Home

Women's Health MSc

London, Bloomsbury

From birth and puberty, to motherhood, menopause and old age – the life course of women is filled with opportunities to improve health and wellbeing. Join us to learn more about the varied aspects of women's health (physical, mental, social, cultural, legal and ethical), while tailoring this Master’s degree to your individual interests and career goals.  

UK students International students
Study mode
UK tuition fees (2026/27)
£19,300
£9,650
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
£42,700
£21,350
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Duration
1 academic year
2 academic years
5 calendar years
Programme starts
September 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

To be eligible for registration, normally a candidate must have obtained an upper second-class Bachelor’s degree in a related scientific or social science discipline, or a professional health qualification (medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, social work) or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. Professional experience in the field of women’s health is desirable.

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

This MSc is ideal if you are looking to build, or progress, your career in women’s health.  

Drawing on expertise from across a multitude of areas at UCL – from public health and biomedicine to medical sociology and law – this highly personalised course will give you a holistic grounding in this fascinating subject, working with our leading academics and practitioners.  

Join us to develop the knowledge, research and analytical skills to address key areas of women’s health including pregnancy, fertility and reproductive health, and to assess current challenges including the role of new technologies, overcoming medical misogyny and racism, and the data gap in women’s health.   

The four compulsory modules will give you a broad understanding of the central themes in women's health. You can then shape your learning to reflect your career aspirations, drawing from a diverse list of optional modules, and selecting a research project in line with your interests and aspirations.  

The UCL EGA Institute for Women’s Health (UCL EGA IfWH) attracts top research and clinical faculty, and supports students from clinical, social science and entrepreneurial backgrounds to move forward with their professional goals.  

Who this course is for

We welcome applications across a broad spectrum of women's health backgrounds, including recent graduates and those returning to education after a period of employment. Our students come from all over the world and we value the diversity of experience, knowledge and culture that this brings to the course. 

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

What this course will give you

  • Study at one of the world's top ten universities. UCL is ranked 3rd in the world for public health (ShanghaiRankings 2024), 9th in the world as a university (QS World Rankings 2026) and is rated number one for research power and impact in medicine, health and life sciences (REF 2021).
  • Work with world-class researchers and clinicians at the UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health (UCL EGA IfWH), a centre set up to deliver excellence in research, clinical practice, education and training, to make a real and sustainable difference to women's and babies' health worldwide.
  • Benefit from our close partnership with the UCL Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust collaboration, including opportunities to attend clinical observation days (where possible). 
  • Tap into UCL’s diverse expertise across maternal and fetal medicine, neonatology, reproductive health and women's cancer.
  • Build your own professional networks and stay up to date with the latest advancements in the field, including the newest research in areas like assisted reproduction, fertility and women’s health. 
  • Develop subject-specific and wider transferable skills to boost your career prospects.
  • Access specialised career events tailored to your interests in fields like embryology, health policy, medical research, clinical medicine, FemTech and entrepreneurship to tap into career information and opportunities, and network with leading professionals.
  • Choose from a range of optional modules such as reproductive health, pregnancy and childbirth, fertility and infertility, mental health, health psychology, and gender and global health.  
Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Graduates go on to a wide range of careers, including:

  • Pursuing a PhD or further research in reproductive biology or women’s health.
  • Working in IVF clinics, fertility labs, or biotechnology companies.
  • Roles in health policy, public health, or women’s health advocacy.
  • Clinical roles with additional qualifications (e.g. medicine, nursing, midwifery)

This includes across organisations such as the NHS, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, and Women’s Aid. Several students have also gone on to further research careers within the Institute and across the field more widely.*

*Graduate Outcomes survey carried out by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), looking at the destinations of UK and EU graduates in the 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 cohorts.

I chose the Women's Health MSc at UCL partly because of the university's great global reputation, but also because it was a programme that could be modified in a way to cater to personal preferences, which allowed me to focus more on the fertility and reproduction aspects of women’s health, while learning more about research fundamentals.

Emily

Women's Health MSc

Read more

Employability

By the end of this course, you will be in a strong position for progressing onto higher research degrees or more advanced work in your field. 

With a solid foundation of knowledge, and awareness of the many issues relevant to women's health, you will be well equipped for going onto work in fields such as the charity or regulatory sector, research or FemTech. You will also find the course extremely useful in developing your own business in women’s health.

There’s a big focus on developing key skills throughout. You will also have access to our comprehensive careers programme, involving our staff and alumni, where you can tap into support to help you build your career in science generally, or in women’s health in particular.  

