Complete the MSGH in One Year

The one-year intensive Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) online program at Northwestern University is designed for professionals seeking to quickly and effectively gain the expertise needed to address global health challenges. This format maintains the same rigorous curriculum as the traditional part-time program while allowing students to complete their degree in just 12 months. By integrating coursework across multiple disciplines, students develop the partnership critical skills necessary to improve healthcare systems, navigate global environments, and support the implementation of evidence-based interventions.

Students in the one-year MSGH program begin in the summer quarter and engage in a dynamic, immersive experience, completing a fixed schedule composed of nine core courses, two electives, and a required practicum within a condensed timeframe. The practicum provides hands-on experience working with our partners in diverse healthcare settings, either internationally or within local communities, ensuring graduates are well-prepared to apply their learning in real-world contexts.

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Program Goals

Global Health addresses some of the most important and novel issues in 21st-century health. Time, talent, and investments are needed now more than ever to combat largely treatable chronic diseases that claim far too many lives in low- and middle-income countries. Combined with growing needs in global health due to migration, climate change, and the global economy, there could not be a better time to gain the skills and knowledge through the Master of Science in Global Health program to contribute to the field. An interdisciplinary professional program, MSGH graduates will possess the knowledge, skills and aptitude to:
  • Work effectively in a health-related industry within highly resource-limited settings
  • Navigate the business and legal/regulatory aspects of health-related industries around the world
  • Contribute to the improvement of health outcomes and systems within low and middle-income countries
  • Evaluate and measure health outcomes
  • Secure funding for global health initiatives and implement global health business practices
  • Evaluate and navigate the cultural and ethical considerations inherent in global health contexts
  • Demonstrate cultural humility through respectful engagement with diverse stakeholders and communities to address complex global heath challenges

 

This accelerated pathway is ideal for:

  • Medical school gap year students
  • Healthcare professionals, legal experts, and administrators who seek to deepen their expertise and make a greater impact in global health through an intensive one-year program.
  • Students who can commit to a full course load each term

MSGH Faculty

Instructors in the Master's in Global Health program at Northwestern are leaders in the field. They bring practical real-world experiences to the online classroom and engage with students on an interpersonal level. Get to know the instructors on our Global Health Program Faculty page.
Faculty Bios

Course Schedule

Please note that due to scheduling restraints all one-year track students must start their enrollment in the summer term and follow this schedule as written to graduate within one year.

Summer
  • MSGH 405-DL: Foundations of Global Health  
  • MSGH 408-DL: Biostatistics and Epidemiology  
  • MSGH 480-DL: Global Health Leadership  
  • MSGH 580-DL: Practicum  
Fall
  • MSGH 410-DL: Research Methods  
  • MSGH 419-DL: Global Bioethics  
  • MSGH 460-DL: Planetary Health: Health in the Anthropocene  
Winter
  • MSGH 417-DL: Global Health Systems  
  • (Choose 1 elective)  
  • (Students may also be traveling or working intensively on their fieldwork during this time)  
Spring  
  • MSGH 421-DL: Globalization and Public Policy  
  • MSGH 427-DL: Grant Writing and Fundraising  
  • (Choose 1 elective) 

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Find out how you can earn your MS in Global Health in just one year.

Graduate Global Health Fieldwork Scholarship

The Practicum experience of the SPS Masters of Science in Global Health (MSGH) provides students with the opportunity to directly apply their education and positively impact underserved regions, in partnership with global organizations. To support this important work, the Graduate Global Health Fieldwork Scholarship award will help make fieldwork possible by reducing tuition expenses. Scholarships will be awarded to students who demonstrate academic merit and financial need. The scholarship application has two deadlines: March 1 and September 1. More details on the scholarship can be found on the SPS Scholarship page.

To apply for the scholarship, students must: 

  • Have a practicum project that includes travel (virtual and local practicums are not eligible) 
  • Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and be in good academic standing 
  • Submit a completed MSGH International Fieldwork Travel Scholarship application form including a short description the fieldwork that these funds could support 
  • Have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)and the Northwestern University Aid Application 
 
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