MPH Public Health (International)12-month duration

Year 1

(Award available for year: Master of Public Health)

Learning outcomes

On completion of the programme students should have provided evidence of being able to:
- demonstrate in-depth, specialist knowledge and mastery of techniques and a sophisticated understanding of concepts, information and techniques relevant to public health international;
- exhibit mastery in the exercise of generic and public health international-specific intellectual abilities;
- demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of techniques applicable to their own research;
- take a proactive and self-reflective role in working and to develop professional relationships with others;
- proactively formulate ideas and hypotheses and develop, implement and execute plans by which to evaluate these;
- critically and creatively evaluate current issues, research and advanced scholarship in public health international;
- use epidemiological/statistical and qualitative research skills to analyse health needs and trends;
- analyse principles, models, and functions of management and leadership including planning, organizing, staffing, directing, monitoring and supervision, and decision making in the context of health and health care system;
- appraise different strategies for control of priority health problems and the development of relevant health services in order to select the most appropriate based on explicit criteria;
- design coherent programmes and prepare action plans for implementation of programmes including the management of resources;
- critically evaluate health, health care and organisational systems;
- discuss current issues in health policy and those related to improving quality, access, affordability and acceptability of health services;
- propose and evaluate research proposals which focus on priority problems in health;
- establish a clear conceptual understanding of the work required for a dissertation, perform a problem analysis and
- undertake a literature review;
- analyse the effects of factors such as gender, poverty and social inclusion, principles of good governance, and professional ethics in the delivery of healthcare;
- integrate respect and value for the cultural diversity, regional, global and intersectoral cooperation for the development of comprehensive initiatives that result in improved health care and status for populations;
- apply in a critical and informed way the basic conceptual, technical and methodological elements to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate health programmes towards guaranteeing either equality or equity and the basic right to health;
- build upon the concepts and methodologies developed during the programme through completion of a dissertation/project.

Transferable (key) skills

Masters (taught), Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate students will have had the opportunity to acquire the following abilities, as defined in the modules specified for the programme:
- Formulation of essential skills for postgraduate level study including literature searching, critical reading, group-working, assignment planning, data presentation and IT skills within a structured framework with particular emphasis on the challenges facing those returning to study;
- Obtainment of a capacity to evaluate their own achievement and that of others;
- Employment of self-direction and effective decision making in complex and unpredictable situations;
- Increased capacity of independent learning and the ability to work in a way which ensures continuing professional development;
- Enhanced ability to communicate effectively both in writing and orally to an appropriate audience;
- Formulation of the ability to engage critically in the development of professional/disciplinary boundaries and norms;
- Ability to undertake a higher research degree and/or employment in a higher capacity in professional practice.

Assessment

Achievement for the degree of Master (taught programme) will be assessed by a variety of methods in accordance with the learning outcomes of the modules specified for the year/programme and will include:
- evidencing an ability to conduct independent in-depth enquiry within the discipline;
- demonstrating the ability to apply breadth and/or depth of knowledge to a complex specialist area;
- drawing on a range of perspectives on an area of study;
- evaluating and criticising received opinion;
- making reasoned judgements whilst understanding the limitations on judgements made in the absence of complete data.