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Mental ill-health is one of the leading causes of the global burden of disease, with high rates of premature mortality, disability, and human rights violations. Nevertheless, it continues to be neglected worldwide. There is insufficient commitment and investment towards care for those living with psychosocial disabilities, as well as initiatives for mental health promotion and prevention.
Study our MSc Global Mental Health to be at the forefront of change in this field. Partnering with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King’s College London, we pioneered the first specialist course in this area. Our expertise in clinical and public health paired with their long-standing reputation in psychiatry made us the perfect match.
Our course is hosted by the Centre for Global Mental Health. The Centre is dedicated to advancing knowledge and action to reduce inequity in mental health and improve access to high-quality, evidence-based solutions across the world.
Centre members have been at the forefront of many global mental health initiatives. As a student, you’ll hear about their wide range of research, development, engagement, advocacy and capacity-building projects worldwide.
We offer comprehensive training in all aspects of this evolving and dynamic field. You’ll have the opportunity to interact with leading researchers, public mental health practitioners from different global regions, professionals, and communities across relevant disciplines and sectors.
What you will learn
- Explore the mental health challenges facing low-resource settings around the globe
- Create strategies to reduce the burden of mental disorders
- Develop research protocols to investigate key epidemiological, intervention and policy issues
- Build confidence communicating ideas and research results with policymakers
- Apply research skills to monitor and evaluate mental health programmes
Studying this programme, you’ll learn how to initiate, develop and oversee mental health programmes in low-resource settings, and to carry out and critically evaluate research in global mental health. These skills will prepare you to make a valuable contribution to research, public health, policy and practice.
We’ll share our latest research insights into mental health inequalities, as well as mental health across different contexts and the impact on quality of life. As part of the course, you’ll also carry out your own research. Past students have looked at the impact of issues like climate change and conflict, as well as the role of art and music. Alternatively, you might do a policy report where you’ll collect data and present it in a way that helps policymakers understand its implications and how it can be applied.
Who is it for?
We want to help create a world where mental health is promoted, people living with psychosocial disabilities are valued and empowered, and their human rights are protected. If you want to help us on this mission, this course is for you.
You’ll be the type of person who wants to see a shift to a more holistic approach embraced on a global scale. Perhaps you work in health care, social services, education or government. You might work in international development or non-government organisations. Or you might be interested in this area from a human rights perspective. You might also like to use this degree for intercalated study.
Many graduates of this course continue to further research. However, you can also apply your expertise to roles in national health policy and planning, research, and advisory and advocacy roles in governments, international agencies and non-governmental organisations. Some of our students have even returned to their home country to leaders the mental health programmes in their ministries of health.
Career prospects
Graduates enter careers in national mental health policy and planning, epidemiological and mental health services research, and advisory and advocacy roles in governments, international agencies and non-governmental organisations. Find out more about our graduate careers and destinations.
Duration
One year full-time. Ways to study explained.
Intercalating study
Find out about intercalating this programme.
Global Mental Health
Watch Programme Director, Alex Cohen, and students talk about the programme.
The below structure outlines the proposed modules for this programme. Module specifications provide full details about the aims and objectives of each module, what you will study and how the module is assessed.
- Structure of the year
Term 1 (September - December) consists of ten teaching weeks plus one Reading Week* in the middle of the term. Followed by the Winter break.
Term 2 (January - March) consists of a further ten weeks of teaching plus a Reading Week in the middle of the term. Followed by the Spring break.
Term 3 (April - September) consists of five weeks of teaching for the final module, and the project report.
*Reading Week is a week during term where no formal teaching takes place. It is a time for private study, preparing for assessments or attending study/computer skills workshops. There are two Reading Weeks at LSHTM: one in November and the other in February.
