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Gain a detailed understanding of the education and experience of our Digital Health and Entrepreneurship MSc programme, including the curriculum, core modules, project work, careers and networking.
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About this degree
This unique programme that spans across health, business and innovation has been crafted by academics and industry experts at the world’s first business school dedicated to health. Taught from a global top 10 university, our Digital Health and Entrepreneurship MSc offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn from the best, secure your future employability and contribute to a healthier future society.
Moving beyond reactive medicine, the focus of the healthcare sector and global health economy is changing for the better. Disease prevention, early detection and intervention is widely accepted as being the future of a more proactive approach to medicine. This translates into a significant opportunity for digital health innovations and the start-up world, who will design the lifestyle modification tools and ambitious medical technologies of the future.
An immersive programme that gives you direct exposure to this fast paced and inspiring world, our Digital Health and Entrepreneurship MSc teaches you the foundations of digital health and enterprise. Bringing this action learning environment to life, students also have the opportunity to take a health innovation idea from concept to business case. A Master’s degree that offers highly transferable skills, you’ll go on to bring an important blend of innovation and business skills to your future ventures and employers.
Programme curriculum
This programme is delivered through in-person lectures, recorded lectures, seminars, weekly group tutorials and workshops.
A one-week induction before the start of the programme will enable you to focus on personal and professional development, as well as team building with your peers. Prior to the commencement of the degree, you will also be invited to complete an unassessed, self-paced course on Global Health to give you a grounding in the global context of digital health and entrepreneurship.
The content for the Digital Health and Entrepreneurship MSc programme is delivered during terms one and two in four modules per term that focus on the foundations of digital health and enterprise, the financial and regulatory environment, and challenges and opportunities in this area.
Face to face attended sessions and online directed learning form approximately 15 to 18 hours per week in terms one and two. There is considerable independent study and reading, including recorded lecture study expected through a module delivery period and in the identified revision weeks.
Throughout the 12-months, students will also work on two projects, and term three is dedicated to completing this project work and consolidating learning from terms one and two.
Assessment of the Digital Health and Entrepreneurship MSc is through written examinations, coursework essays, presentations, assignments and the two projects.
Modules
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits for this programme. This is comprised of eight compulsory modules with a value of 15 credits each, and two projects, each with a value of 30 credits.
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change.
Core modules:
- Digital Health Start-ups - 15 credits
The focus of this module is to give you frameworks and models that will shape your thinking about businesses that drive forward digital health innovations. Aided by simulation, you’ll explore the complexities of initiating and running a business. Through practical seminars, you'll learn about the contexts in which entrepreneurship can flourish, put in practice appropriate business models, and understand the impact of the regulatory and investment environments in the success of a digital health venture.
Assessed through a 2,000 word business case analysis (80%) and a 10-minute group presentation 'pitch' of a digital health concept developed during the term (20%).
- Digital Health Research Methods and Tools - 15 credits
This module explores a range of research methods and tools for designing healthcare innovations, alongside World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance for digital health. Module content includes evidence-based approaches and ethical and legal frameworks, enabling you to identify, interrogate and interpret digital health projects.
Assessed through a 2,500 word research proposal with an annotated bibliography.
- Digital Health and AI Technology - 15 credits
This module will provide a systematic knowledge of the latest AI advancements and their applications in digital health and healthcare. In a term-long experiential learning simulation, students will work as teams of entrepreneurs to evolve ideas into a testable AI solution in healthcare. The focus will be on innovation, strategic planning, and the team’s execution to appraise the AI product on its safety-of-use and readiness level for real-world deployment.
Assessed through a 3,000-word group project report appraising an AI-backed platform (70%) and a 1,500 individual reflective statement (30%).- The Digital Health Landscape - 15 credits
Students will explore the rapidly expanding sectors to the Digital Health Economy. Through this exploration, students will be exposed to the various developing subdomains such as concepts of Big Data for Medicine, AgeTech, FemTech, EMR, and blockchain applications. Through this module, students will acquire a clear understanding of the development of digital IP, the development cycle abyss, and areas of active innovation within each area. These topics will be presented in a way that the learner would be able to critique future products and assess properly what stage they are at, and what methods would be needed to move this idea over the abyss to a function product. This process will be covered in multiple parts to cover the development of data analysis software, database development and curation, digital health (telemedicine) and robotics and other device development.
