MSc Health Data Science
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Key Information
Campus location
London, United Kingdom
Languages
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Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 year
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
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Application deadline
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Earliest start date
Sep 2024
Introduction
MSc Health Data Science
This programme, supported by Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), aims to train a new generation of world-leading health data scientists, to work in both the public and private sector. Teaching will focus on building strong quantitative, computational and practical data management skills, while providing opportunities to develop key professional skills required to be a successful health data scientist.
Health Data Science is an emerging discipline, combining mathematics, statistics, epidemiology and informatics. This programme will equip graduates with the tools and skills to manage and analyse very large diverse datasets across healthcare systems.
The program will enable you to:
- apply statistical and machine learning approaches to analyse health-related data
- acquire the tools and skills to manage very large diverse datasets across healthcare systems
- develop the professional skills – including teamwork, project management, and presentation skills – to work as a successful data scientist in the public or private sector
- understand the varied roles of a health data scientist within the wider health and health research environment
- learn about the key sources of health data, and the context in which these data are collected, implications of the context on issues such as data quality, accessibility, bias and the appropriateness of use to address specific questions
- study the key issues related to ethics, security and information governance
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Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Several scholarship options are available. Please check the institute website for more information.
Curriculum
Structure
Term 1
All students take five compulsory modules:
- Introduction to Health Data Science
- Programming
- Health Data Management
- Epidemiology for Health Data Science
- Statistics for Health Data Science
Term 2
Students take a total of four modules one from each timetable slot (Slot 1, Slot 2 etc.). The list below shows recommended modules.
Slot 1
- Machine Learning (compulsory)
Slot 2
- Data Challenge (compulsory)
Slot 3
- Analysis of Hierarchical and Other Dependent Data
- Genomics Health Data
- Modelling & the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases
- Spatial Epidemiology in Public Health
Slot 4
- Analysis of Electronic Health Records
- Environmental Epidemiology
- Survival Analysis and Bayesian Statistics
Program Outcome
Why this course?
Do you want to better understand the causes of disease and identify new ways to prevent, treat and cure disease?
The increasing amounts of electronically captured and stored health related data provide enormous opportunities to achieve these goals. Making optimal use of these data requires people with wide-ranging expertise in areas including statistics, programming, informatics and epidemiology.
Health Data Science at LSHTM
LSHTM is a world leader in the use of health data for research, with expertise in the creation, linkage and analysis of a wide range of data sources, encompassing data on environmental and social factors as well as ‘omic data, both human and pathogen. In addition, LSHTM has global reach and a large international network of partnerships enabling data science collaborations worldwide.
Our electronic health records (EHR) work encompasses pharmacoepidemiology, phenotyping, vaccine effectiveness/safety, health policy assessment, and infectious disease surveillance. We have expertise in using national audits for quality improvement, and developing NHS performance indicators. Our work is underpinned by an internationally recognised group of biostatistical methodologists.
Is this the right program for me?
Medical Statistics, Epidemiology, and Health Data Science are closely related disciplines. We offer Master's degrees in each of these disciplines. Here are some of the differences in emphasis between them:
-
- MSc Health Data Science
- explores a range of machine learning techniques
- has a greater focus on computational data skills, including programming and tools for data management
- has a greater focus on professional skills training (e.g. teamwork, project management, presentation skills)
- MSc Medical Statistics
- has a greater focus on the theoretical underpinnings of the statistical methods studied
- explores study design, for both clinical trials and observational studies
- includes a more in-depth exploration of certain statistical methods (e.g. models for hierarchical data)
- MSc Epidemiology
- has a greater focus on developing the research question
- includes an in-depth exploration of study design, protocol development and conducting appropriate statistical analyses
- emphasises the ability to critically appraise studies and interpret results
- offers the opportunity to learn about concepts and techniques specific to the study of infectious diseases
- MSc Health Data Science
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
The demand for well-trained health data scientists is high and likely to increase over time. We anticipate our graduates may pursue careers in:
- National health services
- The pharmaceutical industry
- Contract research organisations
- Governmental institutions (such as the Health Protection Agency and the World Health Organization)
- Non-governmental organisations
- Health-tech SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises)
- Academia