Contribute to improving global health through cutting-edge research
- Dates
- September - July
- Tuition
- 1.660 EUR + fees (EU); 4.920 EUR + fees (Non EU) (academic year 2024-25)
- Schedule
- Full time
- Mode
- Face-to-face
- Language
- English
- Length
- 1 academic year
- Credits
- 60 ECTS
This University of Barcelona University Master’s degree opens the doors to a career in global health research, preparing graduates for doctoral studies. The programme offers a balance of theoretical and practical training, and opportunities to participate in research projects led by ISGlobal researchers and their partners.
Upon successful completion of the programme, graduates will be able to:
- Critically analyse scientific evidence and generate new hypotheses in clinical research to take on Global Health challenges and problems.
- Apply key competencies for the design, implementation and evaluation of research studies in health systems and the prevention, control and treatment of communicable and non-communicable diseases, with a special emphasis on the health problems that affect the most vulnerable populations around the world.
- Evaluate research results from an inter- and transdisciplinary perspective and propose how to translate them into innovative and sustainable solutions at the local, national, and global levels, with the objective of achieving equity in health for all.
ISGlobal coordinates the Global Health track of the Master in Applied Clinical Research. Candidates accepted to this programme, and who meet the requirements, may apply for the Global Health Scholarship.
The Master in Applied Clinical Research: Global Health track consists of 60 ECTS or one year of full-time studies, from September to July. The courses take place at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the University of Barcelona. Students complete 18 core credits, 24 credits in the Global Health track, and 18 credits in the form of the Master Final Project (thesis).
The programme combines lectures with active and participatory learning methods. Students learn while doing and solving problems, using a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach.
Programme of studies
Core courses (18 ECTS)
The direction of the Master in Applied Clinical Research (University of Barcelona - Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences) organises the core courses of the Master's programme. Students in the Global Health track take the core courses together with students from other tracks of the Master in Applied Clinical Research. The core courses are offered in face-to-face or online modalities.
- Bioethics, scientific integrity and data governance in health research and innovation (6 ECTS)
- Applied biostatistics (6 ECTS)
- Dissemination and communication of scientific activity (6 ECTS)
Global Health track (24 ECTS)
Required (12 ECTS)
- Determinants of global health (3 ECTS)
- Clinical intervention studies and implementation research (3 ECTS)
- Global health challenges (3 ECTS)
- Health systems and policies (3 ECTS)
Elective (12 ECTS to be selected from the available courses)
- Development and application of vaccines in global health (3 ECTS)
- Global environmental epidemiology (3 ECTS)
- Applied epidemiology in global health (3 ECTS)
- Infectious diseases and global health (3 ECTS)
- Non-communicable diseases and global health (3 ECTS)
- Fundamentals of qualitative research methods (3 ECTS)
- Maternal and reproductive health (3 ECTS)
Master Final Project (thesis) (18 ECTS)
Candidates for the Master in Applied Clinical Research: Global Health track must develop and present an 18-credit thesis (representing 450 hours of student dedication) and defend it before a Tribunal.
Full time vs. part time studies
Candidates can complete the Master's requirements (60 ECTS) in one year of full time studies (recommended), but have up to five years to complete the programme. Those who choose to take the programme over more than one year must enroll in a minimum of 20 ECTS during the first year of studies.
Master Final Projects
These are some examples of master final projects or published articles based on the final master projects from our graduates:
Gemma Rovira (Master Clinical Research - International Health, 2018-19)
Agnès Montoya M-Rimbau (Master Clinical Research - International Health, 2018-19)
Horacio Vicioso (Master Clinical Research - International Health, 2017-18)
Urban transport and health indicators: a literature review (PDF)
Lucía Gutierrez (Master Clinical Research - International Health, 2016-17)
Development of chitosan/heparin nanoparticles for targeted antimalarial drug delivery (PDF)
April Buazón & Alberto Ayllón, Students of the 2017-2018 Class
Borja García, Student of the 2016-2017 Class
Irene Jimeno, Student of the 2016-2017 Class
Tatiana García, Student of the 2015-2016 Class
Ramón Díaz-Regañón, Student of the 2014-2015 Class
Lucía Fernández, Student of the 2013-2014 Class
Sozinho Acacio, Student of the 2013-2014 Class
Barcelona, the capital city of Catalonia (one of Spain’s 17 autonomous provinces), is a vibrant coastal city on the Mediterranean Sea. Students will find many cultural activities, events, museums, and opportunities for sport available to them during their stay.
Barcelona.cat offers updates on events around the city and a Barcelona app.
Housing
Some students choose to find shared flats or rent their own individual housing during their Master course. There are many websites that provide rental listings for flats and shared flats in the city. In addition, ISGlobal maintains a relationship with the Barcelona Centre Universitari (BCU), which can provide information and advice on housing and activities, among other things, to our Master’s and Diploma candidates.
Public Transportation
Barcelona has an excellent integrated network of public transportation, including metro, tramvia, buses and regional trains. Various types of multi-trip metro cards are available for purchase from machines in metro stations. One option for getting around the city is Bicing, a public bicycle rental service that runs on an annual membership basis. There is also the possibility of hourly or daily car rental with various services. And, since Barcelona is a fairly dense city, it is also often possible to reach your destination on foot.
