MSc in Applied Digital Health
About the course
The MSc in Applied Digital Health is a one-year, full-time course, designed to teach the interdisciplinary knowledge and skills needed in the fast-growing area of digital health.
The MSc is led by the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences (NDPCHS). The course combines front line clinical experience with theoretical and methodological expertise, capitalising on the breadth of internationally leading digital health research in the department. In addition, recognising the interdisciplinary nature of digital health, the MSc draws on the expertise of faculty from across the University, spanning medicine, social science, engineering, computing and data science.
Digital Health is one of five cross-cutting themes in the department's research strategy. Applied Digital Health is also one of six themes in the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford & Thames Valley Applied Research Collaboration (ARC), led by Theme Lead John Powell, Academic Director of the MSc in Applied Digital Health.
Academic staff in NDPCHS have world-leading reputations in researching a wide range of digital health topics: from applied social science and clinical researchers leading studies aimed at bringing a critical perspective to understanding the practices and processes of digital health care, to data scientists and software developers working on novel ways to access and analyse
and share actionable insights from routine digital data.
Aimed at early-career professionals, entrants to the MSc in Applied Digital Health come from a wide range of backgrounds, including (but not limited to) clinical medicine, medical sociology, psychology, statistics, computer science and engineering. No pre-existing knowledge is assumed, although you must have an interest in both the social and technical aspects of digital health. The breadth of content means that this MSc is not suitable for those who wish to focus their studies on only one component of the digital health field.
Upon successful completion of the course you will be able to:
- discuss the drivers, enablers, barriers and challenges to digital health innovation, using real-world examples
- summarise the state-of-the-art in digital health tools – including digital therapeutics, digital diagnostics, artificial intelligence, learning health systems and those that facilitate automated care pathways or improved patient (self)management – and both explain and critically evaluate the theories and techniques that underlie them
- identify and formulate a response to the ethical, policy, regulatory and practice challenges facing digital health
- explain in detail the need for user-focused development, meaningful evaluation and successful implementation of digital health tools, and propose appropriate methods, actions and processes to meet these requirements
- describe and apply key qualitative and quantitative research methods used to study digital health care, as well as identify the strengths and weaknesses of those methods.
It should be noted that this MSc is not a computing or engineering course. While it does include significant content on the concepts underlying tools and technologies commonly used in digital health, it does not teach how to programme digital health software.
Course outline
The teaching on this course is delivered via a range of methods, including lectures, seminars, workshops, presentations, self- directed learning and study, with all theoretical learning underpinned by real world case-studies.
The course consists of eight compulsory modules and a dissertation.
The modules spotlight different ways in which digital health can be used to address the challenges facing twenty-first century healthcare. These solutions include harnessing multimodal health data to support diagnosis and prognosis; improving outcomes via remote patient monitoring and digital diagnostics; using digital tools to facilitate physical and cognitive behaviour change; facilitating more efficient and effective models of care delivery; reducing the cost of care.
Module titles are as follows:
- Foundations of Digital Health
- Harnessing Big Data for Clinical Decision Support
- AI for Efficient Healthcare Systems
- Remote Monitoring and Digital Diagnostics
- Supporting Health Behaviour Change using Digital Tools
- Digital Transformation of Primary Care
- Economics of Digital Health
- User Focused Design and the Lifecycle of Digital Health Innovation
There are a number of cross-cutting themes that run throughout the modules. These themes include artificial intelligence and machine learning, behavioural science, challenges facing health systems, electronic health records, ethics, implementation, policy, programming for data analysis, regulation and law, sociotechnical processes, statistics and study design for the evaluation of digital tools.
The modules run consecutively, with each covering a two-week period. In the first week of each module teaching is delivered via a range of face-to-face methods, including lectures, seminars, and group work. In the second week you will engage in guided self-study and complete your assessment for the module, with learning further supported by a guest lecture series and a journal club.
In the third term you will undertake an original research project, culminating in a research dissertation and a short presentation. You will be supported in the selection of a research topic, although the department welcomes students to propose a topic of their choosing (subject to conditions).
Attendance
The course is full-time and requires attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.
Beyond the University, the department has strong links to the active digital health innovation community in academia, the NHS and industry, both in the Oxford area and further afield.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. A supervisor may be found outside the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.
Students will be assigned an academic advisor for the entirety of the course, in addition to their dissertation supervisor, who they will meet with twice a term. In addition, each student will be allocated a dissertation supervisor for that component of the course.
Assessment
During the first two terms there are a series of formative assessments designed to enable teaching staff to monitor your progress. You will be provided with feedback that will enable you to improve your learning by helping you identify your strengths and weaknesses.
There are also eight summative assessments in the first two terms, one per module. Each of these summative assessments account for 8.75% of the final mark. The assessments vary according to the content of the module but may include essays, sets of exercises and presentations.
The dissertation in the third term is worth 30% of the final mark.
Graduate destinations
This course provides graduates with the skills to creatively and successfully harness digital health tools, be that as researchers, policymakers, technology specialists or health practitioners. For example, some students may go on to roles within health organisations that require digital health expertise, or similar roles in pharmaceutical, consulting or health tech companies. Others may be experienced health professionals who seek to exploit digital health opportunities in their own practice. Some may want to pursue an academic career path and may go on to a doctoral research position or a health policy role within government.
Wherever their particular interests may lie, it is anticipated that course graduates will be well placed to do pioneering work in the digital health sector.
Changes to this course and your supervision
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26
Proven and potential academic excellence
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
We know that factors such as socio-economic circumstances and school performance can make it difficult for students to demonstrate their full potential. This course is taking part in an initiative to use contextual data to help us to better understand your achievements in the context of your individual background. For further details, please refer to the information about improving access to graduate study in the How to apply section of this page.
