Global Health and Social Science with a Year Abroad

Global health and social science addresses the profound and persistent disparities in health and wellbeing that exist between and within countries, asking why some populations live longer, healthier lives than others and what social, political, economic, and cultural forces drive those differences. It is an interdisciplinary field that brings together sociology, anthropology, political science, history, economics, ethics, and science and technology studies in the service of understanding health not simply as a biological or medical matter, but as a profoundly social one.

At King's College London, this four-year programme includes a year abroad that situates your studies in an international context and develops your comparative understanding of how health challenges manifest differently across different political and social settings. You will study global health through an interdisciplinary curriculum that encourages you to explore the field from multiple perspectives, integrating theoretical approaches with real-life case studies of health disparities and policy responses. You will develop the analytical, ethical, and critical skills to engage with urgent contemporary questions about inequality in health outcomes, the politics of global health governance, and the social and structural determinants of wellbeing.

Graduates go on to careers in international development organisations, public health agencies, NGOs, health policy and research, journalism covering health and development, the civil service, global health consultancy, and academic research. The interdisciplinary training you receive is particularly valuable in roles that require both technical understanding and a sophisticated awareness of the social and political context in which health decisions are made. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in global health, public health, social science, or related policy fields.