Global Public Health with Data Science MSc

Program Overview

Global Public Health with Data Science MSc

Overview

The Global Public Health with Data Science MSc is a unique course that brings new insights to public health by combining global public health with data science. This course offers a profound opportunity to investigate issues related to global public health in all three economies of the world (high, middle, and low-income countries), and to study components of different healthcare systems around the world and health inequalities at national and international levels.

Course Structure

You'll be taught through a combination of methods, helping to both improve your knowledge in the field of public health and build your critical faculties through experiential learning, helping you to develop the key communication skills required of professional scientists.

Teaching methods include formal lectures, practical sessions, student-centred learning activities, poster presentations, and oral presentations. Where appropriate, teaching materials will be recorded and accessible online for all students.

Core Modules

• Health Data Science: Advanced and integrated analysis techniques are required in order to harness the potential of ‘big data’ to advance healthcare delivery. Therefore, the purpose of this module is to introduce students to the basic concepts of data science and to learn its application in healthcare. The main module objective is to aid students to understand and implement the computational methods that help in extracting insights from healthcare datasets and developing new diagnostic, prognostic, predictive, or monitoring applications to address global health challenges. (20 credits)
• Health Inequalities and Health Promotion: This module introduces the student to health promotion theories and strategies through a lens of health inequalities. It explores the role of policies and action to address inequalities. It provides experience in the associated needs assessment, design, and evaluation of health promotion interventions. Emphasis is placed on the critical analysis of health promotion policies, programmes, and strategies to deliver health for all through a social determinants of health lens. Health care systems are considered with respect to their role of addressing inequalities in health. (20 credits)
• Infectious Diseases and Public Health: In this module, you’ll learn about a number of topics, such as: transmission and epidemiology of communicable diseases and the influence of mode of transmission; outbreaks and epidemics, including emergence, control, and the role of vaccines, therapeutics, and intervention strategies; epidemiology, pathogenesis, and laboratory diagnosis of selected infectious diseases with focus on those which are new or topical; the use of new technologies for the characterisation of pathogens and their detection. (20 credits)
• Non-Communicable Diseases and Epidemiology: This module will introduce you to non-communicable diseases and epidemiology. It explores the impact of non-communicable diseases (NCD) on public health and their root causes. Emphasis is placed on the critical analysis of health strategies used to prevent, detect, and manage NCDs. (20 credits)
• Health Economics: The timely use of health care services can lead to enhanced health outcomes in all contexts. Reducing the delay to timely health seeking practices requires the development of health systems that are efficient and effective. Selecting how to fund healthcare is based on health economic principles. The module’s aims are to analyse principles of microeconomics and their application to healthcare and to examine issues of efficiency and equity and their application to healthcare and global health – to this aim we will be using examples from high-middle-low income countries. It will also provide an overview of the basic principles of health economic evaluation, modelling, and decision making to evaluate interventions in healthcare and resource allocation. (20 credits)
• Postgraduate Research Methods for Health Sciences I: The purpose of this module is to teach the principles and practice of research with a focus on qualitative and quantitative study designs and methods of data collection and processing. It will show how these designs and methods can be applied to evaluation studies as well as to research. It will provide a supportive and intellectually challenging environment within which students develop their knowledge, understanding, and skills as researchers. (20 credits)
• Research Methods II and Research Project for Health Sciences: This module consolidates and extends the skills learned in other modules and particularly Research Methods I. It culminates in the conduct of a supervised research project relevant to a student’s area of professional practice and course-specific discipline. (40 credits)

Optional Modules

• Global Approaches to Health and Wellbeing: This module will explore recent advances in evidence-based integrative medicine. A broad range of both Western and non-Western approaches to health and wellbeing will be evaluated which will be based around diet, exercise, therapies, and activities. These approaches will focus particularly on chronic disease, long-term illness, and aging. The module will include appraisal of the validity for the integration of these interventions and modalities. (20 credits)
• Policy and Governance for Public Health Nutrition: This module introduces the political influences on health and nutrition policies and the challenges that nations encounter when trying to implement them. This module will examine the history of global health and nutrition policies and which policies have been more effective and why. Students will investigate policy making and analysis tools. Students will explore policy making and governance frameworks in order to carry out a stakeholder and policy analysis for their assessments. They will be supported to become more reflective practitioners, to develop skills like effective team leadership and performing well under stress, while managing conflict. There is a strong emphasis on developing your skills for professional practice, including professional accountability. (20 credits)
• Policy and Practice of Social Prescribing and Wellbeing: This module focuses on the evidence-based research which has informed key UK policy development in health and wellbeing. The evidence for the impact of social prescribing and wellbeing on individuals and communities will be evaluated, while also considering critics of this field. International applications of social prescribing across different health systems and the key roles of professionals delivering social prescribing will be discussed. The module will explore concurrent development and implementation of inclusivity legislation, and its effect on health and wellbeing. (20 credits)
• Sustainable Solutions with Machine Learning and Big Data: Advanced and integrative analytical techniques are required to harness the potential of ‘big data’ to address global environmental challenges. Therefore, this module aims to advance students' programming skills and introduce them to the concepts of machine learning and big data analytics using Python programming. The main module objective is to aid students in understanding and implementing the computational methods that help extract insights from these heterogeneous datasets and develop new sustainable predictive or monitoring applications for addressing these challenges. (20 credits)

