This course entry should be read in conjunction with information provided in the 'Faculty information' section of this Handbook by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Description
Monash's Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine offers this course in collaboration with Deakin, La Trobe and Melbourne universities, as part of the Victorian Consortium for Public Health.
The course provides the full range of quantitative, analytical and communication skills necessary to work in the broad domain of public health. It also provides skills in the quantitative methods of the population-based health sciences and their problem-solving application for primary care provision within Australia and developing countries. Health specialisation streams are offered in clinical epidemiology, environmental health, health economics, health services management, international health, occupational health and research.
Objectives
On completion of this course students should be able to:
- critically appraise quantitative papers published in the epidemiological and public health literature
- demonstrate an understanding of the historical, social, political and industrial relations context of public health within Australian society
- demonstrate an understanding of the health care system in Australia
- assess the influence of environmental factors on health and effectively communicate the risks to health of such factors
- develop public health policy, health promotion and planning strategies to reduce the impact of health problems within the community, and conduct an economic evaluation of these programs.
Assessment
Assessment includes web-based tasks, written exercises, assignments, examinations, presentations, class participation, web based tasks and supervised research projects (where relevant).
Structure
This course is comprised of 12 units: two part one and ten part two units. Part one is comprised of two core units. Part two is comprised of one core unit specific to the stream being undertaken, plus nine units from the various health specialisation stream coursework or research options. The options are:
(a.) 10 units (coursework only option) (including up to three MPH Consortium units)
(b.) eight units (including up to three MPH Consortium units) plus a minor research project in the student's area of specialisation (equivalent to two units ie 12 points)
(c.) six units (including up to three MPH Consortium units) plus a major research project (students select the research specialisation) (equivalent to four units ie 24 points).
Requirements
Part one
Core units
- MPH1040 Introductory epidemiology, or MPH1030 Epidemiology and demography
- MPH1041 Introductory biostatistics, or MPH1031 Introductory statistics
Part two
Clinical epidemiology and clinical research specialisation
Core units
- MPH2013 Research methods
- MPH2036 Clinical trials
- MPH2037 Clinical measurement
- MPH2039 Meta analysis and systematic reviews
- MPH2077 Data management and comupting
- MPH2083 Ethics, good research practice and practical research skills
Elective units
Select four from:
Recommended elective units
- MPH2000 Regression methods for epidemiology
- MPH2002 Clinical epidemiology
- MPH2070 Advanced statistical methods for clinical research
Other electives
Other DEPM units
- MPH2018 Infectious diseases: epidemiology and prevention
- MPH2056 Injury epidemiology and prevention
- MPH2060 Policy strategy for disease prevention and health promotion
- MPH postgraduate units
- minor project (8000 - 10,000 words)
Other Consortium units
Up to three of:
- MPH1003 Environmental influences on health
- MPH1016 Health promotion, or MPH2082 Communications and training
- MPH2025 Principles and practices of public health
- MPH2031 Public health policy, or MPH2069 Health systems policy
- MPH2034 Sociological and cultural perspectives in public health
- MPH2035 Health economics and program evaluation
Health economics specialisation (not available to international students)
Core units
- ECX9700 Introduction to health economics
- ECX9730 Economic evaluatjion in health care
- ECX9741 Applied Health economics and and health policy
- MPH2013 Research methods
Elective units
Select six of:
Recommended elective units
- ECX9120 Introduction to microeconomics theory and practice
- ECX9710 Pharmaceutical economics
- ECX9750 Principles of health economics in developing countries
- MPH2068 Financial issues in health care management
Other electives
Other DEPM units
- selected from MPH postgraduate units
MPH Consortium units
Up to three of:
- MPH1003 Environmental Influences on health
- MPH1016 Health promotion, or MPH2082 Communications and Training
- MPH2025 Principles and practice of public health
- MPH2034 Social and cultural perspectives in public health
Health services management specialisation
Core units
- MPH2013 Research methods
- MPH2066 Clinical leadership and management
- MPH2067 Principles of health care quality improvement
Elective units
Select seven of:
