PgCert Global Health

This programme can contribute to professional development for senior positions as a medical doctor or for any allied health professional. The MSc prepares you for roles across the globe, either short-term partnerships through your NHS setting or for longer stints with organisations such as VSO, MSF, the British Antarctic Survey, or any work within a global health or remote or rural environment. There is a strong leadership component which will stand you in good stead for all career pathways applicable to your chosen field. 

• Year 1

• Core modules

  GH711DL
  Introduction to Global Health

  This module will unpick the phrase Global Health and the key issues and philosophies within it. It will consider the scholarship of an emerging field through time and look to the future requirements for global health leadership.

  GH712DL
  Primary and Public Healthcare: Global Health

  This module will offer insights to the impact of the environment, culture, perceptions, health education and preventative health strategies to form the foundations of health and a functioning health care system.

  Optional modules

  GH713DL
  Leadership in Global Health: Health Systems Strengthening

  This module draws together an overview of key Global Health system strengthening concepts and leadership theory, ethnography and critical reflection. It will consider ways in which you can engineer and facilitate systems strengthening through effective leadership of local and global initiatives in dynamic and complex environments.

  GH715DL
  Health in Humanitarian Emergencies

  This module explores the management models of healthcare provision in response to humanitarian emergencies, resulting from both natural and human-induced crises. By evaluating the history of the humanitarian movement and factors affecting the current delivery of national and international aid programmes, this modules aims to review potential strategies for implementing sustainable healthcare programmes in LMICs.

This programme is applicable to public health and healthcare professionals who wish to pursue a career in public health or global health. It is also suitable for intercalating medical students between years 4 and 5 of their undergraduate course. A recognised first degree with a minimum of a lower second class/ 2:2 honours degree is required. This can be in public health / health promotion, health professions (medicine, nursing, paramedic science, dentistry, etc) or in a global health related topic (for example health management, forestry, veterinary care, biomedical science, media and communications). Applicants who have acquired global health experience working or volunteering with the health sector, Non-Governmental Organisations, Local Government or International Agencies (such as WHO or UN) will be considered if staff responsible for admissions are confident of the candidate’s ability to succeed in the programme, in line with QAA guidance.

If your first language is not English you will be required to provide evidence of competence in English language:

Accreditation of prior certificated learning (APCL) and accreditation of prior experiential learning (APEL) refer to the process by which previous formal certificated learning and informal non-certificated learning can be awarded credit towards modules within the sphere of Higher Education. Credit for prior learning, whether certificated or experiential, may count towards the requirements for the named award. The maximum amount of credit for prior learning (certificated or experiential) claimed towards the award is 120 credits. To qualify for the award of a masters degree, your dissertation must be completed at the University of Plymouth. If you are seeking credit (whether certificated or experiential), you will normally be required to apply for such credit on receipt of an offer of a place on the programme. Requests for APCL if you are already on a programme will be considered provided that you submit the request in the session before you would normally begin the module/stage for which you are seeking credit. In the case of requests for APEL, this would be at least six months prior to the beginning of the session before you would normally begin the module(s)/stage against which you are seeking credit.
The University of Plymouth is committed to providing equality for all irrespective of age, disability, ethnicity (including race, colour and nationality), gender, gender reassignment, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and will work to ensure that all students, employees and visitors, as well as those who apply or seek to apply to work or study at the University, are treated fairly and are not subjected to discrimination by the University on any of these grounds (University Equality and Diversity Policy, Revised April 2011).

The Faculty of Health welcomes applications from people with disabilities who will be considered on the same academic grounds as other potential students. Considerations about individual needs arising from disability will be made separately, and we will strive to meet an individual disabled student's needs wherever possible and in consultation with Additional support for students with an impairment, health condition or disability.

We welcome applicants with international qualifications. To view other accepted qualifications please refer to our tariff glossary.

Make sure you meet the entry requirements for this programme.

Make sure you have all your supporting documents. Documents required usually include:

Applications for postgraduate programmes of study can usually be made throughout the year. When applying for a taught postgraduate programme, please check for any submission deadlines with the Medicine and Dentistry Admissions team (contact details below). For full-time programmes, you may be invited for interview.

Check the closing date and apply as early as possible as our programmes are popular.

Once you are happy that you have all of the information required you can apply using our online postgraduate application form (the blue 'Apply now' icon on this page).

Once you have registered and logged in, please enter the ‘course code’ which can be found above into the search bar to begin your application. 

Additional guidance information can also be downloaded on how to fill in the postgraduate application form. 

More information and advice for applicants can be referenced in our online admissions policy for taught programmes. Prospective students are advised to read the policy before making an application to the University.

If you would like any further information please contact the Admissions and Course Enquiries team:

Telephone: +44 1752 585858

Email: admissions@plymouth.ac.uk 

You will normally receive a decision on your application within four weeks of us receiving your application. You may be asked to provide additional information, to take part in an interview (which in the case of overseas students may be by telephone or video conference) or you will be sent a decision by letter or email.

The University aims to make the application procedure as simple and efficient as possible. Our Admissions and Course Information team is on hand to offer help and can put you in touch with the appropriate faculty if you wish to discuss any programme in detail. The Doctoral College is also available to answer any queries on our postgraduate research degrees.

If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by the University of Plymouth, please visit our Disability Services website.

Support is also available to overseas students applying to the University from our International Office.