- Term 1
Students take the following compulsory modules:
- Introduction to Global Mental Health (LSHTM)
- Evidence Synthesis in Global Mental Health (King’s)
- Statistics for Epidemiology and Population Health (LSHTM)
- Epidemiology for Mental Health Research (King's)
- Term 2
Students take the following compulsory module:
- Design & Evaluation of Mental Health Programmes (LSHTM)
Students choose three other modules from LSHTM and/or King's. Elective modules include:
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (LSHTM)
- Applied Statistical Methods in Psychiatric Epidemiology (King’s)
- Conflict & Health (LSHTM)
- Design & Analysis of Epidemiological Studies (LSHTM)
- Epidemiology of Non-Communicable Diseases (LSHTM)
- Geographies of Trauma: Memory, Emotion & Place (King’s)
- Health Care Evaluation (LSHTM)
- Health Promotion Approaches and Methods (LSHTM)
- Health Systems (LSHTM)
- Medical Anthropology and Public Health (LSHTM)
- Mental Health Economic Evaluation (King’s)
- Qualitative Methodologies (LSHTM)
- Qualitative Research: Theory, Methods & Practice (King’s)
- Research Design & Analysis (LSHTM)
- Social Epidemiology (LSHTM)
- Society and Mental Health (King’s)
- Statistical Methods in Epidemiology (LSHTM)
- Term 3
Students take the following compulsory module:
- Theory to Practice in Global Mental Health (King's)
- Project report
Students prepare a project report of a maximum of 10,000 words during the summer months (July - August), for submission by early September.
Please note: Should it be the case that you are unable to travel overseas or access laboratories in order to complete your project, you will be able to complete an alternative desk-based project allowing you to obtain your qualification within the original time frame. Alternatively, you will be able to defer your project to the following year.
Changes to the programme
LSHTM will seek to deliver this programme in accordance with the description set out on this programme page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for LSHTM to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. For further information, please see our page on changes to courses.
The normal minimum entrance qualification for the MSc Global Mental Health is a first degree at Upper Second Class Honours (2:1) standard from a UK university, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard; or a registerable qualification in medicine, appropriate to the programme. A background (study, work or volunteer activities) in a mental health-related field is desirable but not essential. Applications with an appropriate technical qualification, or equivalent qualification and experience from overseas, are also welcomed.
Given the cross-cutting nature of mental health, the programme caters to a range of disciplinary backgrounds so a psychiatry or psychology background is not mandatory. However, in the absence of a typical disciplinary background for this MSc, applicants will need to use their personal statement to highlight their relevant experience to strengthen their application.
Applicants who do not meet the minimum entry requirement, but who have relevant professional experience may still be eligible for admission. Qualifications and experience will be assessed from the application.
Intercalating students
You will need the equivalent of a bachelor's degree to undertake an MSc. This will usually require you to have a BSc degree or have completed the first three years of your medical degree. More information on intercalating an MSc at LSHTM.
| Fees 2025/26 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Home | Full-time | £16,630 |
| EU/Overseas | Full-time | £39,230 |
*Mobile users, scroll right to view fees
Funding available for this programme:
- IoPPN Postgraduate Taught Scholarships 2025/2026 (application deadline: Friday, 21st February 2025, 17:00 UK time.)
Scholarships are being offered at a value of £5,000 each. The scholarships are paid towards the fees via an internal transfer within King's College London. The scholarship holder will still need to meet the difference in fees personally or from another award. These awards are open to Home and International (including EU) applicants.
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarships 2025-26 (Global Mental Health) (application deadline: 12 December 2024, 16:00 UK Time)
Please note: this funding is only to citizens of the following eligible Commonwealth countries: Bangladesh. Belize. Botswana. Cameroon. Dominica. Eswatini. Fiji. Gabon. The Gambia. Ghana. Grenada. Guyana. India. Jamaica. Kenya. Kiribati. Lesotho. Malawi. Malaysia. Maldives. Mauritius. Montserrat. Mozambique. Namibia. Nauru. Nigeria. Pakistan. Papua New Guinea. Rwanda. St. Helena. St. Lucia. St. Vincent & the Grenadines. Samoa. Sierra Leone. Solomon Islands. South Africa. Sri Lanka. Tanzania. Togo. Tonga. Tuvalu. Uganda. Vanuatu and Zambia
Applications should be made through the King's College London online application system.
Early applications are encouraged.