Global Health and Infectious Diseases (MSc, PG Diploma, PG Certificate)

This postgraduate programme aims to address the challenges posed by infectious diseases in the 21st Century by developing your expertise in surveillance, prevention, and control of infectious diseases.

You will explore and address local and global health challenges related to infectious diseases and their impact upon public health. The programme explores the parallels that exist between infectious diseases such as malaria, influenza, TB, Covid-19, and neglected diseases such as leprosy and brucellosis. You will develop the skills to apply scientific research to help develop and implement strategies and programmes to help manage infectious diseases better. 

Lauren Narian explains what she has enjoyed about the Global Health and Infectious Diseases and how the programme has benefited her career.

What will you study? 

Year 1 of the programme aims to develop your understanding of the transmission of infectious agents and their survival strategies, as well as looking at strategies for disease control of the host. You will also explore the impact globalisation has had on our modern world and the challenges related to globalisation, such as population movement, food security, and disease surveillance.  

In year 2 we offer a range of optional courses in the programme, providing you the opportunity to specialise in areas of interest, including: 

  • Emerging infectious diseases 
  • GIS and spatial data  
  • Neglected tropical diseases 
  • Newborn and child health 
  • Project management of development aid 
  • Reproductive and Maternal Health 
  • Water and sanitisation 
  • Zoonotic diseases  

Year 3 gives you the opportunity to research original and creative responses to a challenge of your choosing in the form of a dissertation project. 

Course information

Career development

This is a professional postgraduate qualification for biomedical, medical, public health, and veterinary personnel who want to develop their scientific knowledge of the spread and management of infectious diseases.  

You will develop an extensive knowledge of global health and infectious diseases informed by scientific research, and learn to apply this knowledge in a wide, and often unpredictable variety of global health contexts.  Throughout the programme you will learn to develop and evaluate creative solutions to better manage your response to the infectious disease challenges in global health. In addition to having more confidence in their role, and boosting career prospects, many of our graduates find that these skills have significantly enhanced their ability to communicate and influence public policy and decision makers.  

Our optional course in Project Management of Development Aid will enhance your leadership and management skills, while courses in GIS and spatial data analysis will significantly enhance your ability to analyse and present data – skills that are vital in addressing the challenges of infectious diseases and global health. 

Each year we recruit students from a wide range of professions from around the world, providing you with an insight into the challenges and solutions of health care systems in other countries. Our graduates find these insights invaluable in developing their understanding of global health, and identifying new ways to address common challenges.  

I use to think health was just about the human being, but now I have a wider view of health. It involves wider issues concerning animals, the environment, and humans, and so it opened up that space that I had never been into.

Jennifer Adong

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for 2024/25 academic year are:

  • A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent.
  • A biomedical, medical, public health, veterinary or relevant bioscience topic is particularly suitable for this degree programme, but entry is not restricted to these topics.

Full entry requirements, including international qualifications and English language requirements can be found on the University Programme Degree Finder. 

Fees

Fee status  

Tuition fees are standard for all students regardless of location or nationality.   We offer a 10% scholarship in postgraduate degree tuition fees for all alumni who have graduated with an undergraduate degree from the University of Edinburgh.

A breakdown of fees can be found on the University Programme Degree Finder. 

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