Assessed through non-coursework (40%) and a coursework element (60%).
- Changing Health Systems - 15 credits
This module explores the patterns of health system financing and delivery around the world, in the context of the global goal to achieve universal health coverage. Module content includes methods of financing, purchasing of services, delivery methods in different health services and evaluating this in terms of outcomes.
Assessed through a 2,500 word policy report.
- Entrepreneurial Finance - 15 credits
Entrepreneurial Finance is designed to teach students to make and evaluate investment and financing decisions in entrepreneurial settings. The module covers all stages of a venture's life cycle, from startup to exit, and delves into deal structures, business models, and valuation.
Assessed through a 20 min group presentation on structuring the financing for a start-up (30%) company and a timed in-person exam to test critical knowledge and skills related to entrepreneurial finance (70%)
- Human Factors for Digital Health - 15 credits
This module introduces human factors in digital health, covering the design and evaluation of technologies ranging from well-being mHealth tools and clinical decision support systems to surgical systems. Key topics include health behaviour change in digital interventions, self-health management, safety and usability, and human-AI interaction.
This module – Human Factors for Digital Health – is offered by the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences.
Assessed through a group project and individual written coursework.
- Marketing Health and Healthcare - 15 credits
This module provides a foundation in marketing concepts and practices, with a focus on the opportunities and challenges of marketing in the health and healthcare sector. Topics include the regulatory environment, financial pressures, competition, social media, digital marketing and AI.
Assessed through a 2,500 word critical essay.
Elective modules:
There are no elective modules for this programme.
Projects:
Students must complete two projects for the Digital Health and Entrepreneurship MSc.
- Business project - 30 credits
This is a group project to develop a digital health solution or product from concept to business case. The project brings together learning and key aspects of business and management that you acquire throughout the programme, including strategy, project management, financing, marketing and leadership. Group work involves conceptualising, undertaking proof-of-concept, developing a business proposal, preparing an outline business case and subsequently a detailed business case on an approved project.
Assessed through an 8,000 word group project report (70%), a group presentation (20%) and 360-degree feedback (10%).
- Research project - 30 credits
This is an individual project on the topic of your choice to use and demonstrate your research skills and knowledge of digital health. Giving you the opportunity to shape and engage with a topic you are interested in, the project combines your learning from the programme with desk-based research to create an original piece of research.
Assessed through a 7,500 word research paper.
Careers
Getting an MSc in Digital Health and Entrepreneurship is probably one of the most exciting decisions you will ever make. Being in the fourth industrial revolution; a period in time where digitisation and connectivity of services is moving rapidly, there is no sector more disrupted and transformed than health and healthcare.
Even before the recent pandemic, cloud-computing, artificial intelligence, big data and wearables were revolutionising healthcare and lifestyles. With the rapid growth in healthcare demand from ageing populations, use of personalised healthcare tools and a move away from treatment to prevention, the role for digital solutions in healthcare is critical. Digital health start-ups are increasing at an exponential rate; innovative ways of bringing physical, digital and biological technologies together is the way of the future.
Whether you want to join a firm or start up your own health tech company, you will gain core skills in design thinking, health assessment, risk analysis, evaluation of digital health projects and enterprise skills on the Digital Health and Entrepreneurship programme.
There are excellent career opportunities in developing digital health solutions. This includes project management, Health or MedTech innovations, product ownership, application and/or software development for digital health, implementation facilitation, business development and many other areas. You will find these opportunities within many companies across the globe, including health care providers, charity sector, consultancy firms, tech giants and corporate organisations.
You will have the opportunity to network, attend career fairs and take advantage of tailored career guidance and events. You will have immediate access to UCL Career Services and Innovation and Enterprise Services to ensure you have all the support to meet your career ambitions.