As a graduate of this course, you will acquire key skills, such as:  

  • Evaluating and reviewing data from papers, case studies, media coverage etc.  
  • Collecting, interpreting and presenting data using both written and oral methods.
  • Intellectual curiosity and an ability to critically challenge current research methods or standpoints.
  • Cross-disciplinary perspectives (linking together the wide variety of optional modules).
  • Learning to excel in debates and ethical discussions.  

Networking

You will have the chance to attend our annual research day where we hear about the various projects across the institute, including from our clinical staff at UCLH, as well as from invited keynote speakers from around the world. The event includes many networking opportunities throughout the day and usually end with a group social event.

During your research project, you may also attend research group meetings to strengthen your knowledge in that topic area and make connections with others working in the same field.  

Teaching and learning

Each module is organised differently, in a way that best suits the module content. There will be a variety of lectures, seminars, and tutorials as well as guided student presentations, debates and sessions led by patients, advocates, or experts in the field. Where possible, observation days in fetal/reproductive medicine units and IVF clinics will be offered.

The types of assessment you will do will depend on which modules you choose. We use a variety of methods including essays, patient case reports, critical reviews, examinations, patient information leaflets/press releases, oral presentations, and the dissertation.

Each 15-credit module equates to around 150 learning hours which are spread out over the whole period of the module. These hours include the time you spend in taught sessions, independent study, group work, and preparing for your assessment.


Each core module runs for one day a week for the duration of a term. As such, full time students who are taking three modules in Term 1, for example, can expect three full days of face-to-face teaching, plus some additional study time for preparatory and group work.


Students will typically spend 15-20 hours per week in face-to-face learning, including lectures, seminars and practicals. We expect full-time students to spend an additional 15-20 hours per week in self-directed study. Part-time and flexible students study at a pro-rata rate.

Modules

The course is structured both to provide you with a grounding in core subject areas and to allow you to tailor your learning to your particular interests through access to a broad range of optional modules.

In Term 1, you will develop your core understanding of research in women's health, and the basics of female reproductive anatomy, physiology and pathology while also taking an optional module.

In Term 2, you will consolidate your core learning with a focus on concepts and controversies in, and legal and ethical aspects of, women's health and continue your tailored learning journey with a further optional module.

In Term 3, you will complete your taught studies with two further optional modules.

You will define your research project topic in Term 1 and ensure that your project design and necessary approvals are in place and submit an interim project introduction in Term 2. You will work on your project full-time from early June and submit this in late August/early September.

Part-time students must take between 60-120 credits in both years of study. Individual modules are delivered in the same way as they are for full-time students.

Modular flexible students can take their taught modules over two to five years; their dissertation is taken in their final year of study. Individual modules are delivered in the same way as they are for full-time students. Modular flexible students are not eligible for student finance governmental funding. 

Compulsory modules







Optional modules













Gender, Disaster and Conflict




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 MSc in Women's Health.

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

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

Life and Medical Sciences Postgraduate Open Evening

—

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.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Full-time Part-time
Tuition fees (2026/27) £19,300 £9,650
Tuition fees (2026/27) £42,700 £21,350

Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.

Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course 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

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.

There are no additional costs for this course.

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

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

EGA Institute for Women's Health BAME Master's Scholarship

Deadline: 31 July 2026
Value: £10,000 toward tuition fees (1 year)
Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need
Eligibility: UK

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 course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • Why you want to study Women's Health at graduate level.
  • Why you want to study Women's Health at UCL.
  • How your academic and professional background meets the demands of this course.
  • Where you would like to go professionally after this course.
  • 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’s the difference between the Women’s Health MSc and the Reproductive Science and Women’s Health MSc at UCL?

While both courses explore aspects of women’s health, they differ in focus. The Reproductive Science and Women's Health MSc combines reproductive biology, clinical care, and scientific research. The Women’s Health MSc takes a broader perspective, including more on public health, social science, and policy, exploring how gender, social structures, and healthcare systems affect women's health globally.

Would I be able to work alongside this course?

Full-time study is rigorous and undertaking other significant work whilst studying would be challenging. Our part-time and modular flexible options are preferable for students who may want or need to continue working alongside their studies.

Am I eligible for this course if I did not study a relevant subject but have since worked in the area?

We welcome applications from a broad range of students with an interest in women's health. We will assess your applications on an individual basis that will take account of not only your degree but also of your work experience and demonstrable interests.

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

UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health
UCL Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women's Health

ifwhadminteam@ucl.ac.uk

UCL is regulated by the Office for Students.