For the first time, UCSF Global Health Sciences is offering a one-year, four-quarter master of science (MS) degree in global health sciences.
Applications are now available online at Master’s in Global Health Sciences. Final candidates will be selected by July 15. The first class of six to 10 students will begin coursework this fall.
The program received final approval from the UC Office of the President, and anticipates full course accreditation by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges by August 2009.
Initially, the MS program will accept currently enrolled or recently graduated students, residents and fellows in health sciences at UCSF who wish to achieve mastery and leadership skills in the emerging field of global health.
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.
“We’re seeking students who want to be part of a pioneering move forward to meet the shifts in the global paradigm,” said George Rutherford, MD, director, UCSF Institute for Global Health. “We’re looking for students enrolled in advanced degree programs who wish to be leaders in the area of global health.”
The announcement of a new master’s program in global health at UCSF comes at a time when the University of California is working toward the unprecedented step of establishing an interdisciplinary UC School of Global Health.
Haile Debas, MD, executive director of UCSF Global Health Sciences, who briefed the campus on the concept in February, explained that the school will focus on producing leaders and practitioners of global health, conducting innovative and important research, and developing international collaborations for addressing health disparities to improve the health of vulnerable people in California and worldwide.
With Debas leading the cause, UCSF is poised to play a key role in the systemwide school of global health as part of its vision to serve the local, regional and global communities and to eliminate health disparities, as stated in the UCSF Strategic Plan. The strategic plan also specifically calls on UCSF “to facilitate research collaborations with other academic institutions, community partners and UC campuses.”
Interdisciplinary Approach
While some may compare the MS degree to an MPH, Rutherford pointed out at a recent talk to the campus community, “this is not an MPH degree. It’s very interdisciplinary and looks closely at economics, the environment and a range of disciplines impacting global health.”
By emphasizing a multidisciplinary approach, the vision of the global health MS degree is to uniquely prepare graduates for careers in international policy, health care, research or development.
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. Additionally, visiting experts in global health will be invited to lecture and lead seminars.
Emphasis will be placed on low- and middle-income countries, drawing parallels between global and regional poverty and health. The relevance of global migration patterns to health care access and quality in California will be examined, as well as health systems, policies and global agencies dedicated to improving health. Quantitative skills through practical experience with epidemiological studies, statistical inference and health metrics will also be emphasized.
“We are very excited to offer this groundbreaking new master’s degree program at UCSF,” said Laurie Kalter, education program coordinator of Global Health Sciences. “It gives us more opportunity to contribute to the training of global health leaders in the academic, clinical, research and program development arenas.”
