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Education, Health Promotion and International Development MA

London, Bloomsbury

The MA offers students the opportunity to extend and deepen their understanding of concepts, theories and issues related to international development, education and sustainable ways of promoting health, wellbeing and social justice.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2024/25)
£12,700
£6,350
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2024/25)
£28,100
£14,050
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 2024
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 28 Jun 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 16 Oct 2023 – 30 Aug 2024
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

The minimum requirement for entry to this programme is a second class Bachelor’s degree from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. As the academic content on our MA programmes is demanding, we are particularly looking for applicants from relevant academic backgrounds – normally in social science, education or nursing, but a range of undergraduate programmes are accepted (including arts and humanities) - and/or who can demonstrate substantial relevant experience. For entry onto the MA Education, Health Promotion and International Development, we are particularly looking for applicants who can demonstrate a sufficient combination of experience in, and understanding of, health and health education/promotion, participatory practice and participatory research, in one or more low-/middle- income countries. Applicants are normally expected to have a minimum of one month’s experience working (paid or voluntary) in a low-/middle-income country.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 2

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

This programme is suitable for international students on a Student visa – study must be full-time, face-to-face, starting October.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree


The MA Education, Health Promotion and International Development programme offers you the opportunity to extend and deepen your understanding of concepts, theories and issues related to international development, education and sustainable ways of promoting health, wellbeing and social justice.

This master’s degree will enable you to:

  • identify key concepts and issues in education, health promotion and international development
  • develop the knowledge and skills to write project proposals and plans to implement and evaluate health promotion initiatives
  • reflect on research, analysis, policy and practice in relation to education and health promotion in low- and middle-income countries
  • critically review arguments, advance analysis and undertake research on education, international development and the promotion of health and wellbeing.

As well as completing a range of taught modules, you will conduct an original small scale research study (written up as a dissertation), through which you develop skills in research, analysis and critical thinking, as well as an in-depth understanding of a key education and international development issue.

You will benefit from being taught by researchers working in education and international development. You will also meet and study alongside a diverse student group: our alumni are from more than 80 countries. In previous years, students have organised career development events and benefited from volunteering opportunities via the Students' Union UCL Volunteering Service.

The programme can be taken on campus, online (distance), or a combination of both (mixed mode). Please select the relevant mode of study at point of application. Note that distance and mixed mode options are not available to students applying for a student visa.

Who this course is for

This programme welcomes professionals and practitioners from a range of backgrounds in health, education, health promotion, arts and humanities, anthropology, psychology, sociology (and social sciences in general), nursing, medicine (and allied health professions), as well as in social development in low- or middle-income countries. The programme encourages applications from those with substantial experience in low- and middle-income countries, as well as those with minimal experience in these country settings but who would like to extend and deepen their understanding of research, policy and practice in these contexts

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

This unique Master's programme provides students with opportunities to explore and examine the links between three academic and professional fields - education, health promotion and international development. It encourages a consideration of the ways that these fields are both distinctive, yet inter-related, and how evidence-informed practice might best contribute to working across professional boundaries, enhancing wellbeing and advocating for social justice.

Students learn alongside tutors who hold a breadth and depth of expertise in education, health promotion, social research and international development and who have professional experience in national and international contexts. Tutors are active in research on areas related to physical and emotional health and wellbeing, international development, refugees, young people, gender and sexuality, teaching and pedagogy and curriculum development.

IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society is home to the Centre for Education and International Development (CEID), which comprises a team of internationally recognised experts in international development and education and which has nurtured world leaders in educational practice and research for over 85 years. 

The centre has extensive experience and expertise in education-related research and practice in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Themes addressed include equality and human rights, gender, migration, race, health and wellbeing, sexuality, disability, social class, conflict and peacebuilding.

Linking research, policy and practice, the result is an extraordinarily powerful learning community.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Graduates of this Master's degree have used the academic and professional expertise gained through the programme to:

  • set up and manage an NGO or consultancy
  • prepare successful project and research proposals
  • develop new reporting procedures adopted throughout their organisation
  • gain employment as consultants
  • take on new roles and responsibilities within an organisation
  • transfer their expertise into international development
  • engage policymakers, practitioners and members of the public through research-informed practice.

The best thing about my course is that my course leader motivated me to better myself academically, and to also feel free to be open-minded and creative in my studies.

UCL Portico building with welcome sign between columns.

Ave Le Blanc

Education, Health Promotion and International Development MA

Q&A with Ave Le Blanc

Employability

Graduates of this Master's degree have been engaged:

  • as policymakers and advisers in government ministries and departments
  • as policy advocates and programme managers in international NGOs and development agencies
  • as social research consultants
  • as teachers and lecturers in schools, colleges and universities
  • as international development consultants
  • in doctoral study (either on PhD or EdD programmes).

Networking

During your time at UCL, you will be able to build networks with fellow students on this programme and the other programmes in the Education and International Development cluster, academic staff and alumni in the Centre for Education and International Development, as well as the broader UCL community.

Teaching and learning

Teaching on the MA Education, Health Promotion and International Development is intended to provide you with a critical perspective on a range of different theoretical and practice-based frameworks through which you can understand the field. We also intend to help students to develop expertise in the ways that meetings and training are provided in the professional field of education, health promotion and international development – balancing online and in-person ways of engaging with colleagues. Therefore, a range of online and on-campus teaching and learning methods are used including lectures, participant-led presentations, webinars and seminars, group work, workshops, group and paired/individual tutorials.

The programme is taught through a combination of lectures, participatory and interactive groupwork, online learning and individual tutorials.

