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Masters in Global
Health Sciences
Overview UCSF Global Health Sciences announces a new, one-year, four quarter Masters Degree in Global Health Sciences. The inaugural class will matriculate in September 2008. The degree program received unconditional approval from the Coordinating Committee on Graduate Affairs, Office of the President on May 6, 2008, and we anticipate full course accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges by the time of graduation in August 2009.
The Inaugural Class As a centerpiece of its efforts in global health, UCSF now offers for the first time a Master of Science Degree in Global Health Sciences for UCSF health professionals recently graduated or in training. The program will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for leadership roles in global health. By emphasizing a multi-disciplinary approach, we envision this MS degree to uniquely prepare graduates for careers in international policy, health care, research, or development. Thus, we seek an inaugural class of motivated, committed students with a compelling interest in global health.
Degree Objectives Applicants will typically be students or practitioners in a health science profession who wish to achieve mastery and leadership skills in the emerging field of global health. The curriculum will integrate content and procedural material with representative case-based problems that cross traditional disciplines. Courses will be co-directed by experienced UCSF faculty members who will apply multiple perspectives to disease and its prevention. In addition, we will invite visiting experts in global health to lecture and lead seminars with MS students. Emphasis will be placed on low and middle-income countries, drawing parallels between global and regional poverty and health. We will examine relevance of global migration patterns to healthcare access and quality in California. We will cover health systems, policies, and global agencies dedicated to improving health. The course will emphasize quantitative skills through practical experience with epidemiological studies, statistical inference, and health metrics. The program will also encourage the acquisition of leadership skills such as oral and written communication, strategic planning, risk assessment, program management, and teamwork. To summarize, MS graduates will:
Curriculum The one-year training program will emphasize a problem-based, interdisciplinary curriculum. The format will enhance learning through debate, role-playing, negotiating and analysis of case studies. Faculty mentors with considerable international experience will guide, challenge and stimulate student interest in global health using seminar and tutorial approaches. The aim is to introduce content and context through real-world scenarios. For example, malaria control can be examined from many perspectives: poverty; vector control; bed net use; drug treatment and resistance; environmental degradation; workforce enhancement; vaccination; agricultural land use; and infrastructure development. The curriculum is divided into thematic blocks, organized over four traditional academic quarters of 10 weeks each. Refer to Course Information for detailed descriptions.
Program of Study The degree program will comprise required courses, a field experience, and a capstone project as described below. To some extent, course content and seminars will be tailored to the interests and skills of the students, but no electives will be offered. The degree course will begin in the fall quarter with an overview of international health, examining regional disease metrics and burden, health systems, and a selection of global health priorities. Further emphasis will be placed on the social, cultural and economic determinants of illness. Four taught courses in epidemiology, biostatistics, and health economics will enable students to analyze and interpret health research data. The winter quarter will address specific communicable and non-communicable diseases of global importance, reinforcing the skills of evidence-based learning. Throughout the year, a global health practice seminar will address the preparation and analysis of the field experience, emphasizing study design, practicalities of field research, cultural sensitivity, and project management. In the final weeks of the winter quarter students will submit a formal, written proposal for the field project to stand as a qualifying examination for student assessment. The spring quarter will be fully occupied with a field experience in education, clinical care, policy, or research, in conjunction with one of the many ongoing programs at UCSF and its international partner institutions. The field experience will preferentially involve work in a developing country, but could comprise a local project with a disadvantaged population. The summer quarter will be a period to consolidate the learned material from the prior three quarters with an emphasis on applied global health. In the summer practice seminar, students will be guided through an analysis and comprehensive examination that comprises a capstone project, a written report and oral presentation of their field experience. Additional seminars will be devoted to career building, the scientific basis of health policy, consolidation of leadership skills, and a review of the main elements of the course.
Faculty and Mentors The Graduate Group in Global Health Sciences comprises 77 faculty members from all four UCSF schools and the Graduate Program plus faculty members from UC Berkeley who are committed to teach and mentor the MS students. Each student will be assigned a primary mentor. The mentor will help the student assess current skills, review learning objectives, and monitor competencies as the course progresses. Mentors will guide students through field experience preparation, assist with drafts and plans of the field proposal, and provide guidance for the final written report and oral presentation. On-site mentors will guide field experience progress and assess performance.
