The dissertation with placement gives you valuable practical experience of working in a development organisation and engaging with development issues.
You’ll spend six to eight weeks in June or July based in a host organisation, where you’ll carry out a research project identified by the organisation and approved by the University. Your project will have clear practical relevance and will generate findings that form the basis of your dissertation. Students may also spend time working directly on the organisation’s core activities.
We currently work with over 30 host organisations in the UK and across the globe. Some have a wide remit, others have a specialist focus on issues such as conservation, education or health.
Placements to overseas destinations are subject to the same potential constraints imposed by travel conditions and health risks due to Covid-19.
The costs of the dissertation with placement module are not included in your tuition fees. A limited number of low-cost local placements are also available.
Modules
A selection of modules are available each year – some examples are below. There may be changes before you start your course.
Core modules:
- Ideas and Practice in International Development
- Introduction to Research Methods
- Key Issues in Global Public Health
- Professional Skills for Development
Optional modules (full list TBC):
- Theory and Debates in Food Security and Food Justice
- The Science of Environmental Change
- Epidemiology
- Disaster and Emergency Management
- Principles of GIS
- Urban Development in the Global South
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it’s up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we’ll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption. We are no longer offering unrestricted module choice. If your course included unrestricted modules, your department will provide a list of modules from their own and other subject areas that you can choose from.
Duration
1 year full-time
Teaching
The course is taught through a combination of seminars, lectures, workshops, reading groups and a 10-day international field class.
Due to the ongoing uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, plans for the advertised academic year have not yet been finalised. The delivery of our courses will continue to be guided by national guidelines for education which balance educational needs with the safety of our students and staff. During the pandemic, the international elements of our courses have been taught with a virtual field class. This approach was commended by the external examiner and received excellent feedback from students.
The field class is integral and valuable to our programme. We intend to explore international destinations in the future. This will be determined by whether it is possible and responsible to do so in line with the coronavirus situation in the UK and our overseas destinations.
Assessment
You’re assessed on coursework assignments, project work and a dissertation.
Your career
Our public health masters graduates go on to work in very diverse areas, although many find work in a health or public health setting, including returning to medicine if they are medics or intercalating students. Other graduates have gone on to undertake further doctoral/PhD study or to work in research or academic settings, which we feel reflects the quality of our research-led teaching in preparing and inspiring students.
Students have also found excellent opportunities at the World Health Organisation (WHO), the World Bank Group and various international organisations and government agencies including:
- Whatcom Alliance for Health
- Japan International Cooperation Agency
- Nigeria Centre for Disease Control
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET)
Entry requirements
You’ll need a 2:1 or first-class honours degree in an area of the social sciences or medicine.
Intercalating medical students must have successfully completed at least the equivalent of three years of an undergraduate medical degree and provide at least one satisfactory academic reference.
Overall IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, or equivalent.
Pathway programme for international students
If you’re an international student who does not meet the entry requirements for this course, you have the opportunity to apply for a pre-masters programme in Business, Social Sciences and Humanities at the University of Sheffield International College. This course is designed to develop your English language and academic skills. Upon successful completion, you can progress to degree level study at the University of Sheffield.
Fees and funding
- Home (2022 annual fee) : £11,500
- Overseas (2022 annual fee) : £26,200
The fee listed is for the advertised mode of study. If you’re studying for an alternative qualification or via a different mode of study (eg full-time, part-time) then the fee could be different. Due to inflation, the fee for Home students could also increase after your first year of study.
key dates
September start
Monday 29 August 2022
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Last date to request a deferral to September 2023 entry. You can request a deferral via your online application. We’re not able to consider deferral requests for applications to courses using our staged admissions process.
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Friday 9 September 2022 (17:00 British Summer Time)
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Applications close for September 2022 entry
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Monday 17 October 2022
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Last date to register for most courses
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