MScIH - Overview

Overall Aim
The focus of our International Health Programme is on poverty-related health problems in low and middle income countries.

In order to make health services accessible to the people who need them most, there is a need in many developing countries to improve health policy, to make organisation, planning and management more efficient at all levels of the delivery system, and to ensure sustainable financing. 

The Master of Science Course in International Health (MSc IH) at Heidelberg University was developed with these factors in mind.

The overall aim of the programme is to provide students with a solid foundation in international public health principles and with competency in using the tools and methods necessary to initiate and run programmes that improve the health of poor populations in an efficient, sustainable and equitable way.

The Structure The MScIH is a modular programme consisting of three parts, each accounting for 20 ECTS (= European Credit Transfer System):

• Core Course - providing a basic overview on essential topics in international health
• Advanced Modules - offering more in-depth learning on selected topics
• Thesis - allowing for individual research guided by a tutor

Full Time and Part Time Study
Full Time
The MScIH programme can be completed in a one-year Residential Track (full time), with a fixed set of Advanced Modules (RT) taken at Heidelberg.

Part Time
It can also be taken in form of the European Track (tropEd: Network for Higher Education in International Health), allowing for part time studies and an individual choice of Advanced Modules (ET) offered within the tropEd network. The Master needs to be completed within 5 years.

Before entering the programme, the candidate must decide which track to follow.

Teaching and Learning Methods The lecturers and course staff are commited to the development of a learning atmosphere that balances input lectures, participatory activities and independent, individual studies. For this, a combination of approaches is used:

• Interactive lectures - to present theoretical and conceptual issues
• Group work, group discussions, plenary session - to enable the participants to share thoughts and ideas and thereby deepen their understanding of theories and concepts
• Workshops and seminars - to facilitate the learning of skills
• Tutorials - to ensure the achievement of individual learning goals and to meet individual learning needs.

Start Date
The MScIH programme starts each year October 1st

Student Assessment Procedures
Assessment of the participants' achievement of the learning objectives take place throughout the course.

In general, students are not asked for mere repetition of facts, but to synthesise knowledge obtained within a given module.

Assessment includes written in-class exams with essay style and short-answer questions, as well as group projects and individual take-home assignments.

Certification
After all three parts have been completed sucessfully, students reeive the Heidelberg MScIH degree.

European Track students, who have followed all tropEd rules, are awarded in addition a tropEd certificate.

For more and contact info, download MScIH Course Description (click here)