Health Sciences

Master of Science in Global Health

The Master of Science in Global Health is a postgraduate programme that prepares professionals for advanced practice in global health, public health, epidemiology, and health systems research. The programme combines global health theory with practical field work, research, and application to address current and emerging health challenges.

Core areas include global health, epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, health systems, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, environmental health, research methods, and thesis. Students engage with both theoretical and practical work through coursework, field work, seminars, and research.

The programme is offered by KEMRI Graduate School as MSc in Global Health in partnership with JKUAT. KEMRI is a public research institution and JKUAT is a public university. The programme runs for at least 18 months from registration, with taught courses in the first year and research, seminars, and thesis in the second year.

Students develop competencies in global health analysis, epidemiological methods, health systems research, and public health programming. The programme includes coursework, examinations, seminars, and a supervised research thesis, preparing graduates to address contemporary global health challenges.

KEMRI Graduate School charges approximately KES 268,000/year (KES 536,000 total) for MSc in Global Health, with tuition at KES 105,000/semester plus examination, medical, registration, computer, library, student union, CUE inspection, and thesis fees. Entry requires a Bachelor's degree with Upper Second Class Honours in health sciences, biological sciences, or related fields from a recognised institution.

Graduates pursue careers as global health specialists, epidemiologists, public health researchers, health programme managers, health policy analysts, and lecturers in global health across research institutions, government ministries, international health organisations, NGOs, and universities.

Skills Required

Global Health Analysis and Policy
Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance
Biostatistics and Health Data Analysis
Health Systems Research and Management
Infectious and Non-Communicable Disease Control
Maternal and Child Health Programming
Environmental and Occupational Health
Health Programme Design and Evaluation
Research Methods in Global Health
Academic Writing and Thesis Research

Key Subjects

Global Health Analysis and Policy
Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance
Biostatistics and Health Data Analysis
Health Systems Research and Management
Infectious and Non-Communicable Disease Control
Maternal and Child Health Programming
Environmental and Occupational Health
Health Programme Design and Evaluation
Research Methods in Global Health
Thesis Research

Certifications

WHO Global Health Certification
KEMRI Research Certification

Specializations

Epidemiology

Focuses on epidemiology, covering surveillance, investigation, analysis, disease control, and managing epidemiological research.

Health Policy and Systems

Examines health policy, covering analysis, systems, governance, financing, and managing health policy.

Infectious Diseases

Covers infectious diseases, covering transmission, prevention, control, emerging, and managing infectious disease programmes.

Maternal and Child Health

Focuses on maternal and child health, covering programmes, interventions, monitoring, and managing MCH.

Environmental Health

Examines environmental health, covering water, sanitation, pollution, climate, and managing environmental health.

Non-Communicable Diseases

Covers non-communicable diseases, covering prevention, management, surveillance, and managing NCD programmes.

Duration: 2 years
Public, up to: Ksh 268,000
Private, up to: Ksh 292,000
Job market: High

The programme

What you study, how long it takes, and how it is delivered.

Practicalities

Study mode: Full-time
Attachment: 0 months
Average class: 20 students
Award: Masters

What you study

10 subjects

Global Health Analysis and Policy
Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance
Biostatistics and Health Data Analysis
Health Systems Research and Management
Infectious and Non-Communicable Disease Control
Maternal and Child Health Programming
Environmental and Occupational Health
Health Programme Design and Evaluation
Research Methods in Global Health
Thesis Research

Modules

12 in the programme

Principles of Global Health
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines global health concepts, policy, systems, determinants, inequalities, and managing global health.
Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers surveillance, investigation, analysis, outbreak, disease control, and managing epidemiological research.
Biostatistics and Health Data Analysis
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines statistics, data, analysis, modelling, computing, and managing health data.
Health Systems and Policy
Year 1Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers governance, financing, workforce, service delivery, policy, and managing health systems.
Infectious Disease Control
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines transmission, prevention, control, emerging diseases, and managing infectious disease programmes.
Non-Communicable Disease Prevention
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers prevention, management, surveillance, risk factors, and managing NCD programmes.
Maternal and Child Health
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Examines programmes, interventions, monitoring, evaluation, and managing maternal and child health.
Environmental and Occupational Health
Year 1Semester 23 creditsCore
Covers water, sanitation, pollution, climate, workplace, and managing environmental and occupational health.
Health Programme Design and Evaluation
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines design, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and managing health programmes.
Research Methods in Global Health
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Covers research design, data collection, analysis, global health research methods, and conducting research, preparing students for their thesis.
Health Economics and Financing
Year 2Semester 13 creditsCore
Examines economics, financing, insurance, cost-effectiveness, and managing health economics.
Research Thesis
Year 2Semester 29 creditsCore
Original supervised research thesis on a global health topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and global health knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Specialisations

