Global Health Professional Development Course

This Global health course focuses on identifying and assessing challenges in public health from a global perspective and provides you with a platform for education and research about health challenges facing the world's populations, particularly in populations burdened by poverty.

The overarching aim of the principles of global health is to contribute to a reduction of the global burden of disease. The focus of this course is on the distribution and determinants of health, diseases and injuries in populations with different social, economic and cultural characteristics, and on maternal and child health.

Who is it for?

This course will benefit those wishing to expand their knowledge and expertise in global public health, and the detriments and spread of disease throughout populations worldwide.

Timetable

Term 2

Jan: Wednesday 20 and 27 January 2027
Feb: Wednesday 3, 10, 17 and 24 February 2027
Mar: Wednesday 3, 10, 17,  24, and 31 March 2027

Benefits

The key takeaway from this course is a deeper understanding of health challenges – in particular those faced by populations burdened by poverty.

On completion, you may take forward the credits from this course onto a PGCert, PGDip or MSc programme at City.

This short course module is designed to be flexible in allowing you to study and reach your goals at your own pace. Our health CPD courses are credit-bearing modules that contribute to a University degree or award.

Transfer course credits towards postgraduate taught degree

As a health care professional, once you've completed this course you could offset 15 credits as part of a postgraduate programme, continuing your study with further modules to make up a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) 60 credits, Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) 120 credits or Master of Science (MSc) 180 credits qualification (all credits must be awarded within five years of study commencing).

By the end of the course you will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding:

• Identify and critically evaluate health indicators and be able to use these indicators for analysis and assessment of the health situations in countries with different economic conditions.
• Describe and critically assess the importance of health systems and policies in countries with different demographic and health-related situations.
• Critically assess knowledge of social and political factors that influence global health, and show an ability to describe the burden of disease at a global level and in countries with different economic conditions.
• Critically evaluate the importance of health care systems and how they can be developed to achieve adequate quality of healthcare.

Skills:

• Critically integrate knowledge of appropriate theories, concepts and evidence to the analysis of the complex phenomena, issues and situations covered on the course.
• Independently and critically identify problems covered on the course, and formulate solutions using appropriate methods.
• Conduct electronic and library searches to identify relevant literature and evidence, and present and discuss the analysis, results and conclusions of your research clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.

Values and attitudes:

• Exhibit insight into the potential and limitations of science, its role in society and the individual’s responsibility for how it is used.
• Identify gaps in existing knowledge and take responsibility for developing strategies for addressing knowledge gaps.

Teaching

Teaching and learning will take place through a mix of interactive lectures, group work, case studies and practical exercises. This will enable you to examine global health issues in more detail, through both teacher and peer-led input, promoting discussion and developing communication and group working skills.

Teaching sessions take place over ten half-days and are supplemented by self-directed study that enables students to gain a deeper overall understanding of the subject, as well as pursue topics which are of particular interest to them in greater detail.

Teaching and learning are facilitated by Moodle, the University’s online Virtual Learning Environment.

Assessment

Assessment will be a combination of a group presentation and a written assessment. Your written assessment will be a 2,000-word essay.

This course is provided by the School of Health & Medical Sciences.

Credits

This course is worth 15 credits toward eligible programmes.

• a first degree in a medical/health or social sciences discipline is required (minimum 2:1 honours degree, 3.0 GPA or an equivalent international degree)
• applicants with equivalent qualifications or substantial experience in health services will also be considered on an individual basis.

English requirements

If your first language is not English, one of the following is required:

• A first degree from a UK university
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City, University of London as providing adequate evidence of proficiency in the English language, for example, from institutions from Australia, Canada or the United States of America.
• International English Language Test Service (IELTS) a score of 7.0 is required with no subtest below 7.0
• Pearson Test of English (Academic) score 72 required
• TOEFL 100 overall with 24 in Writing, 20 in Listening, 19 Reading and 20 Speaking
• Other evidence of proficiency in the English language, which satisfies the board of studies concerned, including registration with your professional regulator.

• Birn et al. (2017). Textbook of Global Health. 4th Edition.
• Roberts et al. (2008). Getting Health Reform Right: A Guide to Improving Performance and Equity.
• Further resources will be made available during the module.