Global Mental Health and Society MSc

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Social Work

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

On campus

Full-time
  • MSc | 1 year | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

School of Social and Political Science

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study location

Central Area

Accreditation

Not available

Apply now

19 to 21 November 2025: Postgraduate Virtual Open Days

Join us live to explore postgraduate taught and research study at Edinburgh and gain key insights before you apply.

Register now

About the degree programme

An interdisciplinary academic discipline

Global mental health is an interdisciplinary discipline with academic training programmes, journals, textbooks and research consortiums working to explore and address a range of global mental health priorities in diverse global settings.

Much of this activity has been situated in psychiatry and public health disciplines, with a growing body of scholarly work from other professional and social science disciplines including: 

  • medical anthropology
  • social work
  • international development
  • clinical psychology

The role of the social sciences in global mental health is crucial to:

  • further critical understandings of how conceptions of ‘distress’ and ‘mental health’ and 'wellbeing' are socially, culturally and politically constructed in different contexts
  • theorising the intersections between social, economic and technological development and mental health
  • developing effective interdisciplinary approaches to addressing the mental health and development interface

Global Mental Health: interdisciplinary approaches at Edinburgh

  • Do you want to examine how mental health is understood and addressed in varied contexts across the world?
  • Are you interested in the social, economic, political, and environmental drivers of poor mental health and ways to address these?
  • Do you want to play a role in transforming mental health care globally?

Mental health and wellbeing are crucial global health and social welfare policy concerns with significant resources and research devoted to this area.

This interdisciplinary postgraduate programme offers you opportunities to develop:

  • critical perspectives on global mental health policy
  • practice and research space for creating transformative possibilities for approaches to global mental health care
  • tools for conceptual and practice innovation in the global mental health field

Please note this programme is not a professional programme in mental health and does not provide clinical or professional practice training or accreditation.

Who this programme is for

The programme is aimed at both professionals and graduates with backgrounds in:

  • social work
  • international development
  • public health
  • psychology
  • nursing
  • medicine
  • health studies
  • social and medical anthropology
  • sociology
  • other social science disciplines

We welcome applications from people with lived experience and from disciplines not listed above.

Study options

The MSc in Global Mental Health and Society is offered as one-year full-time or two-year part-time programme.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Full-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Costs

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.

Living costs include:

  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel, clothes, books and stationery
  • recreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)

Living costs

Accommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.

University postgraduate accommodation options and costs

Funding opportunities

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

The programme is aimed at both professionals and graduates with backgrounds in:

  • social work
  • international development
  • public health
  • psychology
  • nursing
  • medicine
  • health studies
  • social and medical anthropology
  • sociology
  • other social science disciplines

We welcome applications from people with lived experience and from disciplines not listed above. In your application to the programme, please do focus on how your particular personal and academic background fits with the study of global mental health as a discipline. 

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprised of:

  • three 20-credit required core courses
  • three 20-credit optional courses
  • a 60-credit dissertation course

You will complete six courses over two semesters from September to April. Three of these will be compulsory core courses.

Debates in mental health care

There is increasing global and local policy emphasis on ‘standardised’ and ‘evidence-based’ approaches to mental health care, which, potentially neglect three important dimensions, namely:

  • the diversity of disciplinary and lived-experience understandings of what constitutes ‘mental health’ and ‘mental illness’, how this is expressed and experienced by individuals and communities
  • the complex social, cultural and political dynamics that shape psychological distress
  • the transformative value of inter- and transdisciplinary ways of thinking about and engaging with mental health

This programme will engage you in these current debates and dilemmas.

It will focus on the culturally, politically and socially situated conceptualisations of mental health, addressing the implications of these multiple understandings for effective policy and practice in other global settings.

Dissertation

From May to August you will complete your dissertation. By default most standard dissertations will involve desk-based research, such as conducting a literature review or secondary analysis of a pre-existing data set. Only a minority of dissertations involve primary data collection.

You will have the opportunity to apply to placement-based and/or faculty-led dissertations, which are project conducted in collaboration with either a host placement organisation or the research programme of an academic member of staff. Both the placement-based and faculty-led dissertations are by competitive application during Semester 1, and are not guaranteed.

You will be supported by the Programme Directors to develop your dissertation topic, and from May to August will be supervised in the conduct and writing of your dissertation by an academic member of staff. You are also required to participate in a dissertation course that provides an introduction to key methods, critical analysis skills, and project management tools essential for successfully completing the dissertation.

Placement-based dissertation

The placement-based dissertation option aims to offer you the opportunity to work on your dissertation within the context of a workplace of your choosing, subject to Programme Director and Placement Adviser approval.

The placement will generally consist of eight weeks of research with a host organisation in the UK or overseas, from our network of contacts which includes:

  • NGOs and charities
  • social enterprises
  • think tanks
  • government bodies

Your placement can be completed either in-person, remotely, or in a hybrid format. You will have the option to arrange your own placement, subject to university approval.

