Master of Science in Implementation Science

Purpose

The purpose of the qualification is to train the workforce required to conduct high priority Tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) research to reduce the burden of HIV infection among TB patients and the burden of TB among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) through a focus on Implementation Research (IR) training and capacity building.

Priority areas of Implementation Research (IR) are

(i) HIV, such as ways of identifying HIV-infected individuals who do not yet know their status.

(ii) TB, such as improved case finding.

(iii) HIV/TB, such as early initiation of anti-retroviral treatment for all HIV positive TB patients.

The long term objective of the qualification is to develop capacity for in-depth training in the field of HIV/TB implementation research through the development of independent well skilled researchers to the level of Masters in the areas of TB and HIV who have the ability to apply for national and international competitive grants and train other researchers in the TB and HIV fields.

The main outcomes of the qualification are fourfold. Students who successfully complete the qualification will

(i) Gain the necessary insight into the history and development of IR as a relatively new field internationally.

(ii) Be able to conduct research specifically in the field of IR with the aim to publish their research results in peer-reviewed scientific publications.

(iii) Be able to design health promotion interventions that are relevant, theoretically-informed, have broad impacts and are sustainable in the field of IR.

(iv) Be able to evaluate health promotion interventions and critically distinguish how these may vary across community settings with diverse populations, with the aim to address the different behaviours, and leverage traditional and emerging delivery channels.

Rationale

The World Health Organisation (WHO) Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) is using the framework of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which came into place in January of this year. They replaced the Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015) with a much more inter-disciplinary approach that TDR has already embraced by establishing a network of seven universities from low- and middle-income countries to provide Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Masters qualifications focused on implementation research in malaria, Tuberculosis (TB) and neglected tropical diseases to improve health in those regions.

Three of these universities are in Africa (Ghana, Zambia and South Africa) but these qualifications, as mentioned above, only include modules or short courses on implementation science research without a specific focus on Tuberculosis (TB) and (HIV). The aim of this qualification, which we have already communicated to Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), will be to contribute to this network. Enrolled students will mostly be from South Africa, but will include a few Namibians thereby strengthening.

Students will need to have an Honours or four-year Bachelor's Degree in Medicine, Applied Health Sciences, Public Health, Epidemiology, Social Sciences or other applicable disciplines In addition, it would be recommended that they have previous experience in the research field of TB and/or HIV.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) is applied according to the Regulation for the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and Credit Accumulation and Transfer (CAT) in conjunction with the Postgraduate RPL & CAT applications of the RPL and CAT guidelines of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (2018).

Should a learner wish to be considered for admission to a Postgraduate qualification. RPL for exemption and/or CAT is applied at postgraduate level in cases where learners request that formal-, informal- and/or non-formal learning is recognised in place of modules of a structured postgraduate Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences qualification.

RPL for exemption and/or CAT will be accorded per module. Modules will be recognised where the curriculum, outcomes, credits and NQF level of the relevant module broadly match those of the required module in the qualification for which the applicant wishes to enrol. Recognition will also be accorded to modules where the content included additional work that exceeds the requirements of the envisaged qualification, but not less than what the envisaged qualification requires.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• A Bachelor Honours Degree in Medicine, Applied Health Sciences, Social Sciences or Public Health, Level 8.

Or

• A Bachelor's Degree in Medicine, Applied Health Sciences, Social Sciences or Public Health, Level 8.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at Level 9 totalling 180 Credits.

Compulsory Modules

• Principles of Implementation Research, 30 Credits.
• Designing Health Interventions for Implementation Research, 30 Credits.
• Evaluation Health Interventions for Implementation Research, 30 Credits.
• Thesis, 90 Credits.

1. Demonstrate an understanding and the necessary insight into the history and development of implementation research as a relatively new field internationally.
2. Demonstrate the ability to conduct research specifically in the field of implementation research with the aim to publish research results in peer-reviewed scientific publications.
3. Design health promotion interventions that are relevant, theoretically informed, have broad impacts and are sustainable in the field of implementation research.
4. Evaluate health promotion interventions and critically distinguish how these may vary across community settings with diverse populations, with the aim to address the different behaviours and leverage traditional and emerging delivery channels.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Formulate research questions taking into consideration the context and engagement of stakeholders.
• Develop and implement a research proposal to improve services in public health facilities.
• Use appropriate data analysis procedures in a qualitative study.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Effectively write and submit a research proposal for ethics approval.
• Conduct an appropriate Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Tuberculosis (TB) implementation research project.
• Write-up the project (literature review/background, methods, results, discussion) as a peer-reviewed scientific publication.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Conduct a needs assessment.
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of theories used in health promotion.
• Effectively apply the approaches of theory of change and logic models.
• Effectively select intervention methods to address the HIV/TB burden.
• Appropriately plan for project adoption and implementation.
• Appropriately plan for project evaluation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Identify and comprehend the relationship between qualification plans and evaluation plans.
• Develop a mindfulness of a range of evaluation approaches and designs.
• Differentiate between epistemological and methodological underpinnings of quantitative and qualitative methods in evaluation.
• Apply experimental and quasi-experimental designs in outcome, evaluation and impact assessments and demonstrate critical appreciation of strengths, weakness and appropriateness of these designs.
• Apply qualitative approaches to evaluation and demonstrate critical appreciation of strengths, weakness and appropriateness of these approaches.
• Develop and apply skills to design a small scale project evaluation selecting appropriate model and methods (Case Study).
• Identify cultural, social and political dimensions of evaluation in public health contexts.
• Demonstrate knowledge and skills in reporting and communicating evaluation findings.
• Demonstrate skills to methodologically analyse evaluation reports.

Integrated Assessment

Students will write an examination and submit an assignment per module attended. All modules are internally assessed. The thesis will be internally and externally examined in accordance with the regulations of the institution.