Background and aims

Health is one of the most important aspects of everyday life in the modern world and is one of the most important qualities of everyday life. Health is often taken-for-granted and only becomes important when it is threatened.  It is also an area where large resources are invested and health services and health care represent some of the largest sectors in most economies in the more affluent societies. There are a range of different approaches that the social sciences can employ engage with health and can contribute to our understanding of health, health care and health systems. 

The aim of this MSc is to provide students with a global understanding of health from the social sciences perspective. It adopts a multidisciplinary focus and provides students with the opportunity to develop a broad understanding of health and its determinants and healthcare. It brings together experts from across the social sciences and health service research and will provide in-depth and specialist analysis of a range of topics, marrying different theoretical and applied approaches. As well as taught courses, which are designed to give you the tools and understanding necessary to engage confidently with current issues and debates in the field, students will also have the opportunity to devise and carry out a sustained piece of research into an area or topic of their own particular interest. The programme will help you develop a number of research, writing, team-working and professional skills that will equip you for the workplace or doctoral study.