Advanced Master of Global Health

Complex health problems require interdisciplinary, intersectoral and international solutions. We welcome students with a recognized Master’s degree from any background discipline.

Requirements

• a Master’s degree or equivalent that complies with the minimum diploma requirements (verified by the UGent admissions service)
• proof of English language proficiency (TOEFL 550/213 or IELTS score 6.5)
• interest in and basic knowledge of the field of global health, assessed through a personal motivation letter and an interview

The Master of Science in Global Health is a two-year advanced Master’s programme (120 ECTS) comprising three components: 1) theoretical courses; 2) a Master’s thesis; and 3) an internship.

The theoretical courses are largely based on three aspects of global health:
I. Global concepts, problems and frameworks concerning health (Global – Year 1)
II. Local and context-specific organization and interventions concerning health (Local – Year 1)
III. Extensive focus on a specific aspect of global health (Focal – Year 2)

The theoretical courses also include:
I. Courses on transferable skills, including complexity theory, systems thinking and evidence synthesis
II. Research methods and tools, including key methodological insights relevant to global health

Master’s dissertation: The Master’s dissertation is a paper in which the student independently develops a research project.

Internship programme: Students will undertake a 10-week professional internship in the field.

The University of Antwerp, which was founded in 2003, scores extremely well in Young University Rankings.

• Times Higher Education Millennials 2020 - Rank 5
• ​​​Times Higher Education Young University Ranking 2024 - Rank 12
• QS 50 under 50 2021 - Rank 20

World University Rankings

• Times Higher Education 2025 - Rank 168
• ​Shanghai (ARWU) 2024 - Rank 300-401
• ​​QS World Ranking 2025 - Rank 267
• Best Global Universities Ranking 2024 - Rank 213
• Europe’s Most Innovative Ranking 2019 - Rank 93

Students acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude to face the complexity of Global Health problems, and to formulate holistic, transnational, interdisciplinary solutions, taking into account a multitude of actors. Read more about the acquired competences on the programme's website.

Career opportunities

In the second year, the Master’s programme offers two tracks. Students graduating from our ‘Global Health Policy and Programmes’ option will be more oriented towards government institutions, international organizations, development agencies, non-governmental organizations, or lobbying and advocacy. Those graduating from our ‘Research Methods in Global Health’ option will focus more on national and international research institutions working in fields related to global health.

Why choose this Master?

6 reasons to choose this Master.

Every day we are faced with important global health challenges. Chronic conditions, mental illnesses, and ageing, but also the effects of pollution, climate change, and migration on health, are health problems and determinants that are considered global challenges for the 21st century. Such challenges can only be effectively addressed through an interdisciplinary, intersectoral, global approach that tackles their multiple causes and consequences. The Master of Science in Global Health provides you with the necessary knowledge and skills to manage these complexities by giving you a sound theoretical basis, mixed with applied classes and an internship. This training package will prepare you to become a catalyst for change as a global health professional.

Adopting a truly interdisciplinary approach

The programme starts from the idea that an interdisciplinary approach is essential to solve complex global health challenges. Therefore, we require no particular Master’s degree to enrol in the programme, since we believe that a Master of Philosophy can contribute equally to finding global health solutions as a Master of Social Sciences, Law, Medicine, or any other discipline. The programme will pay particular attention to interdisciplinary collaboration and group work. The teaching staff also reflects this interdisciplinarity.

A collaboration between five top Belgian universities

Each university has its specific experience, approach, and centres of expertise. By working together, students benefit from being taught by top researchers in different areas of global health. Furthermore, the wide networks of these five institutions can draw on international teaching staff and internship placements. Belgian universities achieve high scores in global rankings — for example, Ghent University ranks in 61st place in the 2018 Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking), the Catholic University of Leuven is considered the most innovative university in Europe, and Hasselt University ranks 15th on the list of best small universities.

Emphasizing strong individual mentorship

Each student will be guided by a mentor. Starting in the second semester, each student will be assigned a mentor who will take on the important role of ensuring coherence in the student’s programme. In particular, s/he will support the student to specialize in a particular global health topic. The mentor will assist the student to align his/her choice of Master’s thesis topic, elective courses in the second year, and internship. Preferably, the mentor is also the promoter of the Master’s thesis. S/he is an expert in the field the student wants to specialize in and can assist the student’s professional development.

Connecting with the professional world through the internship programme

In the second year, students will undertake a 10-week professional internship in the field. The aim of the internship is to put global health thinking into practice, to acquire skills and practical knowledge, and to get a better view of the total domain of global health, including the various actors, specializations, and career opportunities that this encompasses. The student is involved in all aspects of the work undertaken. We have secured internship placements in high-level research institutes, as well as in government departments and international organizations. The Master’s programme also benefits from its strategic position in the heart of Europe, with a wide range of international organizations present in Brussels.

Applying an innovative educational concept

Blended learning combines contact education and online learning. We also attach great importance to competency-based education and workplace learning. The programme includes various aspects of competency-based education. Students are trained to become professionals, and the learning environment invites them to learn actively, using real-world examples. In the Master’s programme, this is mainly done through interdisciplinary group work, by incorporating realistic cases into the lessons, by focusing on contemporary topics, and through the 10-week professional internship.

Learning in the heart of Europe

In the first year, classes are spread over three campuses in Belgium — Ghent, Antwerp, and Leuven — in the heart of Europe. Students will have access to the facilities of all three campuses. The campuses are strongly rooted in history, with ample places of historical interest, medieval centres, and teaching histories dating back to the 14th century. They are well connected to each other by public transport. In the second year, classes and campuses are linked to the major chosen by the student.