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Global Health & Social Medicine BA

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Overview

Our Global Health & Social Medicine BA offers a unique and exciting course with the opportunity to study abroad for a year and aims to train a new generation of leaders who want to make a difference in the world.

The course is designed for those who wish to understand the social determinants of health and illness in a global context, and to recognise and evaluate the range of medical and healthcare approaches. 

Whether you want to promote responsible biomedical research, address global health inequities or ensure fairness across generations, you are required to consider numerous perspectives in order to succeed, fostering thinking across disciplines and national boundaries.

Key benefits

  • Hear from some of our students about why they chose to study Global Health & Social Medicine at King's. 

  • All applicants of our full time BSc or BA are eligible for the £9,000 scholarship opportunity, including UK, EU and Overseas students. 
  • We offer excellent opportunities to study social aspects of health and medicine in a multi-disciplinary context with close collaboration between the social sciences, life sciences and biomedicine.
  • Global opportunities for work experience including study abroad at world leading universities and fully funded international internships.
  • The chance to combine high-level social science with an introduction to the main areas of biomedical knowledge and the implications for clinical practice.
  • Taught by internationally renowned clinicians and academics with a strong focus on transdisciplinary education in key areas of health, disease and medicine.

Key information

UCAS code L511, L513 (with a year abroad)

Duration Three, or four years with a year abroad

Study mode Full-time

Course type Single honours

Further details

Awarding institution King's College London

Faculty Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy

Department Department of Global Health & Social Medicine

Locations

 

Explore campuses

Global Health & Social Medicine at King's

In the heart of London

Hear from staff and students about studying Global Health & Social Medicine here at King's.

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Course detail

Description

Modern society recognises the importance of health and has created supportive healthcare systems to maintain welfare and to tackle diseases. These systems are not only ‘medical’, such as training and certifying doctors, networks of general practitioners, hospitals and specialised clinics. They are also ‘social’, covering the provision of clean water, food and sanitation, the design of accommodation, education in child development and the promotion of health and hygiene.

The Global Health & Social Medicine BA is a degree course that creates unique opportunities for you to combine social sciences with additional subject areas such as geography, history and war studies. This course will provide you with intellectual skills, practical knowledge and research techniques required for independent critical thinking and analysis.

Students on the Global Health & Social Medicine with a Year Abroad BA will spend their third year studying abroad before returning to complete a final year with King’s. Students on the three year course may transfer to the four year Global Health & Social Medicine with a Year Abroad BA. Studying abroad will be dependent on levels of achievement in second year modules.

Teaching style

You will be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and small group tutorials.

Typically, one credit equates to 10 hours of work.

Assessment

You will be assessed through a range of techniques including examinations, coursework and tutorial participation.

Location

The degree course is delivered across two campuses – the Strand Campus and the Waterloo Campus. Both are close to the River Thames, with facilities offered by the University easily available and also the cultural attractions of the South Bank and Covent Garden close by. The library and computing facilities are readily accessible together with the opportunity to use the University of London library at Senate House.

Other related courses

 

 

Structure

Year 1

The course consists of a mixture of required and optional modules, and a research-based dissertation in the final year. Required modules are all taught from within the Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, which also offers optional modules in Years Two and Three. 

Courses are divided into modules. Each year you will normally take modules totalling 120 credits.

King’s College London reviews the modules offered on a regular basis to provide upto-date, innovative and relevant courses of study. Therefore, modules offered may change. We suggest you keep an eye on this course page for updates.

Required Modules
You are required to take the following modules:
Optional Modules

There are no optional modules in the first year of this course.

Year 2

Required Modules

You are required to take the following modules:

Optional Modules

You are also required to take an approved optional module from the list below, and make up the rest of your credits with optional modules from the department. 

  • Applied Epidemiology and Social Statistics (15 credits)
  • Case Studies in Global Health & Social Medicine (15 credits)

 

 

Year 3

Global Health & Social Medicine BA:

If you are studying the three year BA, you will take the final year modules in your third year.

Required Modules

You are required to take the following modules:

Optional Modules

In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:

Global Health & Social Medicine with a Year Abroad BA:

Students on the four year course will spend their third year studying abroad before returning to complete a final year with King’s. This will depend on reaching a certain grade average and being accepted by a partner university.