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. Contextual data may also be used in the assessment of studentships.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours in a subject broadly relevant to the interdisciplinary breadth of digital health medicine or health sciences.
Examples of relevant degrees include biomedical sciences, computer science, engineering, human sciences, mathematics, medical sociology, medicine, neuroscience, psychology, public policy and statistics.
For applicants with a bachelor's degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.5 out of 4.0.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
In exceptional circumstances, applicants with a distinguished record of workplace experience or other relevant achievements may be accepted with lower grades at undergraduate level. The department nevertheless strongly encourages any applicants from industry to include at least one reference from an academic or someone in academic-related field.
GRE General Test Scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
- Your interest in digital health must be evidenced in your personal statement and/or the supporting documents you provide with your application.
- Relevant working experience is desirable but not essential.
- An ability to work independently is essential.
- Publications are not expected or required for admission, although publication may help the assessors judge your writing ability and thus could help your application.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced* | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency† | 191 | 185 |
*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are normally held as part of the admissions process.
Applications will be shortlisted based on the applicant’s degree, relevant experience, references, and the personal statement and submitted written work. Applicants selected for interview will be notified as soon as possible after the deadline for applications has passed.
The interview panel will consist of senior members of the programme team and interviews will normally last around 15 minutes. All shortlisted applicants will be interviewed via video link.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences
The University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences has been one of the world's most important primary care centres for over 20 years.
The department is a world-class leader in research and training, aiming to rethink the way healthcare is delivered in general practice and other primary care settings, both across the UK and globally. Integrating evidence and innovation, its main research focus is on the prevention, early diagnosis and management of common illness, health services research and digital health.
Research is led by internationally renowned scientists; many of whom are practising GPs, but Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences also has academics from a range of non-medical disciplines including the social sciences and humanities.
Research and teaching in the department cover a range of health issues you would typically see your GP for, such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, infectious illnesses, childhood conditions, diet and nutrition, smoking cessation, and cancer care. However, its work extends beyond this.
Key areas of focus include understanding and enhancing patient experiences, leveraging big data for insights, developing innovative digital health solutions, and collaborating on international healthcare initiatives. By combining medical expertise with cutting-edge research, the department focuses on understanding and improving the experiences of patients, utilising big data, developing digital health interventions and working internationally.
The Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences has methodological expertise in clinical decision making and diagnostics, clinical epidemiology, medical statistics, modelling, qualitative research and the wider application of social science theory and methods to address practical and theoretical challenges in health and care settings. The department also has a dedicated in-house Primary Care Clinical Trials Unit.
The department is home to 14 of the National Institute for Health Research's 200 most prestigious and prominent researchers. These NIHR Senior Investigators contribute significantly to the health sciences as senior leaders, demonstrate research excellence and lead in training of the NIHR's people.
The department teaches elements of the undergraduate programme in medicine including arranging placements for medical students in GP practices. It also provide a highly supportive environment for postgraduates whether they are registered for a DPhil, enrolled on one of its short courses, or the Evidence Based Health Care programme (administered by the Department for Continuing Education). You will also have access to the Medical Sciences Graduate School. The department welcomes domestic and international students to join its experienced and enthusiastic teachers, mentors and supervisors in aspirational study and research.
Funding
For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the December deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding, loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the December deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Costs
Annual fees for entry in 2025-26
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £46,060 |
| Overseas | £46,060 |
Information about course fees
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.
Where can I find further information about fees?
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability.
Additional information
Please note that this course requires that you attend in Oxford for teaching, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Further, as part of your course requirements, you will need to choose a dissertation, a project or a thesis topic. Depending on your choice of topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for full-time study
For the 2025-26 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (assuming that dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs, which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
The following colleges accept students on the MSc in Applied Digital Health:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the December deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
You do not need to make contact with the department before you apply but you are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course.
Improving access to graduate study
This course is taking part in initiatives to improve the selection procedure for graduate applications, to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.
Socio-economic data (where it has been provided in the application form) will be used as part of an initiative to contextualise applications at the different stages of the selection process.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Referees
Three overall, of which at least two should usually be academic
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
Your references will be assessed for:
- your intellectual ability
- your academic achievement
- your motivation and interest in the course and the subject area
- your ability to work effectively both in a group and independently.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Personal statement:
A minimum of 750 words to a maximum of 1,000 words
Your statement should be written in English and explain your motivation for applying for the course at Oxford, your relevant experience and education, and the specific areas that interest you and/or you intend to specialise in.
Your statement should focus on your academic achievements and interests rather than personal achievements, interest and aspirations.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
Your statement will be assessed for:
- your reasons for applying
- your ability to present a coherent case in proficient English
- your commitment to the subject, beyond the requirements of the degree course
- your preliminary knowledge of the subject area and research techniques
- your capacity for sustained and intense work
- reasoning ability.
Written work:
Two essays of a maximum of 2,000 words each or one essay of a maximum of 4,000 words
Academic essays or other writing samples from your most recent qualification, typed and written in English, are required.
The work should demonstrate your ability to write a good academic document though it does not need to be related to the proposed area of study. Extracts of the requisite length from longer work are also permitted if prefaced by a note that puts them in context.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
Your written work will be assessed for:
- your ability to construct and defend an argument
- your aptitude for analysis and expression
- your ability to present a reasoned case in proficient academic English.
Instructions for submitting one long piece of work instead of two short pieces
To submit one longer piece of work in your application instead of two shorter pieces, you should upload this document in the first 'Written work' slot on the 'Supporting Documents' tab of the Application Form. In the second 'Written work' slot, you should upload a PDF document with the following statement:
'I have included one long essay in lieu of two short essays. I have checked the course page to confirm this is permitted for this course.'
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice.
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.