Weather
Barcelona enjoys a generally temperate weather. Although in the summer months the heat can sometimes rise to the 40s Celcius, it is a generally moderate climate without extreme temperatures or weather.
Languages
Although the Master and Diploma of Global Health are offered entirely in English, Catalonia’s two official languages are Catalan and Spanish. For students who are interested, the University of Barcelona’s Institute of Hispanic Studies offers courses in Spanish as a foreign language from beginner to advanced levels. You can also join Catalan courses offered through the UB and tailored to university students. Many other language schools and centres, including some sponsored by the government, also offer courses.
Special Events
Throughout the year, Master’s degree and Diploma students are invited to attend special events and activities in addition to classes and seminars, beginning with the annual Global Health Programme Inaugural Lecture, which is given by an invited speaker each year in October.
In late December, we invite students to join a special End of Year celebration and, of course, we gather to celebrate the End of Course in June.
Other events from past years have included a special guest lecture on “The Books that Changed My Life” in celebration of Sant Jordi’s Day (St. George’s Day).
Requirements for admission
- The Master in Applied Clinical Research: Global Health track is open to candidates with an undergraduate (Bachelor's) degree in health or life sciences.
- Advanced level of English (in the case that this is not their first language, the candidate should present an internationally-recognised certificate of English language level equivalent to a TOEFL score of 550 paper/213 Internet/80 online, or a 6 IELTS).
We also value:
- Knowledge of global / international health
- Research experience
- Experience in multicultural environments
Application:
Candidates interested in the Master in Applied Clinical Research: Global Health track should complete the application form and attach the following documents:
- An updated CV including academic degrees and professional experience.
- A letter of motivation explaining their interest in global health, including past and present work experience, and highlighting areas of professional interest.
Candidates who meet the admissions requirements will be invited to an interview.
The 2026-27 Global Health Scholarship programme is now closed.
PLEASE NOTE: In order to apply for the Global Health Scholarship programme, candidates must be previously accepted to the Master of Global Health in one of the first two admissions periods (--the Master’s programme application must be submitted on or before 16 January 2026–).
What does the scholarship cover?
The global health scholarship covers the total tuition fee and the University taxes when registering for the Master’s degree programme. The scholarship does not cover any other expenses related to participation in the Master’s degree programme. The scholarship awardee is responsible for all other expenses, including, but not restricted to, visa application fees, travel, accommodation, local transportation, living expenses, and insurance. The awardee is also expected to have their own laptop computer and to be responsible for any other materials necessary for participation in the programme.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applicants must:
1. Be accepted to the Master’s degree programme.
2. Have a minimum average undergraduate grade equivalent to a 7 (“notable”) in the Spanish grading system (verified via the official university transcript / academic record).
3. Be nationals of and reside in one of the following sub-Saharan African countries:
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros Congo (Brazzaville)
- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Eswatini
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- The Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Réunion
- Rwanda
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Africa
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Uganda
- Western Sahara
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
What is the selection process?
PLEASE NOTE: In order to apply for the Global Health Scholarship Programme, candidates must be previously accepted to the Master of Global Health in one of the first two admissions periods (Master’s programme application submitted on or before 16 January 2026).
The selection process has three phases:
Phase I: Global Health Scholarship Application
From 12 January 2026 - 6 March 2026, interested candidates who have already been accepted into the Master’s degree programme may apply for the scholarship using 🔗 this application form and submitting the following items to the Scholarship Selection Committee:
1. Scholarship 🔗programme application form
2. A video of no more than 03:00 minutes in which the candidate addresses the following questions:
- Why are you applying for the Global Health Scholarship?
- How will attending the Master’s degree contribute to the development of your career?
- How do you see yourself contributing to addressing the most pressing issues related to health equity in your community (local, national, regional, or global)?
3. Two letters of recommendation (professional or academic), focused on the candidate’s work or studies in global health or closely related fields. Letters must be sent directly by referees to formacion@isglobal.org and must include the full name, title, institution, email and telephone contact of the referee.
Videos will be evaluated according to a rubric that includes the following criteria:
- Oral presentation
- Argument(s)
- Supporting evidence
Deadline to apply is 6 March 2026, 23.59h CET. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered.
Phase II: Finalist Interviews
Finalist candidates for the Global Health Scholarship will be invited to participate in a 30 minute interview prior to final selection.
Phase III: Announcement of Scholarship Awardees and Confirmation of Acceptance
The candidates selected for the scholarship will be informed on or before 30 April 2026.
Given the high level of demand for the Global Health Scholarship and the limited resources available, we require Scholarship Awardees to demonstrate their ability to attend the Master’s degree programme by 29 May 2026. In the case that they are not able to attend the programme, the scholarship will be transferred to the first candidate on the waiting list.
By 29 May 2026 Scholarship awardees must:
- Have their official academic documents submitted to and accepted by the University of Barcelona Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; and
- Have proof of a student visa for study in Spain. (Important: Accepted candidates who have applied for the scholarship should follow the standard procedure for presentation of academic documents and application for a student visa, in parallel with the scholarship application process and should not wait for the scholarship award decision to proceed).
- If either of these conditions is not met by 29 May 2026 the scholarship may be revoked and passed to the first person on the waiting list.
