Understand the bigger picture of global health and the contribution you can make in your medical career.
Cancer. Cardiovascular issues. Acute infections and disease. To tackle the biggest threats to global health, it’s crucial doctors don't just treat ill patients but also tackle the broader economic and social determinants of health. Learn how to do this successfully at a medical school with a history dating back 900 years.
If you’re already studying for a medical or dental degree, this is your chance to achieve an additional degree in just one year and develop an evidence base from which to advocate on behalf of your patients. Gender and sexuality, health systems, and globalisation are just a few of the areas you can specialise in.
Our teaching takes place in Whitechapel in the heart of London’s East End. As one of the most diverse parts of the UK, it is a fascinating microcosm for understanding global public health.
As leaders in the field, we influence policy developments. Our academics explore everything from the impact of climate change on the health of indigenous people to the drivers of vaccine hesitancy. And you’ll carry out your own research too. Many students even publish their dissertations in peer-reviewed journals.
Join us on our mission to promote social justice and health equity on a global, national, and local level.
You may also be interested in our MSc Global Public Health and Policy, which is available to study as an intercalated degree after Year 3 of your MBBS Medicine or BDS Dentistry programme.
Apply by 1 February 12 noon to start your intercalated degree in September.
You can start your one-year intercalated Global Public Health BSc after the second, third or fourth years of your MBBS, BDS or BVetMed.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
An intercalated degree will broaden your studies as you gain an additional qualification.
It will also:
Find out more about intercalated degrees
Spending time with students and experts during the Global Public Health iBSc was an incredibly eye opening experience. It encouraged me to spend time reading outside of academic medicine and consider the wider implications of clinical decisions we make on a daily basis. It encouraged me to explore topics within fields I had never thought I would enjoy and has opened up a multitude of career pathways for my future.
Our intercalated students study alongside MSc students. Teaching is through small-group seminars, giving you the opportunity to develop debating and advocacy skills, and to share insights and experiences with students from around the world. The programme provides students with support in developing their academic writing skills.
You will have one exam for the Epidemiology and Statistics module. The other modules will be assessed through a combination of written assignments and presentations. The programme places a strong emphasis on developing your writing skills.
The School offers excellent on-campus resources to aid your studies, including:
Intercalated degrees are for undergraduate students currently enrolled in the MBBS or BDS programmes at Queen Mary, or at another medical, dental or veterinary school.
Medical studentsYou must have completed 2, 3 or 4 years of the MBBS course (1 or 2 years of a graduate entry programme) and passed all years to date.
Dental studentsYou must have completed 2, 3 or 4 years of the BDS course and passed all years to date. You must also have completed all continuous assessment and have satisfactory annual progress reviews.
Veterinary studentsVeterinary students are welcome to apply.
All studentsSatisfactory performance in, and completion of, all student-selected components (SSCs).
SelectionStudents who meet the criteria will be asked to attend an interview.
Where there is competition for places, students will be ranked on their exam results to date and their interview performance.
How to applySee full information on how to apply for intercalated degrees.
Students from the UK and overseas are welcome to apply for our intercalated degrees.
Find out more about our English language entry requirements, including the types of test we accept and the scores needed for entry to the programme.
You may also be able to meet the English language requirement for your programme by joining a summer pre-sessional programme before starting your degree.
Find out more about our intercalated degrees.
UK students accepted onto this course are eligible to apply for from Student Finance England or other government bodies.
Medical and dental students from Barts and The London will be considered for various bursaries based on research interests, financial need or academic merit.
These bursaries are not available to students from other medical schools, or to Barts and The London students who choose to intercalate externally.
We offer specialist support on all financial and welfare issues through our Advice and Counselling Service, which you can access as soon as you have applied for a place at Queen Mary.
Take a look at our Student Advice Guides which cover ways to finance your degree, including:
Your BSc will be an advantage if you later apply for postgraduate training in public health. Your understanding of the wider causes of ill health will be of benefit within all areas of medicine.