International Community Health (master's 2-years)

Fieldwork and a semester abroad

Conducting a research fieldwork for collecting data is an opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge you have learned in the first year into a real-time practice in Norway or abroad.

During the third semester, you will spend time collecting data for your master’s thesis. This semester gives you an opportunity to practically engage in your specialized thematic area and research methodology of your choice.

It is during the fieldwork where you can test out basic community- and global health concepts you gained during your previous semesters and gain real world experiences in Norway or abroad. In addition, you can build skills and competencies in engaging with the community and other relevant stakeholders through the implementation of your project.

Choose your thematic area and methodology

The choice of thematic idea to your master project comes from your own research interests and is independently developed and organized by you.

You can choose to develop a research protocol for collection of primary data using quantitative or qualitative methodology or a combination of both depending on your research questions/objectives.

You may also choose to conduct analysis of already collected data from routine available data collection surveys, surveillances or ongoing or previous research projects.

Data collection in different places

Data collection can take place in different locations across the globe or among different groups depending on your project, such as:

at a public or private organization such as a national or local archive, a hospital, a health center for undocumented migrants, etc.,
in a particular community like refugees, nurses, an ethnic group, etc.
within an existing research collaboration that your supervisor have abroad or in Norway.
in the general population within or outside of Norway depending on your research question

Choose your research fieldwork destination

You can choose your fieldwork destination based on your own interests, or relevant to your previous or current place of work.

Many of our international students choose to conduct their fieldwork in their home countries, while others do their fieldwork in Norway or a third country. Norwegian students are encouraged to carry out their research abroad as well.

Our master's students have previously travelled to all parts of the world to conduct research fieldwork that have contributed to improving global community health.

Our students have travelled to almost all continents and in countries such as Norway, Brazil, India, Nepal, Tibet, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Malawi, Canada, and the USA, just to mention a few.

Thesis topics among our former students

Our students have done their projects on a large variety of topics such as those related to:

pandemic preparedness
mental health
communicable diseases such as Tuberculosis, HIV pandemic and Covid-19
reproductive health and child health services quality and rights
domestic and sexual violence
non-communicable diseases including cancer, diabetics, cardiovascular diseases.
migration and health
planetary and one health
various topics in basic and laboratory sciences

The above are just a few examples. You can find more master projects and be inspired by looking at: DUO - UIOs research archive

Master research project

Collecting register data on bone fractures in Norway

Conducting master research is challenging and fulfilling process. Sepideh Semsarian did a cohort study on forearm fractures where she used register data from Norway of 143,476 patients treated in Norwegian hospitals between 2008-2019.
Students at the University of Oslo study health and policymaking in a global perspective

With a master’s degree in International Community Health from the University of Oslo, students will acquire a global perspective on health, and work towards reaching global goals of universal health coverage.
International Community Health is a multicultural and multidisciplinary master’s program

A master’s degree in International Community Health from the University of Oslo provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to proceed with an international career in global health.