Student Evaluation Course directors will publish a grading assessment process that will be announced at the beginning of each course. Faculty will define standards for competencies that all graduates are expected to achieve. The curriculum is designed to encourage self-directed learning and mastery of concepts and procedural knowledge rather than factual recall. To support this curricular structure, this MS degree program will use a novel electronic student portfolio (e-Portfolio) approach, whereby students document a broad range of evidence from course assignments, accomplishments, and self-reflection over the four quarters of learning. Developing e-Portfolio content will be an integral part of the student's learning experience and will serve as an assessment tool for faculty and mentors. In addition to individual course evaluations, students will submit their fieldwork proposal as a "qualifying examination" and their capstone project will serve as a final evaluation.
Applicant Eligibility Initially, the MS program will focus on currently enrolled or recently graduated professional and academic graduate students, residents and fellows in health sciences at UCSF. Applications will be accepted starting May 15, 2008. Selection of candidates will be completed by July 15, 2008. Admission requirements and preferences are:
Key Dates
Tuition and Fees Applicants must pay the $60.00 application fee. Global Health Sciences will pay student fees for the fall 2008 entering class.
How to Apply The application is available online.
FAQs Who should apply? In response to many queries about student eligibility, this is clarification about priorities for admission to the MS Degree in Global Health Sciences for the inaugural class matriculating in the fall 2008. While all UCSF students are eligible to apply, this is an advanced graduate degree, similar in many respects to an MPH. The course of study is intense and rigorous. Several of the courses emphasize quantitative research skills requiring some background in epidemiology and biostatistics. Students most likely to benefit from this degree will be those who have completed their clinical core, have had a formative experience in global health, have a clear project in mind for experiential fieldwork, and present a convincing case for a career in global health. Applicants should give evidence of interest in a career path in global health in one of a number of categories such as; policy; health systems; education; clinical care; health promotion; or development studies. Eligibility for the first year matriculating students will include: students currently enrolled or recently graduated from any of the UCSF Schools (Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Pharmacy, or Graduate Division) in an advanced health sciences degree program; residents or fellows in training or recently completing training; and Global Health Clinical Scholars, K-12, and TAPS scholars. Exceptional candidates outside the eligibility criteria who have global health leadership potential, demonstrated capacity to excel in the coursework and a high likelihood of contributing to the quality of the program’s intellectual exchange may be considered for admission on an individual basis. What are the academic requirements? We encourage applicants with a diversity of backgrounds and disciplines and a commitment to career advancement in the field of global health. Candidates with prior experience in underserved populations or international health, particularly in low-resource countries, are especially encouraged to apply. Academic criteria for admission will include evidence of academic performance (e.g., class rank, GPA, honors and awards), transcripts, a CV, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement that reflects individual potential and specific career goals. A concrete plan for a field project is highly desirable. An interview with senior faculty members in Global Health Sciences and academic transcripts will be requested for short-listed candidates. The GRE is not required for admission for candidates with advanced degrees or currently enrolled in advanced degree programs. What are the selection factors? The Admissions Committee of the Global Health Sciences Graduate Group will review and shortlist applicants for an interview. Selection will be based on the academic record, interest and potential in global health, letters of recommendation, personal statement, potential for leadership, work experience, honors and awards, extra-curricular skills, and interests. Proficiency in a language in addition to English is desirable. When can I apply? Because of the commitment to start the MS Program in September 2008, the application process will extend from May 15, 2008 to July 7, 2008, for candidates matriculating in September 2008. Applicants may be notified of acceptance on a rolling basis, but no later than July 15, 2008. Applications will be available online and will request: applicant information; CV; a personal statement; and two letters of recommendation. The applicant must pay the application fee of $60.00. Candidates can e-mail education@globalhealth.ucsf.edu if they have any questions about their eligibility to apply. What is the cost of the program? Global Health Sciences will pay fees for the entering class of fall 2008. Stipends will also be available to support students during their field experience. Will I have an opportunity for part-time work during the course? Every effort will be made to provide blocks of free time during the fall and winter quarters. The academic workload, however, is rigorous and students will be expected to apply considerable independent study to each course. Will the MS degree in Global Health Sciences prepare me for a career in research? The courses are directed to global health practice in many disciplines, all of which are evidence-based. Hence, the quantitative aspects of health research in all fields will be emphasized.
MS in GHS Class schedule (Fall)
Class schedule (Winter)
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