Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health

Purpose

The purpose of the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health is to prepare learners with the knowledge, skills and competence to identify and solve public health problems at a population level.

Rationale

The aim of the qualification is to prepare learners for positions as public health practitioners, researchers, health educators or service coordinators, so that they may contribute to meeting the needs of promoting and ensuring the health of the population.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The institution conducts RPL in terms of the policy and guidelines of the institution to recognise other forms of formal, informal and non-formal learning and experience. In cases where learners do not comply with the formal admission requirements, the institution applies its RPL policy.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Bachelor of Science, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 90 Credits

• Learning in Public Health, 10 Credits.
• Principles of Health Policy and Management, 10 Credits.
• Social Determinants of Health and Health Promotion, 10 Credits.
• Epidemiology and Biostatistics I, 15 Credits.
• Epidemiology and Biostatistics II, 15 Credits.
• Principles of Disease Prevention and Control, 10 Credits.
• Introduction to Environmental Health, 10 Credits.
• Introduction to Research Methodology, 10 Credits.

Elective Modules, Level 8, 30 Credits

• Research Report: Research Protocol, 30 Credits.
• Policy Analysis, 30 Credits.
• Research Report: Public Health Narrative Literature Review, 30 Credits.
• Research Report: Public Health Operations Research, 30 Credits.

1. Apply epidemiological and bio-statistical knowledge and skills in the identification and measurement of public health problems.
2. Explain the impact of anthropogenic activities on the environment as well as the impact of the environment on the health of the people on a population level.
3. Describe the organisation of health services and the required management competencies to ensure equitable and affordable healthcare delivery.
4. Disease Control.

4.1 Apply policy, ethical, legal, epidemiological and theoretical frameworks to the control of diseases in the population.

1. Design a health promotion programme that addresses the social determinants of health.
2. Design a research project that aims to answer a question of public health importance or implement an operational research project to solve a work-based problem.
3. Apply systems thinking to identify solutions to public health problems.
4. Demonstrates professionalism and the application of public health knowledge, skills and tools in upholding the values of relevance, quality, cost effectiveness and equity of health services in the interest of the population.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Illustrate the application of basic informatics techniques using vital statistics and public health records.
• Interpret statistical analyses in public health studies.
• Show written and oral presentations of statistical analyses of public health problems.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Explain the importance of epidemiology for informing scientific, ethical, economic and political discussion of health issues.
• Analyse case studies and/or scenarios.
• Evaluate strategies to reduce the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
• Describe the basis of current health policies and strategies for the control of common public health problems in the country.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Explain the functions of health systems, their degree of effectiveness, and propose improvements.
• Identify the main components and restraints in the organisation, financing, and delivery of health services.
• Explain the principles of the primary health care approach and apply them in health programme development and implementation planning
• Apply management theory in their daily practice.
• Describe the legal and ethical bases for public health and health services.
• Discuss the policy process for improving the health status of populations.
• Explain quality and performance improvement concepts to address organisational performance issues.
• Explain the application of information management in managing health services.
• Discuss monitoring and evaluation strategies for health managers.
• Explain the role of project management in managing health services.
• Apply "systems thinking" to identify solutions to organisational problems.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Describe the direct and indirect human, ecological, and safety effects of major environmental and occupational agents.
• Describe genetic, physiologic, and psychosocial factors that affect susceptibility to adverse health outcomes following exposure to environmental hazards.
• Explain the methods for human exposure assessment.
• Identify approaches for assessing, preventing, and controlling environmental hazards that pose risks to human health and safety.
• Explain the general mechanisms of toxicity in eliciting a toxic response to various environmental exposures.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Analyse equity in health outcomes from a social determinants of health approach.
• Describe the role of social and community factors in the onset and solution of public health problems.
• Describe multiple targets and levels of intervention for social and behavioural science programmes.
• Outline the key steps and procedures for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of public health programmes and interventions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• Outline health research problems, purpose and/or objectives, methodology and literature review in either a research proposal, narrative literature review, circumscribed study, a policy analysis or a strategic plan.

Integrated Assessment

Formative assessment is done at a modular level and modules use a variety of assessment strategies including individual assignments, group work, tests etc.

Summative assessment is in the format of an overarching research report that either describes a problem in context (narrative literature review) or a plan to explore a problem of public health interest (research proposal) or a limited circumscribed study, or a policy analysis or a strategic plan.