Epidemiology
Focuses on epidemiology, covering surveillance, investigation, analysis, disease control, and managing epidemiological research.
Health Policy and Systems
Examines health policy, covering analysis, systems, governance, financing, and managing health policy.
Infectious Diseases
Covers infectious diseases, covering transmission, prevention, control, emerging, and managing infectious disease programmes.
Maternal and Child Health
Focuses on maternal and child health, covering programmes, interventions, monitoring, and managing MCH.
Environmental Health
Examines environmental health, covering water, sanitation, pollution, climate, and managing environmental health.
Non-Communicable Diseases
Covers non-communicable diseases, covering prevention, management, surveillance, and managing NCD programmes.

A day as a student

A typical day during the MSc in Global Health programme combines lectures, seminars, field work, practical workshops, and independent study. Sessions cover global health, epidemiology, biostatistics, health systems, and infectious diseases. Global health sessions examine policy, systems, determinants, inequalities, and managing global health. Epidemiology sessions cover surveillance, investigation, analysis, outbreak, and managing epidemiological research. Biostatistics sessions cover statistics, data, analysis, modelling, and managing health data. Health systems sessions cover governance, financing, workforce, service delivery, and managing health systems. Infectious diseases sessions cover transmission, prevention, control, emerging, and managing infectious disease programmes. Non-communicable diseases sessions cover prevention, management, surveillance, risk factors, and managing NCD programmes. Maternal and child health sessions cover programmes, interventions, monitoring, and managing MCH. Environmental health sessions cover water, sanitation, pollution, climate, and managing environmental health. Research methods sessions prepare students for their thesis, covering research design, data collection, and analysis. Seminars provide opportunities for presenting research findings and debating current global health issues. Field work provides hands-on experience with health surveys, programme evaluation, and community health assessment. Practical workshops provide hands-on experience with data analysis, epidemiological tools, and health programme design. Guest lectures from experienced global health practitioners, researchers, and policy makers provide practical insights. The programme culminates in a supervised research thesis on a global health topic.

The trade offs

In its favour

High demand for global health professionals with growing health challenges, pandemics, and international health initiatives.
Programme offered by KEMRI Graduate School, a premier medical research institution with strong research infrastructure.
Competitive fees at approximately KES 268,000/year (KES 536,000 total) compared to other health master's programmes.
Graduates are eligible for WHO and KEMRI certifications, enhancing career prospects in global health.

Against it

Only one institution (KEMRI Graduate School) confirmed offering this specific programme, limiting institutional choice.
No private university confirmed offering this specific programme.
Programme requires health sciences or biological sciences background, limiting access for non-related graduates.
Research-focused programme may require significant field work and data collection time commitment.

What it costs

Tuition at both ends of the market, and how to pay for it.

What it costs, and where

Against 349 health sciences courses

Public187k to 268k

187k at Moi University268k at KEMRI Graduate School

Private120k to 292k

120k at Great Lakes University of Kisumu292k at Amref International University

Annual tuition in Kenyan shillings, rounded. The upright tick is the median for this field, so a bar sitting entirely to its right is an expensive programme by the standards of its own subject.

The fine print

KEMRI avg~268k/yr (kgs.ac.ke); Moi 187.2k; Amref MPH Y1=292k; GLUK 120k.

HELB postgraduate loans are available for Kenyan students. KEMRI may offer research grants for global health research. WHO may offer fellowships for global health training. Some international health organisations may sponsor staff for postgraduate study.

