Introduction to Global Health

The global health priorities established in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have helped bring the importance of global health governance to the fore of global health scholarship. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has shone a spotlight on global public health governance, exposing the systemic weaknesses in the global health architecture and demonstrating how power and resource imbalances impact on global health policy, global health equity and population health.

The global health landscape is shaped by centuries old interactions and structures. The past few decades have brought dramatic change shaped by cross-border flows of capital, ideas, technology intermediated through the complex interaction between global, national and local actors and institutions. This module provides an introduction to the fundamentals of global public health governance by focusing on health-related issues that transcend national boundaries and the differential impacts of globalization on health. It introduces essential concepts from the social sciences, including political science, sociology and law. It includes critical scholarship on interactions between global and local actors to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary for critically exploring key questions including who governs global health, which states, institutions and other entities finances global health, who sets priorities for global health and who is accountable for delivering on global health commitments. It provides an introduction to understanding the diverse social, economic and political forces which shape how and why some important health related challenges are addressed through global health policies, including the SDGs, and others are not.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this module, you will be expected to be able to:

• Identify and describe the role of the key actors and institutions engaged in global health governance and how the global health landscape has changed over time.
• Critically assess the influence of key global health actors and institutions on global health policy and commitments including the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Appreciate and critically assess current global health challenges and the social, economic and political factors that influence these.
• Critically assess the role of power in global political and economic dynamics and analyse how it shapes global health governance and policy priorities.

Module Outline

Indicative syllabus content: • Globalisation • Governance • Health policies and priorities – from global to local Exploring key issues/challenges in global health: • Universal Health Care & Health systems strengthening • Migration, climate emergency & global health • International trade, investment and global health • Financing global health • International cooperation - Global health security and human rights • Reforming & Gendering global health

Assessment strategy

• The assessment for this course is by coursework only.

Our CPD Funding page has more information on fees for our modules and potential funding sources.

We have guidance on making your application and the forms to download on our how to apply page.