Curriculum

The Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery curriculum prepares practitioners to lead projects, programs, and organizations focused on improving health care delivery in resource-limited settings. Students develop the research, management, and leadership skills needed to understand complex health challenges and design delivery strategies that respond to the realities of the communities they serve.

Through coursework across Harvard University, students examine the key challenges and methodological approaches that shape global health delivery research. Courses help students situate global health work within broader social, economic, and political contexts, while building the skills needed to assess population needs, evaluate program feasibility and effectiveness, and understand the resources and political will required to scale pilot projects into larger programs. Students are encouraged to think critically about how evidence, implementation, and community priorities come together to improve care delivery.

The curriculum covers quantitative methods, qualitative methods, mixed methods, global health delivery management, leadership, implementation science, monitoring and evaluation, research ethics, and social science perspectives relevant to health care. Together, these areas of study help students build a practical and interdisciplinary foundation for research and leadership in global health delivery.

Learning Methods

Advocacy and Skill Development 

The MMSc in Global Health Delivery program combines rigorous coursework with practical, field-based research through a mentored project. This dual emphasis gives students the opportunity to design and implement a meaningful research project in global health delivery while developing the conceptual and practical skills needed for leadership roles in the field. Throughout the program, students strengthen their ability to ask effective research questions, analyze health delivery challenges, and apply their learning to real-world settings.

The Project

The mentored research project allows students to participate in the design and execution of an innovative global health delivery project at a field site. Through this experience, students build applied research and leadership skills while contributing to the quality of health care delivery at the sites where they work. Projects may also strengthen local training, support program improvement, and contribute to the growing body of knowledge transforming global health delivery. By completing this work in partnership with a field site, students gain experience connecting research with practical action and local priorities.

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Frequently Asked Questions
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Courses

The MMSc in Global Health Delivery program includes courses at both Harvard Medical School and other Harvard schools. Students take core courses noted below and can take electives across Harvard University and at MIT. 

Here is a link to the Academic Calendar for 2025-2026.

Year 1

Fall
  • Qualitative Methods for Global Health Research (4 credits)
  • Quantitative Methods for Global Health Research (4 credits)
  • Global Health and Social Medicine (4 credits)
  • Ethnographic Methods for Global Health Research (4 credits)
  • Implementation Science (1 credit)
  • Global Health Research, Project Management (1 credit)
Spring
  • Conceptual and Practical Ethics in Global Health Delivery (2 credits)
  • Mixed Methods for Global Health Research (4 credits)
  • Global Health Research, Project Management, Leadership (2 credits)
  • electives (6 credits)

Year 2

Fall

Students conduct research in the field from August-January and then return to Boston to write up their thesis, then graduate in May of year 2.

  • Mentored Thesis Project (14 credits)
Spring

Students return to Boston to write-up their thesis project, present their work, and graduate in May.

  • Mentored Thesis Analysis and Write-up (14 credits)

Academic and Attendance Requirements

In order to graduate with the degree of “Master of Medical Sciences in Global Health Delivery,” students must fulfill all of the program’s academic and attendance requirements, including completion of the 64-credit curriculum and a successful thesis project. The MMSc in Global Health Delivery degree will not be granted to any student who is not in good standing or against whom a disciplinary charge is pending. In addition, a student’s term bill must be paid in full before they will be awarded the degree.

A detailed look at the HMS academic and financial policies can be found in the Student Handbook.

We invite you to learn more about the MMSc-GHD program on this website and to join the newsletter for updates on the MMSc in Global Health Delivery program. Many answers to questions can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you have additional questions, please email the program.