Master of Public Health

This course, offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, 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 research methods, health economics, disease prevention and health promotion, health services management, international health, occupational and environmental health and research.

This course is flexible by design with units taught in on-campus, online or block mode and allows students to modify their specialisation during their studies.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 9, the Bologna Cycle 2 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that,through MPH core units of epidemiology, biostatistics and research methods and depending on the health specialisation stream and elective units undertaken, graduates will be able to:

• apply public health related knowledge and skills to address a range of public health problems
• apply epidemiological and biostatistical knowledge and skills in public health practice
• apply research methods to a variety of public health problems
• demonstrate an understanding of principles of good research practice and of ethical issues in public health
• critically appraise quantitative papers published in the epidemiological and public health literature
• discuss the historical,social and political context of public health in Australian society
• describe the health care system in Australia
• demonstrate an understanding of global public health issues
• assess the influence of environmental and occupational factors on health
• effectively communicate the risks to health of environmental factors
• develop public health policy to reduce the impact of health problems within the community
• design and manage health promotion strategies to reduce the impact of health problems in the community
• develop planning strategies to reduce the impact of health problems in the community
• conduct an evaluation of public health programs
• describe and apply health economic principles and methods
• develop and apply skills in a public health management and/or leadership role.

Assessment

Assessment includes web-based tasks, written exercises, assignments, examinations, presentations, class participation and supervised research projects (where relevant).

The course consists of three core units (18 points) and 54 points of elective units which can be completed in one of three ways:

• with a general specialisation
• with a research specialisation
• with a designated specialisation involving core and/or elective units.

Core units

All students must complete:

• MPH5040 Introductory epidemiology
• MPH5041 Introductory biostatistics

Specialisations

Clinical epidemiology and clinical research

Core units

• MPH5213 Research methods
• MPH5236 Clinical trials
• MPH5237 Clinical measurement
• MPH5239 Systematic reviews and meta-analysis
• MPH5283 Ethics, good research practice and practical research skills

Electives

Select five from:

• MAP4200 Improving Indigenous equity in professional practice
• MPH5200 Regression methods for epidemiology*
• MPH5202 Clinical epidemiology*
• MPH5207 Chronic disease: Epidemiology and prevention
• MPH5218 Infectious diseases: Epidemiology and prevention
• MPH5256 Injury epidemiology and prevention**
• MPH5270 Advanced statistical methods for clinical research*
• any approved postgraduate unit (except units MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5314; EPM5001-EPM5015) offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
• 12 credit point project, units: MPH5231 Research design and project proposal and MPH5232 Research conduct, analysis, write-up and submission (7,000 - 8,000 words)*** (project coordinator's approval required.)
• MPH-codedMPH-coded (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/index-bycode-m.html) postgraduate units except MPH5020.

* Recommended elective units.

** Not offered in 2016.

*** Note: Prerequisites and corequisites required - see 'Research' specialisation.

Health economics

This specialisation is not available to international students.

Core units

• ECC5970 Introduction to health economics
• ECC5973 Economic evaluation in health care
• ECC5974 Applied health economics and health policy
• MPH5213 Research methods

Electives

Select six from:

• ECC5971 Pharmaceutical economics*
• ECC5975 Principles of health economics for developing countries*
• MPH5268 Financial issues in health care management*
• any approved postgraduate unit (except units MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5314; EPM5001-EPM5015) offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
• MPH-coded postgraduate unitsMPH-coded postgraduate units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/index-bycode-m.html) (except MPH5020)

* Recommended elective units.

Disease prevention and health promotion

Core units

• HSC5002 Foundations of health promotion and program planning
• HSC5022 Evaluating public health programs
• MPH5207 Chronic disease: Epidemiology and prevention
• MPH5213 Research methods

Electives

Select six from:

• MAP4200 Improving Indigenous equity in professional practice
• MPH5042 Climate change and public health*
• MPH5218 Infectious diseases: Epidemiology and prevention*
• MPH5255 Health and human rights*
• MPH5269 Foundations of health policy*
• MPH5256 Injury epidemiology and prevention*
• MPH5282 Health communication and training*
• MPH5231 Research design and project proposal and MPH5232 Research conduct, analysis, write-up and submission (7,000 - 8,000 words)** (project coordinator's approval required)
• any approved postgraduate unit (except units MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5314; EPM5001-EPM5015) offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
• MPH-coded postgraduate unitsMPH-coded postgraduate units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/index-bycode-m.html) (except MPH5020)

* Recommended elective units.

** Note: Prerequisites and corequisites required - see 'Research' specialisation.

Health services management

Core units

• MPH5213 Research methods
• MPH5266 Clinical leadership and management
• MPH5267 Principles of health care quality improvement

Electives

Select seven from:

• ECC5970 Introduction to health economics*
• MAP4200 Improving indigenous equity in professional practice
• MPH5042 Climate change and public health*
• MPH5265 Law for health systems*
• MPH5268 Financial issues in health care management*
• MPH5269 Foundations of health policy*
• MPH5272 Reform and development of health services*
• MPH5285 Human factors for patient safety*
• MPH5286 Applying and practicing the principles of patient safety and quality improvement*
• any approved postgraduate unit (except units MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5314; EPM5001-EPM5015) offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
• MPH-coded postgraduate unitsMPH-coded postgraduate units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/index-bycode-m.html) (except MPH5020)

* Recommended elective units.

