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Global Mental Health MSc

London, Bloomsbury

In this course you will study the foundations and systems of response to the unequal distribution of mental health conditions globally, through the frameworks, paradigms and practices of the Global Mental Health field. This course will equip you with the skills and knowledge to be critical, equity-driven leaders in addressing gaps in treatment and quality care facing communities and populations around the world.

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£16,800
£8,400
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£35,400
£17,700
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 calendar year
2 calendar years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
October 2026
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 26 Jun 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 20 Oct 2025 – 28 Aug 2026
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Apply for this course

Entry requirements

Any social science or health related degree (psychology, sociology, anthropology, global health, public health; medicine; social geography; Health and Social Care) or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard.

The English language level for this course 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.

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 global mental health crisis is one of the defining features of our time affecting low-resource settings. As the prevalence of mental health conditions grows, we need to accelerate services and support to help people manage these problems across the world, in ways that meaningfully engage those most at risk, and directly affected. Never before has there been such an acute need for mental health researchers, policy makers and practitioners.  

This course combines a modern critical lens with established training in global mental health frameworks, including an emphasis on understanding epidemiological disease profiles and community engaged work to translate interventions as part of efforts in scaling up access to mental health care.

Recent advances in the field highlight the need to address social and structural drivers of mental health in low- and high-income countries alike. Students will learn tools necessary for working with complex communities across cultures and power levels in respectful ways, centering on empowerment and equity.

Who this course is for

Students with a background, interest in, or working experience in the mental health sciences, medicine, social sciences, psychology, allied health professions (including social work), or health and social care, are encouraged to apply.

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

What this course will give you

If you study global mental health at UCL you will join a community of academics and students who are passionate about working to improve mental health in low-resource settings around the world. UCL Institute for Global Health (UCL IGH) academics are engaged in ground-breaking mental health research in countries including Nepal, Colombia, India, South Africa and the UK, partnering with key global policy makers including the World Health Organisation and UNESCO and Africa CDC. These academics will channel their first-hand experience of working at the forefront of global mental health directly into their teaching. 

As a student at UCL you will study global mental health from a unique perspective, with teaching from across different disciplines including public health, psychology, epidemiology and social science. You will learn to think critically about global mental health research and intervention and what needs to change to better serve communities and populations. You will have exposure to innovative techniques in the field from a multidisciplinary perspective that introduces you to drivers of poor mental health globally and pathways of response.

Study at a university ranked 9th in the world (QS World Rankings 2026), 3rd in the world for public health (ShanghaiRankings 2024) and rated number one for research power and impact in Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, medicine, health and life sciences (REF 2021). 

On completing the course, you will join a new generation of professionals trained to engage both theoretically and pragmatically with global mental health research and practice.

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

The foundation of your career

You will be prepared to work at the cutting edge of mental health practice internationally, within research and policy, and implementation fields. We expect our graduates to pursue careers in academia, non-governmental and community organisations, humanitarian work, public health, global health policy, international development, the private sector (including management consultancy and science communication) and community development sectors. Students may also work as mental health specialists in organisations all over the world, or in specialist fields such as migration and inequalities.

Employability

Through the course, you will develop skills to respond to mental health challenges in a global context, applying your training in public health aspects of mental health, epidemiological methods, social science, implementation research and health economics.

Students will have honed their writing and oral communication skills and developed an ability to draw on sources of evidence and knowledge across different stakeholder groups and disciplines to arrive at context-appropriate solutions to priority mental health challenges, whilst cultivating a network of likeminded global mental health practitioners. In doing so, this course will help to build the next generation of mental health champions, advocates and leaders in engaged mental health policy, practice and research.

Networking

This course is connected to a network of Global Mental Health MScs across the UK. Students will have the opportunity to attend joint seminars, as well as participate in events run by UCL’s Global Mental Health Network, which is jointly-led by staff and doctoral students and runs events annually. 

UCL IGH students also have priority access to academic events held throughout the year. This includes UCL's prestigious Lancet Lecture series which showcases leading global health scholars working on key public health issues. Students also have access to internal events, such as meetings and networking that bring together research being done across our three sites and lunchtime lectures featuring the research of UCL IGH staff and doctoral candidates. Academic staff also frequently host informal spaces and events at UCL IGH to provide extended opportunities to discuss ideas and research and provide career advice and insights to MSc students.

Teaching and learning

Teaching methods will include lectures, dialogues, debates, case studies, seminars, workshops and investigative projects.

Assessment will include unseen exams, individual/group oral and poster presentations and written assignments to develop skills for communicating and positioning theoretical ideas across a range of platforms (essays, concept notes, policy briefs, editorials, etc).

Full-time students can typically expect between 15 and 20 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, and tutorials on both core and optional modules. Students will spend 15 – 20 hours per week in self-directed study. In Term 3 and over the summer period, students will complete their dissertation research, keeping regular contact with dissertation supervisors which will include in person or online meetings and emails.

Please note that on both core and optional modules, students should also reserve several hours per week outside classroom hours for any group work assessments should this be required on the specific module.

Overall, we expect full-time students to study a full 35-hour week, with time outside classes spent in self-directed study. Part-time and flexible students study at a pro-rata rate.

