Not available in 2022/23
HP4E1E      Half Unit
Global Health Policy

This information is for the 2022/23 session.

Teacher responsible

Dr Clare Wenham COW 1.03 and Dr Justin Parkhurst COW 2.08

Availability

This course is compulsory on the Executive MSc in Health Economics and Policy (LSE and Chicago). This course is not available as an outside option.

Course content

Health policy is no longer purely a government activity, but globalisation and global organisations have impacted on the nature of global health, and the policies created to manage the health needs of the global population. This module critically examines global health policy and normative shifts in understanding global health which impact upon it. The multi-actor framework of global health actors involved in the provision and practice of health policy now includes United Nations agencies (WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS etc), a number of NGOS, civil society organisations, private sector, foundations, public private partnerships. Each actor has their own priorities for setting the global health agenda, and this module examines the role of each and their impact on health policy at national, regional and global levels. The module will analyse a range of case studies of global health events and global health policies and the governance arrangements made by them. In doing so, this module will draw on contributions from international relations, political science, sociology and public health research

Teaching

12 hours of lectures and 8 hours of seminars in the MT.

All students will have the opportunity to participate in additional lectures undertaken by external guests. These lectures will be run twice a week from 6pm to 8pm during the teaching period at LSE.

In addition, students will be given the option to participate in a three-hour webinar hosted at least 10 days before the due date of the take-home assessment. The webinar will consist of two-hours of lectures and one hour of question time.

Formative coursework

Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the MT.

1 X 1000 word essay. Students will be asked to submit a short 1000 word essay (on the topic that they are writing on for the summative, but a different question) at the end of January. These will be graded and feedback given to students. This allows students to get valuable experience of writing at MSc level at LSE, and the expectations of the summative assessment. This then allows students to take this feedback and use it in their writing of the summative work. For example, if a student’s formative work flagged particular concerns this could be addressed ahead of the summative submission.

Indicative reading

• McInnes, C., & Lee, K. (2012). Global health and international relations. Polity

• Davies, S. (2010). Global politics of health. Polity.

• Frenk, J., & Moon, S. (2013). Governance challenges in global health, New England Journal of Medicine, 368(10), 936-942

• Youde, J. R. (2012). Global health governance. Polity

• Feldbaum, H., Lee, K., & Michaud, J. (2010). Global health and foreign policy. Epidemiologic reviews, 32(1), 82-92.

• Heymann, D. et al. (2014), Global health security: the wider lessons from the west African Ebola virus disease epidemic, The Lancet vol 385, no 9980, p1884 – 1901

• Rushton, S. (2011) Global Health Security: Security for Whom? Security for What?, Political Studies 59 (4): 779 -796

• McCoy, D., Kembhavi, G., Patel, J., & Luintel, A. (2009). The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's grant-making programme for global health. The Lancet, 373(9675), 1645-1653.

• Parker, M., & Allen, T. (2014). De-politicizing parasites: reflections on attempts to control the control of neglected tropical diseases. Medical anthropology, 33(3), 223-239.

Assessment

Essay (100%, 4000 words) in the LT.

1 x 4000 word essay due in LT (after lecture/seminar programme in December) – 100% of grade

Students will be asked to pick one essay question from a list of 8 topics. They are also given the option to choose their own essay topic (after discussion with their seminar leader) if they would prefer. The questions will be broad, allowing for student individuality to come across in their answers. For example: What role should the WHO play in the future of global health policy?

Key facts

Department: Health Policy

Total students 2021/22: Unavailable

Average class size 2021/22: Unavailable

Controlled access 2021/22: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Personal development skills

  • Leadership
  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication