted reach capacity.

For more information about this programme, please contact the programme lead.

Further application information:

• One reference must be supplied at the point of application. If you graduated less than one year ago, you must provide an academic reference; if you graduated more than one year ago, the reference can be either an academic reference or a professional reference. The reference should support your experience in a health-related field. The reference should be provided on a headed document with either a stamp from the institution or an electronic signature.
• Supporting statements must reflect your experience in a health-related field and your understanding of how the content of the course will benefit your personal and professional development. If you are not working in a health-related field, you should clearly indicate how you are going to use your previous training and this MSc content (modules) to benefit your career aspiration and future goals.

The ‘Apply’ link at the top of this page will take you to information on applying for taught programmes and to the University's online application system.

If you're unsure about the application process, contact the admissions team for help.

Selection principles

There is strong competition to study this course. We will give preference to candidates with work or study experience in areas related to international health.

Intercalating Students

This course is also open to students interested in intercalation

Intercalation application period: December 2024 - 9 March 2025 for academic year 25/26
Entry criteria for MBChB & Dental students:
At least 3 years undergraduate study on either MBChB or Dentistry programs
Proof of completion of 3rd year (transcript)
Students will not be required to provide a transcript at point of application (in cases of students who are currently in 3rd year) but must provide proof of completion in order to be accepted onto the program.
Supporting Statement: Supporting statements must reflect your experience in a health-related field and your understanding of how the content of the course will benefit your personal and professional development. You can describe any previous relevant experience and should clearly indicate how you are going to use your time on the MSc to benefit your career aspiration and future goals.

No references needed for intercalating students.

Read about visas, immigration and other information in International students. We recommend that international students apply as early as possible to ensure that they have time to apply for their visa.

Admissions policy

School of Medicine Taught Postgraduate Policy 2025

This course is taught by

School of Medicine

Contact us

School of Medicine Postgraduate Admissions

Email: pgmed-admissions@leeds.ac.uk
Telephone:

Fees

UK: £12,750 (Total)

International: £29,250 (Total)

Read more about paying fees and charges.

For fees information for international taught postgraduate students, read Masters fees.

Additional cost information

Fees for the optional one-week study tour

The cost of the optional one-week study tour to Geneva (see Course overview) is not included in the course fees.

Students who choose the study tour as an optional module pay approximately £575. Students who attend the study tour for their professional development pay approximately £750. These fees include the travel and accommodation.

As these costs are only approximations, The Nuffield Centre shares information about these fees in offer letters and during the first semester of the course.

Other costs associated with visas (such as visa handling and transport to the visa centre in Manchester), meals in Geneva and any other personal costs are not included in the fees above.

Fees for conducting research project fieldwork

While doing the research project, students conduct their own fieldwork. This could be in a location overseas in a low- and middle-income country. The costs associated with this fieldwork depends on your research project and interests, and is not included in the course fees.

There may be additional costs related to your course or programme of study, or related to being a student at the University of Leeds. Read more on our living costs and budgeting page.

Scholarships and financial support

If you have the talent and drive, we want you to be able to study with us, whatever your financial circumstances. There may be help for students in the form of loans and non-repayable grants from the University and from the government.  Find out more at Masters funding overview.

Studying in the School of Medicine at Leeds is an amazing opportunity, but we know that the cost can be difficult for many people to meet. If you are keen to join us, a range of funding opportunities are available.

We provide information on where previous students have obtained funding. Please take a look at Leeds Institute of Health Sciences Funders for ideas.

Career opportunities

This course helps build experience and confidence in international and global health through developing knowledge and skills to establish a career in international health and research.

As an intercalated degree for medical students, the course is useful for those considering making an impact in global public health.

The Nuffield Centre for International Health and Development has taught international health and development courses at Leeds for over 40 years. Therefore, it has a large alumni network of health professionals in senior positions around the world, including in the UK.

Graduates of this programme have gone into a range of careers, including working for major international NGOs, working in national-level research organisations or undertaking further research was part of their medical degrees or at the PhD level. A number of alumni have also published their work in world-leading global public health journals.

Careers support

This course is designed to build your skills and competencies in international health and enhance your employability. It will expose you to essential skills required for an international health career, including developing research proposals, preparing policy briefs, critically appraising research to propose evidence-based recommendations, and planning and executing independent research projects.

During the course, you can learn about career opportunities by attending seminars from global public health leaders, researchers, and practitioners. You will also hear of career opportunities during The Geneva study tour of international organisations.

At the end of the course, you are advised on available job opportunities in international health, which help many alumni find suitable jobs soon after completing the course or determine how the new knowledge and skills learned can be utilized in the medical field.