MSc Sexual & Reproductive Health Policy and Programming

Developed and delivered by LSHTM and the University of Ghana School of Public Health (UGSPH), this is an intensive online programme that can be taken either full time (one year) or built to work alongside your employment part-time over two years. You will be taught by a team of academic staff and experts who have experience in developing policy and contributing to global health programmes. Your focus will be on developing skills to build programmes and influence policies that make a difference to the sexual and reproductive health of populations. Equipped with advanced knowledge of social-political, cultural, legal, and ethical issues surrounding sexual and reproductive health, you’ll finish the course ready to bring change and shape policies and practice.

What you will learn

• Explore policy and health system factors influencing sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in low and middle-income settings
• Investigate the influence of socio-political, cultural, legal, and ethical issues surrounding SRHR
• Study up-to-date evidence on effective SRH policies and interventions
• Design and cost SRHR programmes informed by the latest evidence and tailored to the context, including selecting appropriate methods to monitor and evaluate them
• Apply skills in communication with specialist and non-specialist audiences, advocacy, and collaborative working to engage effectively with stakeholders who influence SRH policy and programming

The aims and learning outcomes are detailed in the programme specification.

Our online programme is designed to offer flexibility in how and when you study. And while it is an intensive programme, the part-time study option will help you to balance your studies with existing work or personal commitments.

Modules cover topics including menstrual health, STIs and HIV, gender and sexual rights, safe abortion, adolescent SRHR, contraception and health systems. You will also learn skills such as programme monitoring and implementation research, designing and appraising evidence-based policies and programmes, and advocacy approaches for SRHR.

You’ll be taught through a mix of interactive activities such as live online lectures, group discussions and seminars, as well as pre-recorded lectures and independent study activities.

You’ll receive support from your tutor, as well as having the opportunity to join our unique mentorship programme and masterclasses delivered by experts in the field. Our masterclasses cover topics such as advocacy and case building for SRH, and career advancement in SRH. The mentorship programme pairs you with an expert in SRH, matching you based on common interests in the field. Your mentor will guide you in terms of leadership development, skills for success, and much more.

Who is it for?

We’ve designed this course for those interested in learning to design, implement, evaluate, and advocate for evidence-based sexual and reproductive health programmes and policies.

Perhaps you’re already working as a midwife, doctor, programme officer, or another role in SRH. You could also be intercalating study during your medical training or have a bachelor's degree in social science. You would have some previous experience in either low- and middle-income countries or in the SRH field.

Whatever your background, you’ll be the perfect fit for this course if you’re motivated to improve how SRH care is delivered and can demonstrate how studying the course will fit into your career growth path.

Graduates particularly work for NGOs or ministries of health, influencing policy and programmes.

Mode of delivery

The programme will be delivered wholly online, with no in-person attendance. There will be a mix of live and interactive activities (synchronous learning) as well as recorded or self-directed study (asynchronous learning). Examples of synchronous learning are live online lectures, group discussions and seminars. Asynchronous learning includes pre-recorded lectures, independent reading and activities.

Duration

The programme is 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time.

Full-time (12 months): Full-time students are expected to study approximately 40 hours per week including about 6-12 hours of synchronous learning per week (2-3 hours each day) during the teaching term. Live synchronous lectures and class sessions usually take place Monday-Friday between 2 pm and 5 pm UTC. Students are also required to attend all live sessions, and group work and undertake self-led study each week.

Part-time (24 months): Students can study part-time by studying for two or three days per week during the teaching term, and spreading all the modules required to complete a master’s programme over two years. There are no evening or weekend classes. Depending on module selection, students may be required to attend for different days in each term. Part-time students are expected to study approximately 20 hours per week including about 3-6 hours of synchronous learning per week (2-3 hours each study day) during the teaching term.

Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma

This programme also offers students the opportunity to register for a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip). Details of what each course entails are summarised in the Structure tab.

