The Student Room Group
University of Oxford, Pawel-Sytniewski
University of Oxford
Oxford

Msc Public Health Oxford or LSHTM best choice?

Hi everyone!
Fantastic forum been browsing around a bit. I am not from the UK and would appreciate some input, tried searching but didnt really find any relevant thread.

I want to do a public/global health master this fall and have been lucky enough of being accepted to LSHTM and Oxford. I am wondering if anyone has any input on these programs or institutions. I get the impression that LSHTM is the place to be for public health but saying no to oxford is well.... difficult.

1, Oxford seems to have an option of overseas placement for their Msc while LSHTM doesnt mention much about the dissertation at all, anyone know if overseas placement or field projects are common/possible?

2, Is LSHTM the place to be for public health without question or would an Oxford degree serve me equally well? If anyone has an international perspective I'd love the input.

3, Has anyone attended any of the schools and would like to share their impressions I would be most greatfull.

Best regards,
Throwin

Ps to complicate matters I am also intrested in an international health policy Msc from LSE. Anyone done it? ds
Reply 1
What work experience, if any, did you have?
University of Oxford, Pawel-Sytniewski
University of Oxford
Oxford
Reply 2
I work at University of Birmingham, but I will give you my opinion.

LSHTM are a much bigger player in the international health field than Oxford. They have the widest range of modules on international health, you can sub-specialise in any of a number of areas, there are many staff and students from overseas with connections to many international projects. If you are an overseas student the fees are also much smaller than those in Oxford.

Oxford is, well, Oxford. If you want the big O in your curriculum vitae then go for Oxford MSc in Global Health. If you don't like big cities, Oxford is a wonderful place to live for a year.

Short answer:

a) Academically - LSHTM
b) Networking with overseas - LSHTM
c) Prestige - Oxford
d) Quality of life - depends what you prefer. Oxford is small and beautiful. London is one of the world's great cities.

If you mainly want to learn statistical and epidemiological skills choose neither and go for University of Cambridge or University of Birmingham.

Hope this helps

TM
Reply 3
Original post by mphadmin
I work at University of Birmingham, but I will give you my opinion.

LSHTM are a much bigger player in the international health field than Oxford. They have the widest range of modules on international health, you can sub-specialise in any of a number of areas, there are many staff and students from overseas with connections to many international projects. If you are an overseas student the fees are also much smaller than those in Oxford.

Oxford is, well, Oxford. If you want the big O in your curriculum vitae then go for Oxford MSc in Global Health. If you don't like big cities, Oxford is a wonderful place to live for a year.

Short answer:

a) Academically - LSHTM
b) Networking with overseas - LSHTM
c) Prestige - Oxford
d) Quality of life - depends what you prefer. Oxford is small and beautiful. London is one of the world's great cities.

If you mainly want to learn statistical and epidemiological skills choose neither and go for University of Cambridge or University of Birmingham.

Hope this helps

TM


Do you find non-medical/non-dental graduates on the Masters in Public Health and Dental Public Health struggle compared to their peers?
Reply 4
My experience is that those who struggle most on a MPH programme are those who are not particularly numerate. That is why I devised the selection test for University of Birmingham.

www.mph-selection.org.uk/

You can use it as a diagnostic tool if you want because it gives you the marks for the numerical skills test straight away. We won't oblige you to come to Birmingham if you pass! If you score badly on the numerical skills test you will probably struggle. If not, you are probably OK.

Doctors don't have a special advantage over non-doctors in public health, but because medicine is a more selective first degree they tend to be above average a MPH programme. Also UK doctors have some familiarity with the UK health care system which tends to help with some modules on the University of Birmingham programme.

I hope this helps

TM
Reply 5
sorry for hijacking the original topic, but can I ask if anyone has ideas on which MPH schools tend to focus more on exams? I haven't done exams in quite awhile and would prefer assignment based assessments.

