Why choose this Master? - Master Global Health

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 84th place in the 2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking), the Catholic University of Leuven is considered the most innovative university in Europe, and Hasselt University ranks 35th on the list of young universities.

Emphasizing strong mentorship

At the start of the programme, each student is invited to have a one-on-one meeting with a personal mentor. This mentor acts as a coach, providing students with guidance and support focused on personal growth and well-being. By the beginning of the second semester students will get an academic mentor being their master’s dissertation promotor who will take on the important role of ensuring academic coherence in the student’s programme. In particular s/he will support the student to specialize in a particular global health topic. Both mentors will assist the student to align his/her choice of Master’s thesis topic, elective courses in the second year and internship.

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. Students have final responsibility of identifying the most suitable internship placement. S/he will however receive guidance and assistance from the mentor. In the past, a lot of students did their 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 connected to each other by public transport. In the second year, classes and campuses are linked to the major chosen by the student.