Please note that a placement-based dissertation is not guaranteed as part of this programme and will be assigned based on competitive applications.

Find out more about the placement-based dissertation option on our website:

Compulsory courses

Critical Approaches to Global Mental Health and Social Change

The first core course, Critical Approaches to Global Mental Health and Social Change, enables you to critically engage with key policy and practice debates in global mental health including:

  • the framing of global mental health as a policy problem
  • social, psycho-social, and biomedical interventions
  • marginality and intersectionality including gender and social inequalities
  • the role of communities in global mental health
  • impact of war and disaster
  • poverty and development

This course will draw on interdisciplinary global mental health literature, including from:

  • public health
  • medical anthropology
  • social work
  • psychology
  • international development
  • Mad studies
  • transcultural psychiatry
Culture and Mental Health

The second core course, Culture and Mental Health, engages you in theorising and problematising key concepts such as:

  • mental health
  • mental illness
  • emotion
  • trauma
  • western diagnostic categories
  • healing

This course will also ask you to examine their cross-cultural applications in practice.

This course will draw primarily on literature from:

  • medical anthropology
  • psychological anthropology
  • transcultural psychiatry
  • cross-cultural psychology
Interdisciplinary Approaches to Global Mental Health: Practice, Policy and Research

The third core course, Interdisciplinary Approaches to Global Mental Health: Practice, Policy and Research, focuses on the application of inter-disciplinary approaches to practice, policy and research.

You will develop skills in cross and inter-disciplinary dialogues and gain a clearer understanding of different research paradigms in global mental health.

Option courses

The other three courses are options. These may be selected from across the University, drawing on the expertise of faculty members within:

  • social and political sciences
  • clinical psychology
  • health in social sciences
  • public health
  • other disciplines

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Full-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Teaching and assessment

Learning outcomes

Graduating from this programme will enable you to:

  • critically engage with key conceptual and policy debates in global mental health, applying contextually appropriate perspectives
  • apply concepts, theories and methods from a diversity of disciplines (for example, social work, medical anthropology, clinical psychology, psychiatry and development studies)
  • independently apply, integrate and critically reflect upon different disciplinary approaches to global mental health
  • critically assess complex societal issues from an open-minded, reflexive and reasoned perspective
  • communicate effectively with a variety of audiences
  • critically apply the knowledge acquired to inform future global mental health programmes, practice, policies and research

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

Our academic staff

Global Mental Health Research Network

The programme will be taught by world-leading experts from Edinburgh's Global Mental Health Research Network, drawing together multiple disciplines, including:

  • medical anthropology
  • social work
  • psychology
  • trans-cultural psychiatry

You will also engage with key overseas collaborators of the Network through video, case studies and guest lectures. Where possible, this includes bringing lived-experience expertise into the classroom.

Career opportunities

Global mental health is a growing field with significant recent and ongoing investment from multilateral development agencies and governments, in both research and implementation.

This qualification will help prepare you for careers in global mental health policy, implementation and research. These may involve working with non-governmental organisations, with governments, or for multi-lateral agencies. 

By its very nature, global mental health takes place at local, national, and international levels, and this course equips you with core critical thinking and appraisal skills essential for working in a range of fields, including: 

  • health
  • mental health
  • education
  • development
  • social work or social care
  • and more

You would also be qualified to undertake similar careers with the UK health sector.

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.

In your application to the programme, please focus on how your particular personal and academic background fits with the study of global mental health as a discipline.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 29 June 2026

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding or will require a visa. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including your transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, we will still review your application and issue a decision providing it is otherwise complete.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You do not need to provide a reference when you submit your application for this programme.

There may be certain circumstances when a reference will be required, for example if we need to verify work experience. If that is the case, we will contact you after we have reviewed your application to request a reference.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

What our students say

The cultural diversity on campus creates a unique environment where students from all over the world come together, offering the opportunity to learn from varied perspectives and build a global network.

Sanusha MSc Global Mental Health and Society, graduated 2023

A highlight for me was the time I spent researching and writing my dissertation. Although it was stressful (as you would expect), I enjoyed delving into a subject that I was interested in. I was fortunate to have a supervisor who was open and willing to work with me to achieve the best possible outcome.

Sebastián Sebastián MSc Global Mental Health and Society, graduated 2023

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support

General enquiries

Postgraduate Admissions Team

Graduate School of Social & Political Science
Chrystal Macmillan Building
15A George Square
Central Campus
Edinburgh
EH8 9LD

futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
Phone:+44 (0)131 650 4086

Academic contact

Dr Sumeet Jain Array

Programme Director

  • School of Social and Political Science
  • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • University of Edinburgh

Contact details

Related degree programmes

You may also be interested in