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Urban populations are growing rapidly and cities need to be at the forefront in addressing the major challenges of the 21st century. As the world becomes increasingly urbanised, crucial questions arise: How can urban living be sustainable, livable and healthy? The University of Copenhagen, School of Global Health offers a 5 ECTS summer course to master's and PhD students and workforce engaged in the complex of urban issues.
The course explores the built environment and examines how health and disease shape urban infrastructure and vice versa. It covers socio-political aspects of healthy urban living with a focus on disparities and migration challenges. Finally socio-ecological aspects are examined, in particular adaptation to climate change, management of disaster risks and opportunities for combining green and healthy urban development.
Examples from urban settings around the world will be matched with real-life cases in locations in Copenhagen in a programme combining lectures, field visits, teamwork and consultations with stakeholders in the private and public sector.
Self-study module (one week workload) | 3 July - 1 August 2023 |
On-campus module | 7 - 18 August 2023 |
Exam | 18 August 2023 |
Credit points: 5 ECTS
The course is aimed at master's and PhD students. You can apply, if you have completed a bachelor's degree (or equivalent).
The course is aimed at students as well as professionals in all fields of social and natural sciences, public health, humanities, engineering, architecture, and business with an interest in health and sustainable urban development.
You must be able to read and write English at a scientific level.
Selection process
After the application deadline the admissions committee will go through all the applications and select the course participants. Applicants are encouraged to put energy and care into the motivation-section of the online application, as this is the main selection criteria.
If you have not completed your bachelor degree on date of application, you must upload relevant documentation on how far you have reached in your studies at this point (credit wise etc.) as well as an account (signed by a Study Secretary or other authority) of how far you will have reached by summer, proving this is equivalent to a bachelor's degree.
The course opens with a self-study module focusing on the course participants’ own urban settings. Study materials can be accessed on-line and tasks should be completed at the participants’ own pace during July.
In August course participants join in Copenhagen. The full two-week programme combines lectures with cases from around the world, consultations with stakeholders from the private and public sector, field visits, and teamwork in selected locations. On the last day, an examination panel will assess oral presentations by the teams.
For more details, please read the course description in UCPH's course database
The application form is now open and the deadline is 1 April 23:59 (CEST).
You apply through the online form below. Please note, that we do not accept late applications.
Upon submitting your application, you receive an e-mail receipt. Please keep this for future reference. Make sure to check your spam filter, if you do not receive the receipt.
You will receive the result of your application 3 - 4 weeks after the application deadline.
Note: If you have problems with the application form, please try a different browser, and make sure your files are not too large or the file names does not contain special characters.
You are exempted from payment, if:
You are enrolled at a Danish university and the course is part of your master's programme. Danish students must provide a pre-approval of credit transfer from their home institution upon application.
You are a student at UCPH enrolled in one of the following programmes, you do not need to apply for pre-approval of credit transfer:
You are an exchange student and attend the course as part of the autumn exchange semester (min. 3 months stay).
You are an exchange student nominated through Nordplus express or Nordlys.
Fee-paying participants:
All other participants (students, PhD students, working professionals, etc.) must pay tuition fee according to the information below.
EU/EEA citizens: | 4,000 DKK |
Non-EU/EEA citizens: | 6,250 DKK |
The fee covers participation in the course. It does not cover course materials, travel, accommodation and living expenses during the course.
Full payment of course fees must be transferred in May. Payment details will be forwarded upon acceptance.
You can only get a refund of your tuition fee, if you cancel at least two month prior to the beginning of the course including e-learning modules.
If you have questions about the course content, please write to Healthycities@sund.ku.dk
Course Director: Anne Bach Nielsen
Course Coordinator: Bjørg Elvekjær
Accommodation: Please note that the summer courses are non-residential. Participants are responsible for finding and funding accommodation during their stay in Copenhagen.
You can use different online portals to search for accommodation, such as:
Copenhagen has an international airport, and the city centre can be reached within 30 minutes. If you want additional information read Arriving in Copenhagen.
Please study our websites for more information about Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences and the University of Copenhagen.
"The summer course is relevant to anyone regardless of their field. Health is something that all humans can relate to. The course was a great supplement to my professional knowledge as an architect. It added another layer of awareness, and allowed me to really explore the link between health and the environment.”
- Sibusiso Lwandle, Pretoria, South Africa, course participant in 2019
"What I really like about this summer course is the fact that people come from all over the world. They each bring their own experiences from their home cities here to Copenhagen, which creates some very interesting discussions about the different perspectives and perceptions of the problems regarding health in an urban setting."
- Aurea Oradini Alacreu, Milan, Italy, course participant in 2019
“Translating theory into practice together with international students from different professional fields has given me new and inspiring prospects of how to promote access to active play, nature and the outdoors through urban initiatives - and this is essential for health and well-being both locally and globally.”
- Mette Kurtzhals, Copenhagen, Denmark, course participant in 2019