Our partner institutions currently include:

  • University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
  • University of Melbourne
  • Western University
  • National University of Singapore
  • Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore

Year 4

Global Health & Social Medicine with a Year Abroad BA:

Students on the four year course will spend their third year studying abroad before returning to complete a final year with King’s.

Required Modules

You are required to take the following modules:

 

Optional Modules

In addition, you are required to take 75 credits from a range of optional modules, which may typically include:

Entry requirements

 

Required grades

AAB

Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A-levels. However, if offered the grade achieved may be taken into account when considering whether or not to accept a candidate who has just fallen short of the conditions of their offer.

Required grades

35 points overall (including TOK/EE) with three Higher Level subjects at 665

Required grades

45 Level 3 credits: 33 must be from units awarded at Distinction, with the remaining Level 3 credits at Merit

Required grades

D3 D3 M2

Combinations of Pre-U principal subjects and other qualifications (such as A-levels).

Required grades

Further information below

If you are taking the new RQF BTEC Nationals (2016), you will not be required to fulfil the module requirement stipulated above - you will only need to get the right overall grade. If you are taking the QCF BTEC Nationals (2010), you must achieve both the required overall grade and the specified module grades. If you are unsure which BTEC you are studying, your teacher or school/college counsellor should be able to tell you.

Required grades

Further information below

If you are taking the new RQF BTEC Nationals (2016), you will not be required to fulfil the module requirement stipulated above - you will only need to get the right overall grade. If you are taking the QCF BTEC Nationals (2010), you must achieve both the required overall grade and the specified module grades. If you are unsure which BTEC you are studying, your teacher or school/college counsellor should be able to tell you.

Required grades

Further information below

If you are taking the new RQF BTEC Nationals (2016), you will not be required to fulfil the module requirement stipulated above - you will only need to get the right overall grade. If you are taking the QCF BTEC Nationals (2010), you must achieve both the required overall grade and the specified module grades. If you are unsure which BTEC you are studying, your teacher or school/college counsellor should be able to tell you.

Required grades

80% overall

Required grades

Visit our admissions webpages to view our international entry requirements and English language entry requirements.

Required subjects

None.

Preferred subjects

None.

Further information and other requirements

Entry requirements
A-Level  AAB  Please note that A-level General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted by King's as one of your A levels. However, if offered the grade achieved may be taken into account when considering whether or not to accept a candidate who has just fallen short of the conditions of their offer.
Access to HE Diploma 

D: 33 credits

M: 12 credits

P: 0 credits

 Access to HE Diploma (for example, in Humanities) with 45 Level 3 credits: 33 must be from units awarded at Distinction, with the remaining Level 3 credits at Merit.
Cambridge Pre-U D3 D3 M2 Combinations of Pre-U principal subjects and other qualifications (such as A-levels) considered.
BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF from 2010)   DDM with eleven Distinctions and two A levels at grades AB or DDM with ten Distinctions and two A levels at grades AA.
BTEC Level 3 Diploma (QCF from 2010)   DM with six Distinctions and two A levels at grades AB or DM with four Distinctions and two A levels at grades AA.
BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma (QCF from 2010)   D with four modules at Distinction and two A levels at grades AB or M and two A levels at grades AA.
Scottish Highers & Advanced Highers

AAB at Highers

and

AB at Advanced Highers

 Must be a combination of three Scottish Highers and two Scottish Advanced Highers. We do not count the Higher and Advanced Higher in the same subject.
International Baccalaureate 35 points including 6,6,5 at Higher Level. Note the total point score of 35 includes TOK/EE.
Other International Qualifications   Visit our admissions webpages to view our international entry requirements.
English Language requirements Band B Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.

Selection procedure

Application deadline: January 15th 2019

Help and support

If you don't have a suitable qualification for direct entry to a UK university, or if English isn't your first language, our academic preparation courses can help you get ready for study in the UK.

Preparation courses

Fees and funding

Full time tuition fees UK:

The UK tuition fee for the 2019-2020 academic year is currently £9,250 per year. This is based on the UK Government’s cap.

Full time tuition fees EU:

Students starting their programme in 2019/20 (September 2019) who are eligible to pay EU fees will pay the same rate of tuition fees as UK students. This will apply for the duration of their programme, but may be subject to change by the UK Government for subsequent cohorts from 2020/21.

