Reproductive and Sexual Health Research (Taught)

Reproductive and sexual health is fundamental to human health and wellbeing. Around the world, reproductive and sexual health is influenced by everything from regressive policy changes, gender inequality, and access to education, to extreme weather events and humanitarian crises. Join us to carry out high-quality policy-relevant research, critically review existing evidence, and examine this vital area of health across the entire lifespan.

We’re one of the few universities in Europe offering a MSc course that specialises in providing a non-clinical foundation in reproductive and sexual health research. Running since 1998, our programme is well established and internationally recognised for high-quality graduates who work at leading organisations across the world.

You’ll network with experts at the forefront of the field who carry out groundbreaking research in key areas including sexual behaviour, control of STIs, and reproductive rights and justice. We also have researchers exploring contraception and abortion access, as well as maternal, perinatal, and newborn health. This team deliver the course alongside insightful guest lectures from International Planned Parenthood and Marie Stopes UK.

This programme is recognised by the ESRC as providing high quality research training and a small number of ESRC scholarships are available to UK or EU residents. These are advertised each year with the LSHTM scholarships information.

What you will learn:

• Discover evidence-based approaches to researching reproductive and sexual health issues

• Learn how to apply research approaches to inform development, health and social welfare programmes

• Untangle the socio-cultural, political and ethical issues surrounding reproductive and sexual health

• Develop your research skills by gaining expertise in research study design, data collection and analysis, critical evaluation, and application of research findings

• Use methods from a range of public health disciplines to address research questions in reproductive and sexual health.

Please note: applications for the 2026/27 academic year are expected to open in November 2025. This information relates to 2025/26 academic year and will be updated in due course.