Global Health Sciences MS

The Master of Science in Global Health in the UCSF Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS) is a one-year, four-quarter program designed for those who wish to acquire expertise and develop leadership skills in the field of global health. Graduates are prepared to take on leadership roles in the field of global health in diverse careers, including field-based research, policy design, organizational leadership, program management and evaluation, and in academia.

The master’s curriculum is organized over four academic quarters in thematic blocks:

• Foundations of Global Health
• Scientific Methods
• Diseases and Determinants
• Systems and Policy

Lectures, seminars, case studies, debates, and team-based projects introduce students to critical aspects of global health practice. The learning environment is dynamic and emphasizes faculty involvement, peer teaching, problem-solving, and discussion.

A centerpiece of the program is each student’s individual capstone project, developed over a yearlong seminar and conducted in locations around the world, which emphasizes study design, practicalities of field research, and cultural humility. This project allows students to obtain depth of expertise in a specific topic and method.

Faculty

The master’s program boasts a low faculty-to-student ratio with courses taught directly by world-renowned global health researchers and practitioners. Dozens of faculty members from UCSF's four professional schools (medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and nursing) and the Graduate Division, as well as from other UC campuses and the broader community, teach and mentor the master’s students.

Career Outcomes

Graduates with an MS in Global Health often pursue further degrees (especially MD or PhD degrees) or work in academia, governmental agencies, NGOs or other non-profit settings. Note that IGHS also offers a PhD program in Global Health Sciences.

The IGHS education program office is located at the UCSF Mission Bay campus. Visit the program website for more information.

The Master of Science in Global Health is offered by the UCSF Graduate Division. Programs at the Institute for Global Health Sciences (IGHS), unlike other programs at UCSF, are not administered by any of the UCSF Schools. IGHS reports directly to the chancellor. Faculty members from all UCSF schools and many departments deliver the IGHS courses.