Master of Public Health

Purpose

The Master of Public Health is designed to meet the need for education that helps to build capacity in Public Health to improve the health of populations and meet Sustainable Development Goals and the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy for South Africa. The qualification will be offered online to health professionals in South Africa and other African countries

The qualifying learner will be able to demonstrate a sound understanding of the foundation sciences of Public Health, including knowledge of major Public Health problems faced in developing countries, methods for assessing disease burden, causation, and methods of prevention through population health research methods, in-depth critical awareness of how knowledge gained through the course can be applied to plan improvements to the health of populations in developing countries, conceptual understanding that allows the application of an evidence base to the practice of Public Health, critically evaluate information that is required for the practice of Public Health and synthesise prior learning in exploring or addressing an important public health.

Rationale

This qualification is developed as a response to the massive health problems facing African populations, the need to build capacity to study the causes of and solutions for these problems, and a lack of affordable and accessible educational opportunities that would help develop this capacity.

A recent 2017 publication in Public Health Reviews: 'Master of Public Health programmes in South Africa: issues and challenges' indicated that the demand for highly skilled public health personnel in low- and middle-income countries had been recognised globally.

In Africa, the production of the public health workforce has not kept pace with the need, given the multiple burdens of disease, and specifically the burden imposed by the HIV, AIDS and TB epidemics. In most African countries, health systems and health qualifications are managed by clinicians with minimal public health training, resulting in poor health service management and ineffective resource allocation. In South Africa, the need to train more public health professionals has been acknowledged. The Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy for South Africa includes the establishment of public health units at district and provincial levels. Thus, a substantial investment is needed for training an effective health workforce. This qualification is viewed as an essential contributor in equipping health practitioners with adequate public health skills to meet the demands of the health care system.

The rapidly changing global public health context, which includes multiple disease burdens, complex healthcare systems, and challenging socio-economic and political environments, demands corresponding changes in public health responses and competencies. Complex public health responses demand highly skilled public health personnel, with the expertise and knowledge to contribute to strengthening health systems for optimal health service provision.

This qualification is viewed as an essential contributor to equipping health practitioners to meet the demands of the health system. With the introduction in South Africa of a re-engineered model of primary healthcare, and a National Health Insurance (NHI), this qualification will increase the output of qualifying learners to ensure effective health service delivery and improved health outcomes.

The use of a fully online qualification allows access to this education by those who are not able to attend a university physically for social, geographical, employment or disability reasons. It also allows access to a wide range of modern educational sources which can be immediately updated, as well as access to an international faculty to provide the education. Online education is ideally suited for those who are in the workforce. Online learning also allows learners from other parts of Africa to join and add an international component to the capacity building through this qualification.

The South African Medical Society (SAMA) has been consulted concerning the need for the qualification.

Learners will be mainly health professionals, including doctors, nurses and public health practitioners. It is an essential qualification in the area of public health: governmental organisations; health services management; policy and planning; housing; transport; or for community groups and Non-Government Organisations.

Public health professionals monitor and diagnose the health concerns of entire communities and promote healthy practices and behaviours to ensure that populations stay healthy.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL will be applied in line with the institution's policies and guidelines. This qualification may be achieved in part through the recognition of prior learning. Learners will be assessed against the exit level outcomes of the qualification on a case-by-case basis. Such procedures and the assessment of individual cases are subject to moderation by independent-assessors.

Formal, informal, and non-formal learning experiences submitted for RPL will be assessed against the purpose of this qualification, exit level outcomes and module outcomes. RPL will provide advanced standing to learners based on the learner's experience and/ or learning acquired prior to applying for RPL. The application of RPL can entail exemption from certain units of modules in the qualification.

The following rules are applicable at the institution as outlined by the policy on the Recognition of Prior Learning

• Learners need to provide evidence of significant and relevant prior learning before applications will be considered.
• Status is an application to register for a qualification when the learner does not hold the required admission qualification or equivalent qualification but holds another qualification on the same NQF level as that of the prerequisite qualification.
• Subject or module RPL is an application for recognition of a specific subject/s or modules to obtain RPL exemption for that subject/s or modules.
• Admission of learners through an RPL route is possible.
• The assessment processes involved with the application of RPL are the same as those followed for awarding credits in the formal Master's degree qualification.
• RPL assessment takes a holistic view of the process of assessment where the context of the learning as well as the context of the applicant who is being assessed is taken into account.
• An RPL applicant seeking credits for previously acquired skills and knowledge must still comply with all the requirements as stated in the learning modules of the Master's degree.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• An appropriate Bachelor's degree, NQF Level 8

Or

• Bachelor of Public Health Honours, NQF Level 8

Or

• Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health, NQF Level 8

This qualification consists of the compulsory and elective modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 9, 120 Credits

• Introduction to Epidemiology, 15 Credits.
• Biostatistics, 15 Credits.
• One Module from the Public Health Problems group, 15 Credits.
• One Module from the Public Health Problems group, 15 Credits.
• Mini-dissertation, 60 Credits.

Elective Modules, 60 Credits: (Choose an additional four electives from the groups below without repeatingChoose any 4 of the modules from the two groups below ):

• Group 1: Foundation Sciences of Public Health.
• Evidence-Based Practice, 15 Credits.
• Health promotion, 15 Credits.
• Evaluation of interventions, 15 Credits.
• Health economics, 15 Credits.
• Inequalities and social determinants of health, 15 Credits.
• Public health concepts for policymakers, 15 Credits.

Group 2: Public Health Problems (Any of these modules other than the two chosen as

compulsory modules)

• Communicable disease (Transmission, surveillance & control), 15 Credits.
• Disaster management and emergency planning, 15 Credits.
• Global mental health, 15 Credits.
• Public Health aspects of HIV/AIDS, 15 Credits.
• Injury prevention, 15 Credits.
• Maternal mortality, 15 Credits.
• Non-communicable diseases, 15 Credits.
• Preventing child mortality, 15 Credits.
• Public health nutrition, 15 Credits.

1. Measure health problems and their effect on local, regional, national and global populations.
2. Apply a critical evidence-based approach to population health problems.
3. Apply knowledge and skills to research health problems and policies in populations.
4. Apply knowledge and skills to intervene to improve or protect the health of populations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Demonstrate knowledge of the methods for assessing disease burden and causation through population health research methods.
• Identify key sources of data, and use the specialist methods of epidemiology and biostatistics to assess population health status.
• Display understanding of theoretical underpinnings of key issues relating to health and disease in populations.
• Synthesise knowledge of major Public Health problems faced in developing countries.
• Understand sources of bias in research.
• Show appreciate of social determinants of health as causes of inequality.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Apply methods of assessment and critical appraisal of research evidence.
• Produce a systematic review of published research evidence.
• Obtain skills for the access and critical evaluation of information and knowledge that is required for the practice of Public Health.
• Acknowledge the role of health policy and health systems in the health of populations.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Synthesise prior learning in exploring or addressing a significant public health issue facing the community.
• Identify a problem facing the population as suitable for further research.
• Develop and report on a research protocol to address an identified problem and its potential solution using appropriate methods and designs.
• Consider ethical and practical issues of implementation.
• Consider the impact of findings for health policy.
• Plan, conduct and write up individual original research in public health.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Demonstrate an understanding of the methods of prevention of disease at the population level.
• Show an understanding of how changes in health policy can improve the health of populations.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the theory and practice of interventions to improve health or practice and their evaluation.

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Integrated Assessment

The assessment processes for the qualification uses both formative and summative assessments for assessing each of the Exit Level Outcomes above. Within each course work module, formative assessment is performed as follows:

• discussions
• short questions
• case studies
• online tests
• assignments

The summative assignment for the course work modules is in the form of an essay. Learners are required to demonstrate the application and integration of all the modules of the qualification in the planning, execution and reporting of a research project. The summative assessment of the research module is in the form of a mini-dissertation.