Funding options

HELB Postgraduate Loan
KEMRI Research Grant
WHO Fellowship

Scholarships

3 recorded

HELB Postgraduate Loan
LoanKsh 200,000Kenyan
Kenyan students pursuing postgraduate studies at recognised universities.
KEMRI Research Grant
ScholarshipKsh 500,000Kenyan
KEMRI provides research grants for medical and global health research.
WHO Fellowship
ScholarshipKsh 500,000
WHO provides fellowships for global health training and research.

Getting in

The grades, the alternatives, and who accredits the award.

What you need

KCSE mean grade: N/A (Postgraduate)
Alternative entry: KEMRI Graduate School (in partnership with JKUAT) requires Upper Second in health sciences, biological sciences, or related fields from JKUAT or recognised institution, or Lower Second with acceptable evidence of research ability. Holders of BSc Nursing, B Pharmacy, MBChB, Dentistry, BSc Community Health, Medical Laboratory Sciences, or BVM from recognised institutions are also eligible. Contact the institution for specific admission requirements.

How you are assessed

4 components

Coursework and Continuous Assessment
Coursework30% of the mark
Continuous assessment through coursework assignments, seminar presentations, field reports, and class participation.
Written Examinations
Examination70% of the mark
Written examinations covering global health, epidemiology, biostatistics, and health systems.
Seminar Presentations
Practical30% of the mark
Practical assessment through seminar presentations on research work, field work, and demonstrating global health competencies.
Research Thesis
Research100% of the mark
Original supervised research thesis on a global health topic, demonstrating mastery of research methods and global health knowledge, assessed through written submission and oral defence.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Commission for University Education (CUE). KEMRI Graduate School (public research institution, in partnership with JKUAT) offers MSc in Global Health. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in global health. Graduates are eligible for WHO global health certification and KEMRI research certification.

Accredited by

Commission for University Education (CUE)
Academic accreditationRequired
Programme accredited by CUE. KEMRI Graduate School (public research institution, in partnership with JKUAT) offers MSc in Global Health. The programme meets CUE standards for postgraduate training in global health. Graduates are eligible for WHO global health certification and KEMRI research certification.

Where it leads

The roles it opens, and what you leave with.

Where graduates go

6 roles

Global Health Specialist
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages global health programmes, overseeing design, implementation, evaluation, and managing global health initiatives.
Epidemiologist
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Conducts epidemiological research, overseeing surveillance, investigation, analysis, and managing disease control.
Public Health Researcher
High demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Conducts public health research, overseeing studies, analysis, publications, and managing research projects.
Health Programme Manager
High demandKsh 120,000 to Ksh 500,000
Manages health programmes, overseeing planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and managing health programmes.
Health Policy Analyst
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Analyses health policy, overseeing research, analysis, recommendations, and managing health policy.
Global Health Lecturer
Moderate demandKsh 100,000 to Ksh 450,000
Teaches global health at university or college level, overseeing instruction, research, and academic supervision.

Graduate outcomes

Where these fields lead

8 careers

Tools you will learn

SPSS
SoftwarePrimary
SPSS for statistical analysis, covering data, statistics, analysis, and managing health data.
R Studio
Software
R Studio for data analysis, covering epidemiology, statistics, modelling, and managing health data.
EpiInfo
Software
EpiInfo for epidemiological analysis, covering surveillance, outbreak, survey, and managing epidemiological data.
GIS Software
Software
GIS software for health mapping, covering spatial analysis, disease mapping, and managing spatial health data.

Industry links

Common misconceptions

Global health is just about international health.
Global health covers comprehensive local and global health challenges, systems, policy, and research beyond just international health.
This programme is only for doctors.
Global health skills are valuable for nurses, scientists, social scientists, programme managers, and educators beyond just doctors.
Epidemiology is just about statistics.
Epidemiology covers comprehensive surveillance, investigation, analysis, disease control, and prevention beyond just statistics.
Health systems is just about hospitals.
Health systems cover comprehensive governance, financing, workforce, service delivery, and information beyond just hospitals.
Global health is just about infectious diseases.
Global health covers comprehensive infectious diseases, NCDs, maternal and child health, environmental health, and health policy.
This programme is only for those working in Africa.
Global health skills are applicable worldwide, with career opportunities in international organisations, government, NGOs, and research institutions globally.