International health

Core units

• MPH5248 Primary health care and global health
• MPH5249 Field methods for global health planning and evaluation
• MPH5255 Health and human rights
• EPM5023 Ethical issues in international health and research

Electives

Select six from:

• ECC5975 Principles of health economics for developing countries
• MAP4200 Improving Indigenous equity in professional practice
• MPH5250 Women's and children's health: A global perspective
• MPH5251 Infectious diseases and global health
• MPH5253 Public health in refugee settings
• MPH5254 Nutritional issues in developing countries
• MPH5256 Injury epidemiology and prevention
• MPH5258 Effective responses to HIV in developing countries
• MPH5269 Foundations of health policy
• MPH5282 Health communication and training
• MPH5287 Alcohol and other drugs in society: A national and global perspective
• MPH5042 Climate change and public health
• MPH5231 Research design and project proposal and MPH5232 Research conduct, analysis, write-up and submission (7,000 - 8,000 words)** (project coordinator's approval required)
• any approved postgraduate unit (except units MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5314; EPM5001-EPM5015) offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
• MPH-coded postgraduate unitsMPH-coded postgraduate units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/index-bycode-m.html) (except MPH5020)

** Note: Prerequisites and corequisites required - see 'Research' specialisation.

Occupational and environmental health

Core units

• MPH5213 Research methods
• MPH5203 Environmental influences on health
• MPH5241 Introduction to occupational health and safety

Electives

Select seven of:

• MPH5222 Assessment and control of workplace hazards*
• MPH5242 Psychosocial work environment*
• MPH5243 Chemical and biological hazards*
• MPH5244 Ergonomic and physical hazards*
• MPH5256 Injury epidemiology and prevention
• MPH5276 Safety management systems*
• MPH5042 Climate change and public health*
• 12 credit point project, units: MPH5231 Research design and project proposal and MPH5232 Research conduct, analysis, write-up and submission (7,000 - 8,000 words)*** (project coordinator's approval required)
• any approved postgraduate unit (except units MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5314; EPM5001-EPM5015) offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
• MPH-coded postgraduate unitsMPH-coded postgraduate units (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/index-bycode-m.html) (except MPH5020) with the permission of the course coordinator

* Recommended elective units.

*** Note: Prerequisites and corequisites required - see 'Research' specialisation.

General

Students must complete:

• MPH5213 Research methods
• nine electives from approved postgraduate unit (except units MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5314; EPM5001-EPM5015) offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Research

The research project requires students to demonstrate their ability to integrate and apply public health theory, principles and practice, and research methods to a specific public health problem or issue. Consultation with the course project coordinator (the research stream coordinator) is required prior to enrolment into the research stream.

In order to be eligible to enrol into the 12 or 24 credit point research project, students must have achieved a Distinction (70-79 per cent) or High Distinction (80-100 per cent) in the following prerequisite units:

• MPH5040 Introductory epidemiology
• MPH5041 Introductory biostatistics

and one of the following units:

• MPH5213 Research methods
• MPH5249 Field methods for global health planning and evaluation

Note: Students enrolled in the 12 credit point research project can undertake unit MPH5213 or MPH5249 whilst enrolled in unit MPH5231.

12 credit point research project - core units

Students must complete:

• MPH5231 Research design and project proposal
• MPH5232 Research conduct, analysis, write-up and submission

24 credit point research project - core units

Students must complete:

• MAP5000 Research in advanced health professional practice
• MAP5010 Advanced health practice research project

Students enrolled in the 24 credit point project who wish to undertake a project involving:

• a quantitative analysis component, must have achieved a Distinction or High Distinction in the prerequisite unit MPH5200 (Regression methods for epidemiology)
• a qualitative research component, must have achieved a Distinction or High Distinction in an approved qualitative research postgraduate unit.

Electives

• any approved postgraduate unit (except units MPH5020; MPH5301-MPH5314; EPM5001-EPM5015) offered by the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine

Students who successfully complete this course may qualify for admission into higher degrees by research including 3438 Master of Philosophy and 0047 Doctor of Philosophy, among others, if they completed one of the following:

• a 12-point or 24-point research project and achieved a minimum High Distinction (80 per cent) in MPH5040, MPH5041 and MPH5213
• the clinical epidemiology and clinical research stream and achieved a minimum High Distinction (80 per cent) average in the following five recommended electives: MPH5213 or MPH5249, MPH5236, MPH5207, MPH5202 and MPH5200.

Refer to the Automatic H1 equivalence procedures - Monash qualificationsAutomatic H1 equivalence procedures - Monash qualifications (http://monash.edu/migr/apply/eligibility/equivalence/h1/) for further information.