Both the PGCert and the PGDip can be studied either full-time in one year or part-time over two years. If you study the PGCert, most of your study and assessments will be concentrated in the Autumn Term (October-December) with some assessments in May or June. If you study the PGDip you will additionally take modules and assessments in the Spring Term (January-March). Further details on compulsory and elective modules and when they run are available on the Structure tab.

• View programme specification
• View intensive module specifications
• View distance learning module specifications

Term 1 (September - December) consists of ten teaching weeks for AB1 slot modules, plus one Reading Week* in the middle of the term. Followed by the Winter break.

Term 2 (January - March) consists of a further ten weeks of teaching for C and D slot modules, plus a Reading Week in the middle of the term. C modules are taught in five half-week blocks before Reading Week. D modules are taught in five half-week blocks after Reading Week. Followed by the Spring break.

Term 3 (April - September) consists of revision time, examinations (for students taking modules with June examinations) and the project report.

*Reading Week is a week during term where no formal teaching takes place. It is a time for private study, preparing for assessments or attending study/computer skills workshops. There are two Reading Weeks at LSHTM: one in November and the other in February.

View term and holiday dates

Term 1: Compulsory modules (PGCert, PGDip and MSc)

Students take the following compulsory AB1 modules:

• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
• Understanding and Applying Research Evidence
• Health Policy and Systems for Sexual and Reproductive Health
• PHM103 Introduction to Health Economics (by distance learning) or PHM107 Foundations for Health Promotion (by distance learning) or PHM108 Health Services (by distance learning) *

*Students choose one of the three modules. PHM103 and PHM108 are assessed by a written exam in June. PHM107 is assessed by assignment only; submission deadline 31st May.

Term 2: Compulsory and elective modules (PGDip and MSc)

Students take a total of four study modules, one from each timetable slot (C1, C2, D1, D2). The list below shows recommended or compulsory modules.

C1 slot

• Gender and Reproductive Rights

C2 slot

• Abortion Policy and Programming
• Family Planning Programmes

D1 slot

• Current Issues in Maternal and Perinatal Health
• Control of Sexually Transmitted Infections
• Programme Monitoring and Implementation Research

D2 slot

• Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy & Programming (compulsory)

Distance Learning modules: Students may also select from the following Distance Learning modules to study in C/D slots, to be taken instead of the options in C1, C2 and D1 above.

• Health Systems
• Research Design and Methods for the Analysis of Global Health Policy
• Law and Global Health Policy
• HIV
• Economic Analysis for Health Policy
• Economic Evaluation
• Health Care Evaluation
• Globalisation and Health
• Managing Health Services
• Organisational Management
• Principles and Practice of Health Promotion
• Conflict and Health
• Evaluation of Public Health Interventions

Term 3: Project report (MSc)

Students complete a written report (May-August) which may be undertaken as part of a placement, to apply the skills and knowledge acquired during the programme, exploring an area of SRHR in depth. The report may also take the form of an intervention design and piloting, for example, or a policy or programme evaluation. Not all placements in a sexual and reproductive health-focused organisation may lead to the identification of a suitable problem for a summer project, therefore students may also opt for a more traditional type of summer project (i.e. a systematic review, data analysis) depending on their skills and choice of modules.

Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma

This programme also offers students the opportunity to register for a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) or Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip). Details of what each course entails are summarised in the table below.

Both the PGCert and the PGDip can be studied either full-time in one year or part-time over two years. If you study the PGCert, most of your study and assessments will be concentrated in the Autumn Term (October-December) with some assessments in May or June. If you study the PGDip you will additionally take modules in the Spring Term (January-March). Further details on compulsory and elective modules and when they run are available above.

It is possible to register for the PGCert or PGDip in the first instance and then, on successful completion of the compulsory core modules, transfer your registration to the PGDip or MSc. Information on fees for this option is available on the fees and funding tab. Students wishing to transfer their registration to PGDip or MSc should be aware that you must complete these within five years of completing the first qualification.