Global Challenges (Online Learning)
Provided by The University of Edinburgh Medical School
About the course
With almost 8 billion people on earth and rising, how can we all live well without compromising the life support systems of our planet?
This unique and cutting-edge programme will enable you to tackle global problems in a multidisciplinary way. It will equip you to address causes, consider preventative approaches, and implement suitable responses.
We live in an increasingly complex, often contradictory, fast-changing world:
- we have experienced unprecedented economic growth but inequality grows between and within nations
- we know more than ever about the natural environment, yet we may be on the cusp of irreversible changes caused by human activity
- more people than ever before are living longer, healthier lives, while billions suffer from hunger, malnutrition and disease
Climate change, natural disasters, political instability, conflict and wars, mixed in with overpopulation, poverty and underinvestment in low-income countries are leading to a range of challenges on a scale and at a frequency not experienced before.
Challenges of migrating and vulnerable populations, emerging and re-emerging diseases, humanitarian crises and unprecedented urban development need a multidisciplinary approach with sustainability at the heart of it.
Our MSc Global Challenges is a multi-level online programme that offers distinct qualifications following successful completion of each of the three stages. It is made up of three postgraduate certificates which you can study in any order. Together they give you a lens on the drivers and causes of the different global crises we are facing, and strategies and tools to implement solutions and work in partnership with those who are leading change.
The MSc comprises three Postgraduate Certificates:
- PgCert Global Environment Challenges
- PgCert Global Health Challenges
- PgCert Global Development Challenges
You can study any one of the above individual Certificates as a standalone programme. You can also choose to study all three. Successful completion of all three of these Certificates leads to the award of the MSc in Global Challenges.
Three components that make up the MSc
The three stages of Postgraduate Certificate that make up the MSc are:
PgCert Global Development Challenges
Global Development Challenges considers the increasing economic, social and political inequalities in many parts of the world, and the need for new ways of thinking about and addressing development from a global perspective. The programme is offered by the School of Social and Political Science.
PgCert Global Environment Challenges
Global Environment Challenges considers how human activity is changing the natural environment at an unprecedented rate and the impact of this on human wellbeing and development. The programme is offered by the School of Geosciences.
PgCert Global Health Challenges
Global Health Challenges considers the connections between local and global health challenges, and our changing understanding of health and wellness in the context of the health of the planet. The programme is offered by the Usher Institute within the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine.
Our MSc in Global Challenges allows you to study flexibly at a pace that suits you. You can complete the three components in any order you wish.
There is no dissertation element: each Postgraduate Certificate provides opportunities for you, in discussion with academic staff, to develop innovative projects as part of your assessment.
The MSc in Global Challenges is normally completed over three to six academic years and is awarded by the School of Social and Political Science.
Find out more about compulsory and optional courses
We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.
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| Start date | Venue | |
|---|---|---|
| 08 Sep 2025 | Distance learning | Book now |