Entry Requirements

• A minimum of a lower second-class honours degree (2:2) in a relevant discipline including science or social science subject.
• If your first language is not English, you should have an IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.5 in writing and no element below 6.0.

Fees and Funding

• UK tuition fee: Tuition fees have yet to be confirmed for this course (Price per academic year)
• International tuition fee: Tuition fees have yet to be confirmed for this course (Price per academic year)
• Alumni discount: This course is eligible for an alumni discount. Find out if you are eligible and how to apply by visiting our Alumni discounts page.
• Funding: There is a range of funding available that may help you fund your studies, including Student Finance England (SFE).
• Scholarships: The University is dedicated to supporting ambitious and outstanding students and we offer a variety of scholarships to eligible postgraduate students.

Careers

• The University's Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
• Grow your network: Forge professional connections with peers and future colleagues.
• Transferable Skills: You'll gain the knowledge and experience to work in organisations including public and allied health, the private, public, third and voluntary health sectors, government departments, UN health agencies, statutory bodies, health institutions, and the higher education sector.
• Employers around the world: The University’s Careers and Employability Service has built up a network of over 3,000 employers around the world, helping all our students explore and connect with exciting opportunities and careers.
• Industry links: Our staff have links with companies within the public and private sector, and will welcome a range of guest speakers from organisations including:
  • UN - WHO
  • UN - UNICEF
  • Imperial College London
  • University of Oxford
  • University College London (UCL)
  • Capgemini
  • Department of Health and Social Care (UK-GOV)
  • Cognizant
  • Daiichi Sankyo
  • Merck
  • Philips
  • Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy - Netherlands
• Graduate employers: The skills and knowledge gained from this course will equip you well for various roles within the health sector, government departments, UN health agencies, statutory bodies, health institutions, and higher education. You’ll also develop transferable skills valued by employers, including leadership, data analysis and interpretation, strategising and planning, decision making in complex situations, and independent learning to enhance continuing professional development (CPD).
• Job roles: This course will prepare you for roles in a variety of areas, including:
  • Civil servant
  • Health improvement lead
  • Researcher
  • Data analyst
  • Health policy advisor
  • Health program manager
  • Health promotion official
  • Community health official

Course Leaders

• Dr Teddy Seyoum: Dr Teddy was a member of the recent United Nations joint FAO/UNICEF/IFAD/WHO/WFP high-level political forum on the state of food security and nutrition in the world and is a special advisor to the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia on all aspects relating to public health.
• Dr Dipankar Sengupta: Dr Sengupta is an experienced data scientist with over seventeen years of experience in academia and industry, specialising in designing and implementing data-driven solutions. He has a track record of leading and collaborating on complex projects, driving new initiatives to address specific domain challenges (primarily in healthcare), and developing sustainable solutions.

Research Groups

• Centre for Nutraceuticals: Our research achieves real-world impact and we are proud to claim a rich and diverse profile of high-quality research and knowledge exchange in a wide range of disciplines.

Supporting You

• Student Hub: Our Student Hub is where you’ll find out about the services and support we offer, helping you get the best out of your time with us.
• Study support: Workshops, 1-2-1 support, and online resources to help improve your academic and research skills.
• Personal tutors: Support you in fulfilling your academic and personal potential.
• Student advice team: Provide specialist advice on a range of issues including funding, benefits, and visas.
• Extra-curricular activities: Volunteering opportunities, sports and fitness activities, student events, and more.

Course Location

• Cavendish Campus: With state-of-the-art science and psychology labs and refurbished computer suites, our Cavendish Campus offers our science and technology students a range of learning spaces that are both dynamic and inspiring.
• Location: Located in central London, our Cavendish Campus is just a five-minute walk from Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road.