I'm looking at LSHTM, Sheffield and Newcastle as well as the Msc Public Policy and Health from Durham.

Not particularly interested in pursuing a public health specialist role, but to use it alongside my role in clinical work, research and informing policy.

I know LSHTM is great for public health but I'm based in the north-east and it would be a pain to travel to.

Would be grateful for any comments!
Original post by throwin
Hi everyone!
Fantastic forum been browsing around a bit. I am not from the UK and would appreciate some input, tried searching but didnt really find any relevant thread.

I want to do a public/global health master this fall and have been lucky enough of being accepted to LSHTM and Oxford. I am wondering if anyone has any input on these programs or institutions. I get the impression that LSHTM is the place to be for public health but saying no to oxford is well.... difficult.

1, Oxford seems to have an option of overseas placement for their Msc while LSHTM doesnt mention much about the dissertation at all, anyone know if overseas placement or field projects are common/possible?

2, Is LSHTM the place to be for public health without question or would an Oxford degree serve me equally well? If anyone has an international perspective I'd love the input.

3, Has anyone attended any of the schools and would like to share their impressions I would be most greatfull.

Best regards,
Throwin

Ps to complicate matters I am also intrested in an international health policy Msc from LSE. Anyone done it? ds


Hi! It has been a while since you made this post. I am an international student and now I am in the same situation you were years ago. I have got offers from Oxford and LSHTM to study international health and public health for development, respectively. What is your opinion now?

Any advice would be really appreciated!
Original post by throwin
Hi everyone!
Fantastic forum been browsing around a bit. I am not from the UK and would appreciate some input, tried searching but didnt really find any relevant thread.

I want to do a public/global health master this fall and have been lucky enough of being accepted to LSHTM and Oxford. I am wondering if anyone has any input on these programs or institutions. I get the impression that LSHTM is the place to be for public health but saying no to oxford is well.... difficult.

1, Oxford seems to have an option of overseas placement for their Msc while LSHTM doesnt mention much about the dissertation at all, anyone know if overseas placement or field projects are common/possible?

2, Is LSHTM the place to be for public health without question or would an Oxford degree serve me equally well? If anyone has an international perspective I'd love the input.

3, Has anyone attended any of the schools and would like to share their impressions I would be most greatfull.

Best regards,
Throwin

Ps to complicate matters I am also intrested in an international health policy Msc from LSE. Anyone done it? ds


Hi,

Which specific programme is it in Oxford? I did MSc IHTM, and I also have friends who did MSc GHSE. They are very different, and maybe I can give you insights from the Oxford side. I also now work with some LSHTM PhDs and PIs in my research work if that helps.
Original post by Anonymous
Hi,

Which specific programme is it in Oxford? I did MSc IHTM, and I also have friends who did MSc GHSE. They are very different, and maybe I can give you insights from the Oxford side. I also now work with some LSHTM PhDs and PIs in my research work if that helps.

My offer is for MSc IHTM :smile: I think it has very unique aspects such as the leadership workshops and debate training... what would be your advice?
Original post by Anonymous
My offer is for MSc IHTM :smile: I think it has very unique aspects such as the leadership workshops and debate training... what would be your advice?