Recommended elective units
- MPH2065 Law for health systems
- MPH2068 Financial issues in health care management
- MPH2069 Health systems policy
- MPH2072 Reform and development of health services
- MPH2085 Human factors for patient safety
- MPH2086 Applying and practicing the principles of patient safety and quality improvement
Other electives
Other DEPM units
- Selected from MPH postgraduate units
MPH Consortium units
Up to three of:
- ECX9700 Introduction to health economics, or MPH2035 Health economics and program evaluation
- MPH1003 Environmental Influences on health
- MPH1016 Health promotion, or MPH2082 Communications and Training
- MPH2025 Principles and practice of public health
- MPH2034 Social and cultural perspectives in public health
International health specialisation
Core units
- MPH2048 Primary health care in developing countries
- MPH2049 Field methods for international health planning and evaluation
Elective units
Select eight of:
Recommended elective units
- MPH2050 Health of women and children in developing countries
- MPH2051 Communicable diseases control in developing countries
- MPH2053 Public health in refugee settings
- MPH2054 Nutritional issues in developing countries
- MPH2055 Health ethics and human rights
- MPH2057 Aboriginal health
- MPH2058 Managing community-based HIV programs in developing countries
- MPH2082 Health communication and training
Other electives
Other DEPM units
- selected from MPH postgraduate units
- minor project (8000-10,000 words)
Melbourne University units
- 505-691 International adolescent health
- 505-692 Disability in developing countries
MPH Consortium units
Up to three of:
- MPH1003 Environmental Influences on health
- MPH2031 Public health policy, or MPH2069 Health systems policy
- MPH2025 Principles and practice of public health
- MPH2034 Social and cultural perspectives in public health
- MPH2035 Health economics and program evaluation
Occupational health specialisation
Core units
- MPH2013 Research methods
- MPH2022 Assessment and control of workplace hazards
- MPH2041 Introduction to occupational health and safety
Elective units
Select seven of:
Recommended elective units
- MPH2042 Psychosocial work environment
- MPH2043 Chemical and biological hazards
- MPH2044 Ergonomic and physical hazards
- MPH2045 Environmental health risk assessment and management
- MPH2056 Injury epidemiology and prevention
- MPH2076 Safety management systems
- MPH2084 Critical appraisal of occupational health and safety information
Other electives
Other DEPM units
- selected from MPH postgraduate units
- minor project (8000-10,000 words)
MPH Consortium units
Up to three of:
- MPH1003 Environmental influences on health
- MPH1016 Health promotion, or MPH2082 Communications and training
- MPH2025 Principles and practice of public health
- MPH2031 Public health policy, or MPH2069 Health systems policy
- MPH2034 Social and cultural perspectives in public health
- MPH2035 Health economics and program evaluation
General specialisation
Core unit
Elective units
Select nine of:
Recommended elective units
- selected from DEPM MPH postgraduate units
Other electives
- HSC5002 Health promotion: A determinants approach
- HSC5012 Strategies for health promotion
- HSC5022 Evaluation in health promotion
- HSC5031 Health promotion program planning
MPH Consortium units
Up to three of:
- MPH1003 Environmental influences on health
- MPH1016 Health promotion, or MPH2082 Communications and training
- MPH2025 Principles and practice of public health
- MPH2031 Public health policy, or MPH2069 Health systems policy
- MPH2034 Social and cultural perspectives in public health
- MPH2035 Health economics and program evaluation
Research specialisation
- Prerequisites: Students must have achieved a distinction (70 per cent) average in units MPH1030 and MPH1031 or MPH1040 and MPH1041. Consultation with the course coordinator is required prior to enrolment into the research stream.
- Recommended: Distinction (70 per cent) average in the units MPH2013 or MPH2049.
Core units - major research project
- MPH2013 Research methods
- major research project in one of the above health specialisation streams (12,000-15,000 words)
Elective units
Select five of:
Recommended elective units
- DEPM MPH postgraduate units
Other electives
- MPH1003 Environmental influences on health
- MPH1016 Health promotion, or MPH2082 Communications and training
- MPH2025 Principles and practices of public health
- MPH2031 Public health policy, or MPH2069 Health systems policy
- MPH2034 Sociological and cultural perspectives in public health
- MPH2035 Health economics and program evaluation
Progression to further studies
Students who complete the Master of Public Health clinical epidemiology stream, minor research project stream or major research project stream and achieve a distinction (70 per cent) average assessement, may qualify for admission into higher degrees by research (HDR) including the Master of Philosophy and PhD among others.
Award(s)
