Global Urban Health

The postgraduate Master of Science Global Urban Health (MSc GUH) at Freiburg University is a modular course in English covering one year. The MSc GUH can be taken either as FULL TIME STUDY (presence in Freiburg for a minimum of 30 weeks) or as SPLIT STUDY, involving selected short courses (advanced modules) with breaks in between the courses. This SPLIT STUDY programme is to be completed within five years.
The course includes a cross-disciplinary approach with input from several faculties of Freiburg University and external lecturers, organised by the Centre for Medicine and Society: Global Health on behalf of the Philosophical Faculty.
The MSc course contains three parts.
The first part is an introductory course (core module) totalling 20 ECTS.
The second part includes three advanced modules, each of them divided into two submodules plus module assessment (all together 27 ECTS).
The third part consists of a Master's thesis and dissertation (28 ECTS).

1. The introductory CORE COURSE (12 weeks) covers the following: Health systems and governance, models of health care financing, health and disease in LMICs (low and middle income countries), measurement of health and disease using quantitative and qualitative approaches (epidemiology, statistics, and social sciences research), learning from history (anthropology), social and environmental determinants of health, special challenges of urban health and human resources for health planning. The programme also includes study visits to WHO and other UN agencies in Geneva; this involves excursions to Vauban, Basel, and Strasbourg with a focus on urban health problems and possible solutions.

2. ADVANCED MODULES IN GLOBAL URBAN HEALTH (Each module includes two submodules and the module assessment; 15 weeks.

Module 1. Environmental management and control of non-communicable diseases in urban areas
1.1 Environment
1.2 NCDs and behavioural aspects

Module 2. Communicable diseases in urban environments and quality assured health programmes
2.1 Communicable diseases
2.2 Quality assurance

Module 3. Migration, violence and mental health issues among the urban poor
3.1 Mental health
3.2 Migration

The advanced modules cover selected topics in relation to the "challenges of urbanisation". They will be attended by participants of the MSc course as well as by interested postgraduate or undergraduate students from Freiburg University and from "outside".

3. MASTER'S THESIS AND ORAL EXAMINATION (three months): Together with their supervisors, Master's students select a topic of choice for their thesis. This can be either an extended desk study or (preferred) a field study in a LMIC. The thesis will be marked by two independent reviewers. The oral examination covers the thesis and general understanding of the course topics.

Educational organisation

The MSc in Global Urban Health is organised through an interdisciplinary effort using participatory learning techniques. Theoretical teaching, which will mainly take place in the morning, consists of interactive lectures, plenary discussions, in-class practical exercises and workshops in small groups.
In the afternoon, mainly self directed study as well as field trips and excursions will take place. Excursions include study tours to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Environmental Program (UNEP) in Geneva, to the National History Museum in Basel and to Freiburg-Vauban. Personal study consists of reading, carrying out small research projects and preparing presentations of results for the group.
All teaching material is distributed online. This includes theme-specific reading.

Study abroad unit(s)

The participants can take the Master's as a full time year. This requires the student to be present in Freiburg for a minimum of 30 weeks. Core module and three advance modules will be covered. The thesis can be implemented in developing countries or as a desk study.

Internships

This is a very intensive course. Therefore, internships are not recommended.

Forms of assessment

There will be an assessment after each individual module. This may be an extensive presentation, written examination or homework assignment (Hausarbeit). Additionally, there will be a student evaluation of each module.
The assessment will follow a grading system (A-E).
For the final assessment, an external examiner will be invited to screen the participants' documents, their achievements, a sample of the thesis from each grade and will take - if necessary for the decision on pass or failure - an oral examination together with the course convener and members of the steering committee.

Course objectives

The objective is a full MSc degree upon the participant's successful completion of the whole programme, including the module assessments and the Master's thesis.
A Certificate Degree will be awarded if participants successfully completes the modules and passes the module assessments but does not write the Master's thesis.
A certificate of participation (Anwesenheitsbescheinigung) with the number of ECTS will be awarded to participants of individual modules.

The modular MSc course aims to:

• Provide professionals with previous experience in health services, urban planning and disease control in LMICs (low and middle income countries) with research and management skills relevant to the challenges of urban health
• Develop participants' knowledge and skills of prevention, control and evaluation of health and health services strategies that promote urban health in developing countries
• Enable participants to design and conduct urban health related research
• Create graduates who are informed, committed, proactive and effective health professionals, capable of leadership according to their professional roles
• Facilitate high quality learning that is informed by critical analysis of current research
• Develop independent and reflective approaches to study that will enable participants to continue to learn in the future

Language requirements

Proficiency in the English language is required. Students for whom English is not their first language must provide evidence by one of the following test with minimum scores of:
5+ IELTS band
TOEFL paper-based 550
TOEFL computer-based 213
TOEFL Internet-based 72-94
DAAD (a, b or c in all categories)
GER-Level B2 or more

Academic requirements

a) Graduates of a relevant field holding a higher academic degree (minimum four years of academic full time studies)
b) Proof of proficiency in English, if not a native speaker, e.g. TOEFL (550 paper / 213 computer / 72 - 94 online), IELTS (5+), DAAD (a, b or c in all categories), GER-Level B2 or more
c) Working experience in a relevant field

Costs of living

Participants must make sure in good time that sufficient funds are available to finance their participation in a course of study. The average cost of living in Freiburg for one month is currently approx. 800-900 EUR. Some details:

• Student accommodation costs approx. 280-450 EUR (monthly).
• Private expenses amount to around 350 EUR (monthly).
• Health insurance is available for approx. 45-90 EUR (monthly).
• Transport: A special student fare for regional transport costs approx. 89 EUR (per semester).

Job opportunities

This is a very intensive course. Therefore, working during the course is not recommended.

Arrival support

In addition to services and support offered by each coordinator of a course of study, the International Office organises a special four-day orientation session which generally takes place two weeks before the beginning of the semester. This orientation session includes information about various aspects of everyday life (e.g. accommodation, work opportunities, etc.), presentations and visits to important institutions (e.g. the university library) and opportunities for socialising with other international students.

Services and support for international students

During the semester, the "International Club" (coordinated by the Studentenwerk, the Student Social Services) offers a great variety of events, trips and services for international students in cooperation with the International Office. Furthermore, the UNIKOS team, a group of international students who have been studying at Freiburg University for some time, give practical advice and can be approached for help in several languages.

Accommodation

As Freiburg is an attractive city, finding a suitable place to live can take a little time. Only a small proportion of students can be offered a room in a student dormitory. The Studentenwerk (Student Social Services) is in charge of the student dormitories. Applicants must expect a waiting period. In addition to these dormitories, several independent dormitories are listed on the university website. The Studentenwerk also offers a list of available private rooms. The International Office can be contacted for further assistance in finding accommodation (http://www.international.uni-freiburg.de).