Program Overview

Programme Overview

The Master's in Public Health (MPH) programme is designed to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of public health principles and practices. The programme consists of three components: core modules, track modules (compulsory and elective), and a mini-dissertation.

Programme Structure

• Core modules: These modules provide a foundation in public health principles, including biostatistics, epidemiology, health management, and environmental health.
• Track modules: Students can choose from various tracks, including biostatistics and epidemiology, disease control, environmental and occupational health, health policy and management, and health promotion.
• Mini-dissertation: The mini-dissertation is a research component that contributes 60 credits to the programme.

Admission Requirements

• Four-year bachelor's degree; plus at least two years' applicable practical (work) experience; or
• An honours degree; or
• A three-year bachelor's degree plus at least five years' applicable practical (work) experience

Registration as a Special Student

Candidates who do not meet the admission requirements may be required to register as a special student in the Faculty to pass a status examination.

Other Selection Criteria

The following criteria are used to select students for the programme:

• Academic merit
• National/International need for public health
• Under-represented groups in public health
• Public health related employment
• Track record – e.g. employment, academic, community building, etc.

Examinations and Pass Requirements

• Each module has its individual evaluation, which may consist of more than one mode of evaluation.
• To pass in a module, a student must obtain a minimum pass mark of 50%.
• If a student fails a module but obtains 40% to 49%, a second examination in the module in question must be written.
• If a student fails a module but obtains a mark of less than 40%, the module must be repeated in full in the following year.

Research Information

• The mini-dissertation contributes 60 credits to the programme.
• The expected outcome of the mini-dissertation is that the student will be able to identify and investigate health and health systems problems in a comprehensive manner.

Pass with Distinction

The degree will be conferred with distinction on a student who has a final mark of at least 75% for the mini-dissertation as well as a simple (i.e. unweighted) average mark of at least 75% for the required modules.

General Information

• Concurrent registration for two study programmes is allowed with the permission of the Dean.
• The School of Health Systems and Public Health states that concurrent registration for two study programmes is a privilege and not a right.

Core Modules

The following are the core modules for the MPH programme:

• BOS 874: Biostatistics 1
• CDC 880: Introduction to disease control
• EHM 881: Basis of environmental health
• HCM 875: Introduction to health management
• HME 874: Epidemiology 1
• HMS 873: Scientific writing
• PHM 880: Learning in public health
• PHR 870: Mini-dissertation
• SCM 880: Social determinants of health and primary health care
• TNM 802: Applied research methodology

Elective Modules

The following are the elective modules for the MPH programme:

• ACM 874: Individual study in public health
• BOS 875: Biostatistics 2
• CDC 876: Principles of communicable disease control
• CDC 877: Seminars in tropical health (Agent)
• CDC 878: Seminars in tropical health (Environment)
• CDC 879: Seminars in tropical health (Host)
• CDE 870: Principles: Chronic disease epidemiology
• CDS 871: Disease outbreak and control
• CDS 872: Economic evaluation of disease control intervention
• CDS 874: Human nutrition and public health
• CDT 870: Infectious disease epidemiology
• EHM 871: Health risk assessment
• EHM 872: Methods in exposure assessment
• EOH 872: Introduction to toxiocology
• EOM 871: Environmental epidemiology
• EPM 870: Epidemiology 2
• EPM 873: Conducting surveys
• EPM 874: Disease surveillance
• HCF 872: Financial management in public health
• HCI 871: Health systems operations management
• HCL 872: Occupational health law
• HCM 873: Managing occupational health services
• HCM 876: Health policy and systems
• HCS 876: Project management in health
• HIN 874: Introduction to monitoring and evaluation for health managers
• HME 875: Monitoring and evaluation
• HMS 874: Health data management
• HRM 872: Principles of human resource management
• OHS 873: Postgraduate studies in occupational hygiene 1
• OHS 874: Postgraduate studies in occupational hygiene 2
• OHS 875: Individual studies in occupational hygiene
• QHR 870: Qualitative research methods
• SCC 873: Communication in health
• SCP 870: Health promotion
• TQM 872: Principles of quality assurance