Oxford's MSc IHTM is an intense year with so much contact hours and after-class work. Expect to also go beyond the 8-week Oxford terms. They do make sure you get the most out of your experience. Yes, the leadership and communication components of the course require a lot of commitment and offer a lot of opportunities for growth. Overall, the course gives you the breadth of knowledge and skills that you may need if you intend to lead and participate in global health work.
Since the course is quite small compared to other international health/trop med/public health courses (in LSHTM for instance), you also get the chance to know your cohort and the academics in the class. Traveling during the placement is also exciting, so it will be good to choose a project outside your comfort zone. I have an acquaintance who applied to IHTM but ended up going to LSHTM and found that the classes were a bit too big for them, but I have limited knowledge on that front.
If you want to know more, it's great to reach out to people (Linkedin, social media). I know many IHTM alumni who are keen to help.
Original post by Anonymous
Oxford's MSc IHTM is an intense year with so much contact hours and after-class work. Expect to also go beyond the 8-week Oxford terms. They do make sure you get the most out of your experience. Yes, the leadership and communication components of the course require a lot of commitment and offer a lot of opportunities for growth. Overall, the course gives you the breadth of knowledge and skills that you may need if you intend to lead and participate in global health work.
Since the course is quite small compared to other international health/trop med/public health courses (in LSHTM for instance), you also get the chance to know your cohort and the academics in the class. Traveling during the placement is also exciting, so it will be good to choose a project outside your comfort zone. I have an acquaintance who applied to IHTM but ended up going to LSHTM and found that the classes were a bit too big for them, but I have limited knowledge on that front.
If you want to know more, it's great to reach out to people (Linkedin, social media). I know many IHTM alumni who are keen to help.

Many thanks for your answer!!! It has been very helpful :smile:
Hi! First of all congratulations! I'm a final year undergrad student who wants to apply to Oxford's IHTM. Can I ask what was your stats and your first degree? Also, I looked at their website and it says a minimum of one year of global health experience is needed. How did you fulfill that requirement bc I wasn't exposed to this during my undergrad (in biomed) and I'm a bit bumped that this may disqualify me from the application. Thanks!
Original post by Anonymous
My offer is for MSc IHTM :smile: I think it has very unique aspects such as the leadership workshops and debate training... what would be your advice?
Hi! Thank you so much :smile: are you an international student? I am a medical doctor from Latin America, I graduated with a first class and I applied to the MSc with one year of experience in rural healthcare. I also have experience as a university research assistant. I think that they're looking for people who have a firsthand understanding of global health challenges faced in resource-limited settings, so try to think about any experience (research, volunteering, extracurricular activities, etc) that you have had that enabled you to understand the health situation (or a particular public health issue) in any low-resource setting. If you haven't had any related experience yet, then I would advice you to look for opportunities that broaden your understanding about global health and that enable you to create your own vision of what you would like to change to improve public health locally or globally. It is not only about your CV, but also about your mindset and strong commitment to make a change :smile: Best of luck!
Original post by Anonymous
Hi! First of all congratulations! I'm a final year undergrad student who wants to apply to Oxford's IHTM. Can I ask what was your stats and your first degree? Also, I looked at their website and it says a minimum of one year of global health experience is needed. How did you fulfill that requirement bc I wasn't exposed to this during my undergrad (in biomed) and I'm a bit bumped that this may disqualify me from the application. Thanks!

Hey, I am a course alumni. I strongly suggest gaining that experience first in resource limited settings (not necessarily LMICs only) before applying. It is a necessary criterion because the course involves a lot of learning from the experiences of peers (on top of learning from global health practitioners and academics). I hope this helps!
Original post by mphadmin
I work at University of Birmingham, but I will give you my opinion.

LSHTM are a much bigger player in the international health field than Oxford. They have the widest range of modules on international health, you can sub-specialise in any of a number of areas, there are many staff and students from overseas with connections to many international projects. If you are an overseas student the fees are also much smaller than those in Oxford.

Oxford is, well, Oxford. If you want the big O in your curriculum vitae then go for Oxford MSc in Global Health. If you don't like big cities, Oxford is a wonderful place to live for a year.

Short answer:

a) Academically - LSHTM
b) Networking with overseas - LSHTM
c) Prestige - Oxford
d) Quality of life - depends what you prefer. Oxford is small and beautiful. London is one of the world's great cities.

If you mainly want to learn statistical and epidemiological skills choose neither and go for University of Cambridge or University of Birmingham.

Hope this helps

TM


Hi TM, I know its been ages since you posted this but, if possible, could you DM me? I’d like to chat. currently holding offers from lshtm and cambridge

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