Modules

In Term 1, you will take two core global mental health modules: Global mental health: politics, power and populations and Understanding global mental health: models, measurement and practice. As well as Research methods and evidence for global health.

In Global mental health: politics, power and populations you will be exposed to critical social theory, exploring relationships between mental wellbeing and mental ill health conditions and wider social and political determinants, including climate change, poverty, gender, racism, colonialism, migration and inequalities to develop new perspectives and solutions for working with special populations. 

In Understanding global mental health: models, measurement and practice you will study foundational principles of global mental health research and practice, with an emphasis on global psychiatric epidemiology, cross-cultural conceptual models and measurement of mental health and wellbeing, including critical perspectives in these areas. 

In Term 2, you will expand your knowledge of programme design, reflecting on key issues such as anti-oppression and community ownership within that process (Health management: planning and programme design). You will also choose one optional module worth 30 credits. 

In Term 3, you will complete one compulsory module: Global mental health intervention and evaluation. This module will introduce you to key mental health intervention strategies for low-resource settings and how they are adapted to suit different cultures and contexts. You will also choose one optional module and complete your dissertation alongside the taught modules.

Part time students will take 90 credits each year. In Year 1, you must take four core modules, including Global mental health: politics, power and populations (30 credits), and one optional module. In Year 2, you take Global mental health intervention and evaluation, the dissertation module and one optional module.

Modular flexible students will choose a pattern in consultation with a Programme Director, to balance their external demands with course requirements.

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.

Accessibility

The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.

For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.

Visit us

All open days and events

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Online - Open day

Book a virtual 1-2-1 about Global Mental Health MSc

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Book a 1-2-1 with a member of the Global Mental Health MSc team. They will be happy to answer any questions you might have about the programme, careers or studying at UCL. Sessions are available at various times.

South Cloister, Wilkins Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom - Open day

Life and Medical Sciences Postgraduate Open Evening

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Join us on campus to discover our Master’s degrees in Brain Sciences, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, Medical Engineering, Population Health Sciences and Medical Anthropology. This event is ideal for prospective postgraduate students interested in Brain Sciences, Life Sciences, Medical Sciences, Medical Engineering, Population Health Sciences and Medical Anthropology.

Online - Open day

Graduate Open Events: Global Mental Health MSc

Studying at the Institute for Global Health opens doors to impactful careers across public health, epidemiology, economics, and research. Join our virtual open events to explore our Master’s degrees in Global Health and Development, Health Economics and Decision Science, Applied Infectious Disease Epidemiology, and Global Mental Health. At these events, you will meet Programme Directors, and learn how to make your application stand out.

Watch on demand event

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £16,800 £8,400
Tuition fees (2026/27) £35,400 £17,700

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Additional costs

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.

For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.

For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 deposit will be charged.

Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.

All required learning materials are covered by tuition on the course. There may be additional costs should you choose to undertake primary data collection or fieldwork as part of the dissertation (this is not compulsory). These additional costs will vary based on location and may include travelling, accommodation, translation services, etc. This could range from £200 to £1000, depending on how far you choose to travel.  

Primary data collection is not an essential part of the course and students who choose to do secondary analyses of existing data or systematic reviews for their dissertation will not be disadvantaged academically. 

The institute offers several competitive travel bursaries each year to cover some of these costs.

For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

Find here information about bursaries and scholarships offered by the UCL Institute for Global Health.

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

African Graduate Scholarship

Deadline: 29 May 2026
Value: £40,670 per award (1 year (full-time study))
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS)

Deadline: 9 December 2025
Value: Full fees, flights, stipend, and other allowances (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Institute for Global Health Postgraduate Bursaries

Deadline: 26 June 2026
Value: £2,000 (Duration of study)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK, EU, Overseas

Mukul Madhav Foundation Scholarship

NOW CLOSED FOR 2026/27 ENTRY
Value: Full tuition fees (1 year)
Criteria Based on financial need
Eligibility: EU, Overseas

Office for Health Economics (OHE) MSc Fellowship Programme

Deadline:30 April 2026
Value: Full tuition fee coverage (part-time study) and a monthly stipend of £1,600 during term time. (2 years (part-time study))
Criteria Based on academic merit
Eligibility: UK

Next steps

When we assess your application, we would like to learn:

  • Why you want to study Global Mental Health at graduate level.
  • How your academic and professional background meets and has prepared you for the demands of this challenging course.
  • Why you want to study Global Mental Health at UCL.
  • What particularly attracts you to this course and what skills you will bring to the course.
  • 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 course match what the course will deliver.

Frequently asked questions
 
What if I have never studied mental health or psychology before? How can I best prepare for this course? 

Previous studies within psychological sciences is not required for this course. Our modules will provide you with a strong foundation in the mental health concepts and paradigms you need for working in global mental health. However, if you wanted to begin your preparations before joining us, just reach out to our Programme Directors who can give you some guidance on where to start, based on your specific needs. 

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (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: 2026-2027

Apply for this course

Got questions? Get in touch

Institute for Global Health
Institute for Global Health

igh.gmh@ucl.ac.uk

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