Student blogs

With the formal lecture portion of the global health programme coming to an end, I wanted to highlight key aspects of my first semester. It has been such an eventful journey, starting from the first day of classes back in September to now. Hopefully this overview gives you insights into what you can expect in the programme! 

Academics 

The current global health programme includes six courses that fall within the formal lecture part of the course. With the programme transitioning to two years, there will be similarities and differences between my academic experience and yours. For more information on the courses you can expect to take starting from this August, you can navigate here.  

I have found there to be many strengths to the structure of these courses! For example, one aspect I like is the breadth of backgrounds we encounter among the lecturers. The lecturers range from having a clinical background, to being sociologists and anthropologists, working in the policy sphere, and more. Therefore, the varied instruction really builds nuance within our understanding of global health and the diversity within the field.  

Additionally, note that not every course is the same in regard to assignments and grading scheme. Some courses like Introduction to Global Health and Research Methodology had exams that we took online. Other courses like Health Policy, Management and Economics required a longer written assignment to analyse health systems.  

A recurring theme among all courses is that they involve group work in some form. Group work can look like a brief class activity or a more involved project that manifests in creating a presentation. In the Infectious Disease course, we even had group work to create a formal poster to present to our class.  

Thesis

The thesis can feel like uncharted territory, especially during a one-year programme. Due to the duration of this programme, we had to start thinking about our thesis soon. The general timeline for finding a thesis project in the global health programme looked like this: 

• October: Start hearing about the thesis portion from course leaders and obtain access to a list of thesis projects. 

• End of November: Find a thesis project, supervisor, and fill out at outline about the project. 

• Early January: Submit a project proposal (an expanded version of the outline), peer review, and seminars. 

• Mid-February onwards: Work on the thesis full-time. 

I remember back in October and November, there was quite a deal of stress surrounding finding a thesis project. This process can be a nerve-wracking experience at times especially if the deadline is looming. However, I can assuredly say that in the end everyone finds a project.  

My best tips for finding a project are to start thinking about which topics you are interested in early on, send emails to supervisors whose projects you would like to learn more about and do not be afraid to send more than one at a time, update your CV and be prepared to meet supervisors within a broad range of interview styles, and be confident.  

Every person in the programme is accepted based on their merit and scholarly capabilities. It is important to remember that one rejection does not equate to never finding a project suitable for you!

Socialising

One of the best parts of the global health master’s programme is that it truly attracts such a diverse cohort of students. People in the programme come from all over the world, have been involved in various careers both within clinical healthcare and outside of it, and overall have such varied backgrounds.  

I have immensely benefited from socialising with my classmates, learning more about their lives, getting a window into different cultures, and sharing so many laughs as we go through this programme. 

Classmates in my programme organise collective events often. We have regular hiking outings, fikas especially after exams, and we have had potlucks as well! These events have been a great way to get to know more people in my class outside the classroom setting. 

Some words of wisdom

I wrote this article in hopes of demystifying the global health programme and encourage you all to believe in yourselves. All of you bring something valuable to a master’s programme like global health as well as to the world. It might be a bit intimidating at first to join the programme and there are challenges, but I can confidently say this has been a wonderful decision for me.

You will experience a lot of growth and may learn things you have no experience with (I am looking at you, R). Remember to lean on your peers and instructors, keep an open mind, and do not be afraid to receive and give feedback during the programme. Best of luck to you all!