Master of Health Systems Study

Purpose

The purpose of the Master of Health Systems Study (MHSysStud) by dissertation qualification is to produce graduates who have mastered research skills and have appropriate health-systems knowledge and expertise required to gather, analyse, interpret, generate and disseminate knowledge on health systems and public health, to develop students' competencies in applying this knowledge and expertise in service of health systems strengthening via ongoing critical analyses of health issues and meaningful contributions to formulating, implementing and evaluating public health policies and programmes. Also to foster students' professional conduct and good ethical behaviours and values. These are particularly pertinent given the deeply human embeddedness of health and health systems, and our wish to produce principled graduates who can advance to positions of leadership in the field.

Rationale

This qualification allows for more research-intensive training of students, exposure to the Centre for Health Systems Research and Development (CHSR&D) at the institutions ongoing research projects; better positioning to proceed to Doctoral studies. The Master of Health Systems Studies (MHSysStud) by dissertation responds to several gaps and imperatives in the South Africa's health and research contexts, as outlined in the section below; as opposed to Master of Health Systems Studies by coursework.

This qualification is positioned to address gaps, as well as optimise on opportunities, that arise in the wider context of health and health systems:

• Global health challenges requiring health systems research and researchers within the health sector, the field/discipline of Health Systems Studies is becoming increasingly relevant at all levels from the global to the local.
• Need to develop systems-level thinking in the health sector.
• Need to increase training opportunities that will grow health systems expertise. Academics at the 2014 Global Symposium on Health Systems Research criticised inequities in the availability of health systems research training and emphasised the necessity to deepen and expand efforts to strengthen teaching for health systems development and research.
• Building health-systems-oriented partnerships with local, national and international stakeholders.

Instead, as past and more recent research and discussions with National Higher Education Institutions including this qualification, potentially opens up additional avenues of collaboration in teaching, research and importantly, partnering on research funding applications that call for interdisciplinary collaboration.

This qualification will be well suited to students who wish to embark on in-depth research. Ideal candidates would have the time to embark on full-time studies.

A learning pathway exists for students completing this qualification. Graduates may progress vertically to Doctoral or Level 10 qualifications in a related field.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Where applicants do not meet the minimum admission requirements stated, RPL may be used to grant access to the programme. RPL will be applied according to the Recognition of Prior Learning, credit accumulation and transfer, and assessment and the institution's RPL policy. The process will be managed by the central RPL Office in collaboration with the Faculty of Humanities.

Note that

• Through its RPL policy and RPL Office, the institution will ensure that quality assurance processes addresses the specificities of the RPL process (including applications, assessment, and reporting and management systems) are implemented; and that administrative and support systems, both prior and subsequent to RPL assessment, are in place.
• Applicants will be assessed against Level 8 competencies. Furthermore, an RPL application for access will be evaluated against the entry requirements of the Master of Health Systems Studies and assessment will be undertaken by the Faculty of Humanities.

Credit accumulation and transfer will be applied when a student's achievements are recognised and contribute to further learning even if the student has not obtained a qualification. Any and all credits for an incomplete qualification may be recognised as meeting part of the requirements for the Master of Health Systems Studies as per institutional General Rules.

Entry Requirements

The admission requirement to this Masters Degree is

• An appropriate Bachelor Honour's Degree in a field related to the Social Sciences or Health Sciences.
• A 480-Credit professional Bachelor's Degree in a field related to the Social Sciences or Health Sciences.
• A relevant Postgraduate Diploma in a field related to the Social Sciences or Health Sciences.

This qualification comprises of a compulsory module at Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.

• Dissertation or Interrelated published article/s or publishable manuscript/s, 180 Credits.

1. Master research skills and have appropriate health-systems knowledge and expertise required to gather, analyse, interpret, generate and disseminate knowledge on health systems and public health.
2. Apply knowledge and expertise in service of health systems strengthening via ongoing critical analyses of health issues and meaningful contributions to formulating, implementing and evaluating public health policies and programmes.
3. Demonstrate professional conduct and good ethical behaviours and values.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Apply appropriate health-systems knowledge and expertise to their research.
• Gather, analyse, interpret, generate and disseminate knowledge on health systems and public health.
• Produce research output in the form of a dissertation or published article(s)/publishable manuscript(s).

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Apply this knowledge and expertise in service of health systems strengthening.
• Analyse health issues critically.
• Make meaningful contributions to formulating, implementing and evaluating public health policies and programmes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Demonstrate professional conduct and good ethical behaviour and values which is particularly pertinent given the deeply human embeddedness of health and health systems and to advance to positions of leadership in the field.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment will be in accordance with the institution's General Rules. Ongoing supervision will assist in supporting students, and helping to shape their work throughout their Master's studies, but no marks are awarded against their progress or lack of it.

Assessment of this qualification is by summative examination of the dissertation or published article/s or publishable manuscript/s by two external examiners appointed and approved by the institution's Title Registration Committee. The assessment panel of a Master's Degree by research should consist of three members, with the proviso that if an internal examiner who must not be either the supervisor or the co-supervisor(s) is nominated, the external examiners must constitute the majority of the assessment panel. External examiners must be recognised experts in their fields and must not have any affiliation with the institution.

In the case of interrelated publishable, manuscripts/published articles, the assessment panel should consist of three members, with the proviso that if an internal examiner who must not be either the supervisor or the co-supervisor(s) is nominated, the external examiners must constitute the majority of the panel. External examiners must be recognised experts in their fields and must not have any affiliation with the institution.