Global Health and Management (MSc)

Stage 1: Compulsory Courses

Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5506)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.

Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

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Health Systems and Policy Research (BU5594)

15 Credit Points

The course aims to provide foundational knowledge while placing emphasis on fostering critical thinking about the key challenges confronting health systems and the strategies to enhance health. With a global perspective, it examines diverse healthcare systems, encouraging students to compare, analyse, and critique them. Topics include the impact of social inequalities on health disparities and their implications for social policy, the use of charges for health care and their impact on health care use and health as well as public health approaches and their connections to issues such as unemployment and obesity.

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Managing Change (BU555A)

15 Credit Points

The concepts of change and innovation have never been more topical, especially given the commercial context of fierce business competition, shorter product life cycles and more demanding customers. Increasingly, long-term commercial success is based on an ability to manage change, to act creatively and to promote innovation; These processes interconnect and overlap and often present major challenges to modern organizations; We address these issues through providing detailed case illustrations ranging from the workplace to the wider business market. Learning is encouraged through interaction, reading, investigation, video and case analysis, and critical discussion.

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Global Health Issues and Challenges (PU5575)

15 Credit Points

This course focuses on global disease burden patterns, associated risk factors, drivers and responses. Specific diseases and health issues will be discussed in the socio-economic, political, and environmental context, while considering the appropriateness and adequacy of global health responses. Topics include communicable and non-communicable diseases, injuries, and global health risk factors and drivers.

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Stage 1: Optional Courses

Students select one 15-credit elective courses from the following:

• PU5576: Systematic Reviews for Clinical Practice and Health Policy(15 credit points)

*Please note that online electives are not available to student visa holders due to UKVI restrictions.

Human Resource Essentials (BU551Q)

15 Credit Points

Human Resource (HR) Essentials course serves as the first course in the program to provide students foundational understanding and knowledge of HR, and functions as a sound basis for other courses in the International Human Resources Management Programme. The course is focused on introducing HR theories and the application of theories and ideas into practice. In this course, students engage in a range of theories taught by lecturers as well as interactive exercises such case studies and evaluation of journal articles, through which they can reflect on and critically evaluate different HR theories. In this way students develop cognitive skills by actively and critically reflecting on practice, and practical transferable skills through assignment and in-class activities and exercises.

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The Leadership Challenge (BU5584)

15 Credit Points

This course provides an opportunity to explore and develop an understanding of your own leadership behaviour. Through workshops, group activities and discussions we investigate how personality, past experience, current situations and culture shape the way each of us behave in a leadership role. Using this information as a starting point we then explore how different leadership theories and approaches can be used as frameworks for developing a deeper understanding of leadership behaviour. You will also have an opportunity to try out a range of practical tools and techniques to assist you in the development of your own approach to leadership.

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Challenges in Global Nutrition (PU5547)

15 Credit Points

This course provides up-to-date knowledge of the challenges of nutrition in the global context. It provides students with an opportunity to develop their understanding of the methods of monitoring population nutritional status, a picture of the current global nutritional status, the determinants of nutritional status in different populations, and skills that will enable them to design, implement and evaluate nutrition interventions and programmes aimed at addressing global nutritional issues. The learning is widely applicable to all populations globally although the main focus is on low and middle-income countries (LMIC).

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Health Economics (PU5571)

15 Credit Points

Resources available for the provision and payment for health care are limited. However, knowledge of economics helps ensure that available resources are used in the most effective way possible. Economics allows more informed decision making about a variety of issues: choosing between alternative treatments; setting priorities between patients; choosing between alternative new technologies; organising the provision of health care.

In this course students will acquire a knowledge and understanding of:

• Key themes of economic theory applied to health care
• Some of the main techniques of health care evaluation
• Main arguments concerning alternative systems for organising and financing health care

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Illness, Disability and Interactions with Healthcare (PU5517)

15 Credit Points

This course aims to explore the psychological side of illness, disability and dying. Students will learn how symptoms are interpreted and responded to, how risk is perceived, how individuals live with chronic conditions and about end of life and bereavement.

