Graduate Diploma in International Health

The Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine offers this course in collaboration with the Michael Kirby Centre for Public Health and Human Rights in the department and the Centre for International Health of the MacFarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health. Course content is in part based on actual field experiences gained by the MacFarlane Burnet Institute in their wide range of health development projects in more than 20 countries in Asia, the Pacific and Africa.

The course provides the skills necessary to design, implement, and evaluate the relevant programs that address the major public health priorities of communities in developing countries. Public health issues are presented in the broader context of economic and social development, stressing cultural, political, gender and environmental influences, as well as the impact of armed conflict and population migration.

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 8, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 8, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/alignmentofoutcomes.html).

On completion of the course, students will be able to:

• demonstrate a detailed understanding of the principles of primary health care
• analyse the economic, political, cultural, social and gender determinants of public health in developing country communities
• demonstrate a familiarity with the basic elements of health program design, implementation and evaluation
• develop appropriate health program management tools, including situational analysis, population surveys, behavioural studies, health information systems, operations research and participatory evaluation
• understand the special factors associated with the health of women and the children and the dynamics of population growth
• investigate, manage, prevent, and control endemic and epidemic communicable diseases of public health importance in developing countries
• demonstrate a familiarity with the emerging health problems related to urbanisation, industrialisation, behavioural and environmental design
• develop community-based health promotion strategies to address health problems related to communicable, chronic and nutritional diseases and injuries
• demonstrate an adequate understanding of the special circumstances and actions required in an acute disaster setting, including a refugee emergency
• demonstrate an understanding of the interaction between human rights, ethics, medical practice, health services, the law and health outcomes
• be able to apply an economic analysis to public health problems, health services and prevention programs
• demonstrate an understanding of the ethical issues that arise in the context of international health research
• develop adequate skills in report writing, oral presentations, verbal and visual communications and the basic use of computers.

Assessment

Assessment includes written assignments, examinations, practical exercises, student presentations and class participation.

This course consists of five or six core and four or five elective units. The number of electives required will depend on which core units are completed.

Core units

• MPH5020 Introduction to epidemiology and biostatistics, or MPH5040 Introductory epidemiology and MPH5041 Introductory biostatistics
• MPH5248 Primary health care and global health
• MPH5249 Field methods for global health planning and evaluation
• EPM5023 Ethical issues in international health and research
• MPH5255 Health and human rights

Elective units

Students select four or five units from the lists below.

• ECC5975 Principles issues in health care management
• MPH5250 Women's and children's health: A global perspective
• MPH5251 Infectious diseases and global health
• MPH5253 Public health in refugee settings
• MPH5254 Nutrition in developing countries
• MPH5255 Health and human rights
• MPH5258 Effective responses to HIV in developing countries
• MPH5282 Health communications and training
• MPH5287 Alcohol and other drugs in society: A national and global perspective

This course articulates with 3874 Master of International Health or can lead to 0046 Master of Public Health.