Master of Public Health

The Master of Public Health aims to build public health capacity via public health education through:

• the provision of a multi-disciplinary Master of Public Health degree by public health specialisation coursework and minor thesis or project
• ensuring that graduates have a broad-based understanding of the determinants of health in populations
• contributing to the development and vigour of the greater public health community
• equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain and improve existing health promoting environments
• the training, retraining and enhancing the skills of health professionals to meet public health workforce needs
• carrying out research to identify public health priorities and generating initiatives for policy and action
• developing strategies to equip graduates to ensure equity in the health system and interventions to promote the health of disadvantaged groups
• developing understanding of health issues and contribute to the improvement of public health research capability worldwide
• instilling in students the rigorous standards required for excellence in research, and
• creating an environment which will attract and retain quality teaching and research staff.

On completion of the Master of Public Health, graduates will be able to:

• Identify the scope, role and functions of public health in relation to the health system, other sectors and to society
• Understand health system structures
• Develop a broad understanding of the determinants of, and influences on, the health status of populations
• Identify the political and institutional context of population health
• Be familiar with the legal and ethical bases for public health and health services
• Understand the drivers of health system change including regulatory systems, public health and other health networks, and other institutional and political influences
• Identify the role of cultural, social, and behavioural factors in determining the delivery of public health services
• Critically reflect on their own social, cultural and professional standpoint and the implications for their own public health practice in relation to other social groups
• Understand statistical inference, precision and the principles of hypothesis testing
• Develop skills in data presentation
• Understand the methods of qualitative inquiry
• Understand the basic principles and concepts of descriptive epidemiology
• Understand the principles of disease causation including the contribution of the biological, environmental, behavioural, social and cultural determinants of health
• Understand methods and theories for the prevention and control of disease
• Understand the principles of health promotion for an individual, community or organisation
• Identify and apply appropriate methods to interpret evidence for policy, programming, evaluation and management.
• Have the capacity to set priorities and develop policy
• Apply the principles and processes of program planning and management
• Apply the principles of health promotion using theory and evidence to develop implement and evaluate health promotion strategies
• Understand the principles of advocacy, lobbying, and capacity building to develop intersectoral public health action
• Be able to develop and adapt approaches to problems that take into account the cultural, physical and socio-economic aspects of gender, social, religious, geographical and ethnic (particularly Aboriginal) health issues
• Have the capacity to develop critical and supportive professional relationships to enable reflexivity in own and others public health practice with diverse social groups.

MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH SPECIALISATIONS

CONSORTIUM SUBJECTS

All students MUST complete a minimum of FOUR Victorian Consortium of Public Health Subjects which must include the two CORE subjects 505-101 Statistics and 505-102 Epidemiology. Students intending to specialise in Epidemiology and Biostatistics should take 505-969 Epidemiology and Analytic Methods 1 and 505-970 Epidemiology and Analytic Methods 2 in place of 505-101 and 505-102 to ensure they have the computer skills to articulate with advanced elective subjects in this stream. 505-969 and 505-970 are not Consortium subjects but have been approved as appropriate alerternatives for the Epidemioloy and Biostatistics stream only.

GROUP 1 ELECTIVES

Students must take at least six 12.5 point elective subjects (75 points) at 500 level, in addition to the research report (25 points), to ensure they complete 100 points at Masters level to meet the University’s Masters requirements. Choices must be approved by the MPH course coordinator.

Group 1 subjects are generally taught by the Melbourne School of Population Health and in limited instances by other departments. Please note that not all Group 1 subjects are listed in the Specialisation outlines. Students are advised to discuss their possible elective options with their Course/Stream Coordinator before making a final decision.

GROUP 2 ELECTIVES

Group 2 subjects are taught by departments external to the School of Population Health either within the University of Melbourne, or at another university. You may elect to take UP TO TWO Group 2 Elective Subjects.

Detailed information on how to apply and enrol in Group 2 subjects taught outside the University of Melbourne (Cross Institutional) is available online from the School's website. For further advice contact the Academic Program Office.

Please note that not all Group 2 subjects that can be taken appear in the MPH Specialisations listed above. Students are advised to discuss their possible elective options with their Course/Stream Coordinator before making a final decision.

The research project is compulsory and allows students to consolidate their MPH studies in a particular discipline(s). Some research projects have pre-requisites and/or recommended subjects to help guide course planning. These subjects are offered in two consecutive semesters i.e. Semester 1 and 2 or 2 and 1. All students should consult with the MPH coordinator early in their enrolment to identify possible research project topics and supervisors.

200 Point Program
• a non-health related degree (or equivalent) and a minimum of two years' work experience in a health related field OR
• a health related degree (or equivalent) with no health related experience.

175 Point Program (25 Credit Points Advanced Standing)
• A health-related degree (or equivalent) and a minimum of two years' health-related work experience

150 Point Program (50 Credit Points Advanced Standing)
• Applicants with both, a health-degree (or equivalent) and a minimum of two years' public health relevant work experience.

Academically excellent:

• have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship
• have in-depth knowledge of their specialist discipline(s)
• reach a high level of achievement in writing, generic research activities, problem-solving and communication
• be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning
• be adept at learning in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies

Knowledgeable across disciplines:

• examine critically, synthesise and evaluate knowledge across a broad range of disciplines
• expand their analytical and cognitive skills through learning experiences in diverse subjects
• have the capacity to participate fully in collaborative learning and to confront unfamiliar problems
• have a set of flexible and transferable skills for different types of employment

Leaders in communities:

• initiate and implement constructive change in their communities, including professions and workplaces
• have excellent interpersonal and decision-making skills, including an awareness of personal strengths and limitations
• mentor future generations of learners
• engage in meaningful public discourse, with a profound awareness of community needs

Attuned to cultural diversity:

• value different cultures
• be well-informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work
• have an understanding of the social and cultural diversity in our community
• respect indigenous knowledge, cultures and values

Active global citizens:

• accept social and civic responsibilities
• be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment
• have a broad global understanding, with a high regard for human rights, equity and ethics

• Identify the political and institutional context of population health
• Be familiar with the legal and ethical bases for public health and health services
• Understand the drivers of health system change including regulatory systems, public health and other health networks, and other institutional and political influences
• Identify the role of cultural, social, and behavioural factors in determining the delivery of public health services
• Critically reflects on own social, cultural and professional standpoint and implications for own public health practice in relation to other social groups
• Develop skills in data presentation and written and oral communication.
• Understand the methods of qualitative inquiry
• Have the capacity to prioritise and develop policy
• Apply the principles and processes of program planning and management
• Apply the principles of health promotion using theory and evidence to develop implement and evaluate health promotion strategies
• Understand the principles of advocacy, lobbying, and capacity building to develop intersectoral public health action
• Be able to develop and adapt approaches to problems that take into account the cultural, physical and socio-economic aspects of gender, social, religious, geographical and ethnic (particularly Aboriginal) health issues
• Have the capacity to develop critical and supportive professional relationships to enable reflexivity in own and others public health practice with diverse social groups.