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Stage 2: Compulsory Courses

Students select two courses from the following:

PU5930: Enhanced Work-Based Learning in Applied Health Sciences (30 credits)

Evaluating Policy Effects in Practice (PU5919)

30 Credit Points

The case study provides students with the opportunity to select, design, conduct and report on a detailed systematic investigation of a topic within an applied health field. The aim is to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of a particular topic, including the academic background, relevant policy and the roles played by various actors and agencies. The case study is conducted in an academically robust and ethically sensitive manner.

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Stage 3: Compulsory Courses

Students must take the following:

Key Concepts in Global Health (PU5056)

15 Credit Points

This course introduces students to key concepts in global health and develops skills to critically appraise organisations, actors, debates and data. Teaching material will cover: key definitions and terminology; institutions, practitioners and scholars in global health; and key drivers and challenges in the global health field. Students will learn about established and emerging topics, how these intersect with broader social, economic and political factors, and how research can make credible contributions in this context.

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Epidemiology (PU5030)

15 Credit Points

This course in applied epidemiology gives an introduction to disease measurement at a population level, basic epidemiological study design and analysis, and provides an understanding of key methodological issues needed to apply when designing – or critically appraising – an epidemiological study.

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Applied Statistics (PU5017)

15 Credit Points

This course in Applied Statistics focuses on the application of statistical techniques in postgraduate research for health professionals, with a particular emphasis on the correct interpretation of statistical analyses results. The course will NOT focus on the statistical theory underlying the subject. An important component of the course is the use of a statistical package (IBM SPSS), which can be used to implement all the methods taught on this course.

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Stage 3: Optional Courses

Students must select one elective.

• PU5077: Qualitative Health Research (15 credit points)

Health, Well Being and Behaviour Change (PU5040)

15 Credit Points

What can health professionals and health care promoters do to improve their own and others health and wellbeing? What influences people’s health behaviours? Why do people find it difficult to change their health behaviour? What are the most promising strategies for improving health and well-being?

Health behaviours cover a wide range of behaviours (e.g. smoking, physical activity, vaccination, diet, taking medication, and practicing safe sex) and have a major impact on peoples’ health, quality of life, and (healthy) life expectancy. Nevertheless, many people have an unhealthy diet, exercise too little, don’t take their medication as prescribed, smoke, drink excessive amounts of alcohol, and so forth.

In this course, we will address these challenges and students will learn key theories about health behaviour and behaviour change, including behaviour change techniques, in order to understand how health behaviours can be influenced by a variety of factors within an individual (e.g., conscious and unconscious thoughts, emotions, goals, and decisions), and also by factors in the environment (e.g., the behaviours and expectations of society; the quality of the communication by health care professionals; or availability and affordability of healthy options in the environment).

Health psychologists and health professionals are expected to be able to develop, evaluate and implement intervention programs to promote healthier behaviour, through changing individuals and their environment.

Within this course you will develop your understanding of health behaviours, what influences them and how to change them. You will experience the role of health behaviours from both the participant’s and researcher view, by developing, participating in and analysing your own behavioural intervention.

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Fundamentals of Research Design (PU5052)

15 Credit Points

This course introduces you to health research methods, focusing on designing strong research proposals. You'll learn to formulate research questions, choose study designs, identify outcomes, and plan data collection.

We will explore key study designs, from experimental to observational, and master sampling and data collection for both qualitative and quantitative research. You'll also develop skills in critical appraisal and research ethics, equipping you to design rigorous and impactful research.

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Women’s Health in A Global Setting (PU5048)

15 Credit Points

This course will explore the challenges faced in women’s health and health care in a global setting. Students will gain knowledge of how gender differences, inequality, women’s family roles, community and society support, and approaches to healthcare systems all play a role in women’s health. It will also present how women’s health intersects with broader social and economic factors.

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