Assessment of learning is by way of coursework and a Dissertation.

Assessment for a module is based on completion of a module assignment (usually a piece of writing up to 5,000 words). This might take the form of a standard essay; a comparative analysis of an educational issue; a proposal. We offer different types of coursework to support the programme aims.

The dissertation provides an opportunity to produce a piece of sustained writing (19,000 words), based on a piece of small-scale research, on a topic of direct interest.

The particular details of how each module is assessed will be provided.

For each 30-credit module you are expected to contribute 300 learning hours (a little over 37 days at 8 hours per day). Direct teaching accounts for 30 hours, assignment tutorial(s) 1 hour, and the remaining hours consist of your own self-directed study such as, preparation for classes and online learning activities, reading (individual and with other students), searching for new literature related to your area of interest, assignment preparation and completion.

Modules

The programme is designed to give you the coherence of an MA degree in the relevant field. The programme consists of two compulsory modules, a compulsory dissertation and  two optional modules.

You can study the programme face-to-face or mixed mode (which is a combination of face to face and at a distance) or wholly at a distance.

As a student on the MA Education, Health Promotion and International Development programme, you have the option to study either full time (completing the programme within one calendar year), part time (completing the programme within two calendar years) or on a modular/flexible basis (completing the programme over two to five calendar years).

The programme is designed to give you the coherence of an MA degree in the relevant field. The programme consists of two compulsory modules, a compulsory dissertation and  two optional modules.

You can study the programme face-to-face or mixed mode (which is a combination of face to face and at a distance) or wholly at a distance.

As a student on the MA Education, Health Promotion and International Development programme, you have the option to study either full time (completing the programme within one calendar year), part time (completing the programme within two calendar years) or on a modular/flexible basis (completing the programme over two to five calendar years).

For part-time study it is recommended that you begin your studies with the two compulsory taught modules.

The programme is designed to give you the coherence of an MA degree in the relevant field. The programme consists of two compulsory modules, a compulsory dissertation and  two optional modules.

You can study the programme face-to-face or mixed mode (which is a combination of face to face and at a distance) or wholly at a distance.

As a student on the MA Education, Health Promotion and International Development programme, you have the option to study either full time (completing the programme within one calendar year), part time (completing the programme within two calendar years) or on a modular/flexible basis (completing the programme over two to five calendar years).

For modular flexible study it is recommended that you begin your studies with the two compulsory taught modules.

Compulsory modules





Optional modules











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 are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MA in Education, Health Promotion and International Development.

Fieldwork

Fieldwork is not a compulsory part of the programme. However, students are encouraged to draw from their professional or voluntary experience as well as the ideas encountered during the programme to write critically and cogently for different audiences. The small-scale research study usually takes the form of a combination of desk-based research (a literature review) and fieldwork.

Placement

Placements are not routinely part of the programme. But good links have been established between the programme and UCL Volunteering Services. Some students have also taken part in the UCL ChangeMakers programme. Taking part in these programmes can provide those studying in London with valuable international development-related experience. That said, both on-campus and distance learning students are encouraged to bring their own interests and concerns into their programme, helping to make it personally relevant and professionally significant.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team.

Where you'll study

IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society

IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society, is a world-leading centre for research and teaching in education, culture, psychology, and social science. We are one of the UK’s largest teacher training providers, offering a wide range of programmes across all phases of learning and more subjects than any other university. We also offer an extensive range of master’s programmes. Our research addresses society’s most important challenges and feeds into our teaching, enabling our graduates to go on to influence future generations for the better, from individual lives to societal change.

Find out more about IOE, UCL's Faculty of Education and Society

Visit us

All open days and events

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Education and International Development

Are you passionate about shaping global contemporary practice and policy? We welcome you to book your place at our Virtual Open Event. You will meet our Programme Leaders, hear about the programmes you are interested in and have the chance to ask any questions you might have. These sessions are free and open to all. Be part of a world-leading centre for research and teaching working to make a difference in the world.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2024/25) £12,700 £6,350
Tuition fees (2024/25) £28,100 £14,050

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

Students may choose to organise and undertake placement or fieldwork in relation to their research for their dissertation, but this is not a requirement. If undertaken, placement or fieldwork must be self-funded.

Students should take into account any travel, accommodation and expenses involved in their dissertation.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs.

Funding your studies

Applicants should read the UCL scholarships and funding page (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/scholarships/) to see if they are eligible for funding

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)

Deadline: 14 December 2023
Value: Full fees, flights, stipend, and other allowances (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

GREAT Scholarship

Deadline: 14 May 2024
Value: £10,000 towards tuition fees (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-Clarke Scholarships

Deadline: 3 May 2024
Value: Tuition fees, return flights and stipend (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

IOE-ISH Centenary Masters Scholarships

Deadline: 3 May 2024
Value: Tuition fees and accommodation (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Next steps

Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications and £115 for paper applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Education, Health Promotion and International Development at graduate level
  • why you want to study Education, Health Promotion and International Development at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to the chosen programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this challenging programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your degree.

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

We expect applicants to demonstrate a combination of experience in, or understanding of, issues related to health education and health promotion (not health care), promoting equity, innovative participatory practice, working to empower marginalised groups, and qualitative research in a low/middle income country context in the personal statement.

In your personal statement, you must summarise any experience (paid or voluntary) of education/health-related work in low- or middle-income (developing) countries. Applicants should usually have at least one month's experience of such work for their application to be considered

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2024-2025

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Education, Practice and Society
Education, Practice and Society

ioe.ma.ehpid@ucl.ac.uk

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