The UK tuition fee for the 2019-2020 academic year is currently £9,250 per year. This is based on the UK Government’s cap.

Full time tuition fees International:

The International tuition fee for the 2019-2020 academic year is £18,900 per year.

Please note that the International tuition fee is subject to annual increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King’s terms and conditions.

All International applicants to Undergraduate programmes are required to pay a deposit of £2,000 against their first year’s tuition fee. This deposit is payable when you firmly accept an unconditional offer to study with us, and will be offset against your tuition fees when you join King’s.

 

Additional costs/expenses

If you study abroad as part of your course, King's will not be charged tuition fees by the host university (although some partners do charge a small administration fee for applying). 

Please see the Study Abroad webpages for details of the relevant partner universities.

 King’s will continue to invoice for a proportion of King's tuition fees.  At present these are as follows: 

  • Home students studying for a semester abroad will receive an invoice for £6,000 for King’s tuition fees for the year.
  • Home students studying or working for a full academic year abroad will receive an invoice for £1,350 for King’s tuition fees for the year.
  • Overseas students studying for a semester abroad will receive an invoice for two thirds of the King's tuition fees for the year.
  • Overseas students studying or working for a full academic year abroad will receive an invoice for one third of the King's tuition fees for the year.

You should also budget to pay for the associated subsistence costs, such as travel, visas, accommodation and food as well as any vaccination/immunisations required by the country to which you are travelling.

In addition to the costs above, you can also expect to pay for: 

  • Books if you choose to buy your own copies 
  • Clothing for optional course related events and competitions 
  • Library fees and fines 
  • Personal photocopies 
  • Printing course handouts 
  • Society membership fees 
  • Stationery 
  • Graduation costs
  • Travel costs for travel around London and between campuses 

For further information, please visit our fees and funding pages.

Financial help and support

Visit the fees and funding webpages to find out more about bursaries, scholarships, grants, tuition fees, living expenses, student loans and other financial help available at King's.

Career prospects

This degree course equips you with the transferable skills of research, analysis and critical thinking, a skillset that’s highly valued and sought after by employers. Our graduates enter a wide range of professions within the health services, public health, government and NGOs in the UK and elsewhere; as well as in the commercial, medical and health sectors. A significant proportion proceed into higher professional or academic qualifications, often pursuing postgraduate degrees at King’s.

With the job market becoming ever more competitive, it has been reported that King’s offers its graduates the best job prospects of any London or Russell Group university, with an employment rate of 95.2 per cent, an increase of 2.6 per cent on last year.

The data, compiled by The Careers Group, University of London, is based on institutional Employment Performance Indicators (EPI) for full-time, first degree, UK domiciled graduates in work or further study. King’s has the highest EPI in the Russell Group and the largest increase in benchmark performance from 2009-10 figures.

The results also place King’s third overall in the UK as reported in The Telegraph’s ‘Top 10 universities for getting a job’.

Robert Hall, Director of Library Services & Employability, said: ‘This is testament to the commitment the university is making to ensuring that our students develop the right skills to succeed in the workplace.’

 

Career destinations

Our graduates enter a wide range of professions within the health services, public health, government and NGOs in the UK and elsewhere; as well as in the commercial, medical and health sectors. A proportion proceed into higher professional or academic qualifications, often pursuing postgraduate degrees at King’s.

Testimonials

David

David

"Coming to King's as an older student, following employment as an NHS care worker, I sought an academic programme that would encourage me both to think critically about the healthcare environment I was used to, and to gain a broader appreciation of issues in healthcare at a global level. Highly interdisciplinary in its nature, I was attracted to the emphasis within this new degree upon collaboration between the social and biomedical sciences - not to mention the renowned facilities at King's and the health politics that surround the capital! A great place to spend three years."

Katya

Katya

"For someone interested in social justice, this is a course that inspires passion while giving you the tools to make and drive the social change that you want to see. It's intellectually stimulating, combining theory with practical application, and is taught by leading members of the Global Health field in the very heart of London."

Next steps

Upcoming events

Sep 7 Undergraduate Open Day | Arts and Sciences | Strand Campus | Saturday 7 September

Full list of student events

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