Indigenous Health

The Indigenous Health Specialization of the MPH provides students with the knowledge and skills to take a leadership role in Indigenous health and increase their effectiveness in the implementation of policies aimed at addressing the Gap (between Indigenous health status and that of the broader Australian population). It will provide the rapidly expanding workforce in Indigenous public health with specialist knowledge aligned with their work. The specialisation is built around three themes: 1. Understanding the Gap in health status through developing an insight into contemporary Indigenous health status and the historical antecedents shaping contemporary social determinants; 2. Shaping the Response by providing students with a choice of specialist knowledge in Indigenous health policy, leadership and management, or research; and 3. Closing the Gap by providing students with an understanding of critical areas of Indigenous health intervention in Indigenous contexts.

In addition to the elective units offered at the University of Melbourne outlined in the subject list, there are three electives available, of which students may undertake up to two units, through a cross-institutional enrolment at the University of Queensland.

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Standard 200 Point Program (no Advanced Standing):

FIVE core subjects and TEN elective subjects and the Capstone Selective POPH90227 Public Health in Practice OR
FIVE core subjects, NINE elective subjects and either a Research Project or Professional Practice unit

Students granted 25 Credit Points Advanced Standing:

FIVE core subjects and EIGHT elective subjects and the Capstone Selective POPH90227 Public Health in Practice OR
FIVE core subjects, SEVEN elective subjects and either a Research Project or Professional Practice unit

Students granted 50 Credit Points Advanced Standing:

FOUR core subjects and SEVEN elective subjects and the Capstone Selective POPH90227 Public Health in Practice OR
FOUR core subjects and EIGHT elective subjects and either a Research Project or Professional Practice unit

Core Subjects

Students must complete POPH90217 unless they have been granted 50 points Advanced Standing or an exemption has been granted.

Highly Recommended Electives

Other Recommended Electives

TWO of the following subjects may be taken as a cross institutional enrolment with the University of Queensland. Please refer to the University’s website www.sph.uq.edu.au for detailed information on these subjects:

INDH7002 Issues in Indigenous Health
INDH7001 Substance Use and Misuse Among Indigenous People
INDH7004 Indigenous Health Policy

Pre-requisite Subjects for the Research Project Option

Research Project

Students may apply to enrol in a Research Project in Indigenous Health. Students entering the Master of Public Health from 2011 must have a weighted average mark of at least 70% for all relevant subjects to be eligible to enrol in the research project. Successful research project applicants will be selected on the basis of academic merit.

Those students who do undertake (or are currently enrolled in) the Research Project please note the following important information:

• Students who have already completed one semester of their Research Project will be completing their project over two semester’s (12.5 points per semester) so please enroll in the remaining semester.
• Students who have not commenced their Research Project have the option of applying to enrol in a year-long research project or a semester-long research project.