Master of Public Health

Semester 1

Course code

Credits

Semester 2

Course code

Credits

First year NQF 9

Issues in Public Health within an African Context

ISP111E

15

Public Health Governance and Legislation

PUG800E

15

Public Health Policy Management

PUP800E

15

Research Methodology

REM800E

30

Second year NQF 9

Mini Dissertation

MIN821E

120

Health Systems

HSM811E

15

Operations Management

HSM812E

15

Public Financial Management Health

Or

Public Human Resources Management

HSM813E

HSM814E           

15

15

OR

Epidemiology

HRS811E

15

Monitoring and Evaluation

HRS812E

15

Biostatistics

HRS813E

15

SP111E:

Issues in Public Health within an African Context

Purpose:

To develop insight into the concepts and values underlying public health and health equity and to relate these concepts to tackling health inequalities within the African context.

Content:

Public Health and Development Concepts; History of Public health; Health; Equity; Exploring policy implications

Contacts hours:

82.5

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite:

None

Credits:

15

Co-requisite:

None

PUG800E:

Public Health Governance and Legislation

Purpose:

To introduce the learner to cooperative and participative governance that enables them to work optimally to deliver excellent service within the District and National Health Service.

Content:

Legislative framework, right to health care, governance model for health service, inter-governmental relations and lobbying and advocacy.

Contacts hours:

137.5 notional hours

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite:

None

Credits:

15

Co-requisite:

None

Practical Work:

Exercises, computer practical, workplace learning.

PUP800E:

Health Policy Management

Purpose:

To introduce the learner to cooperative and participative governance that enables them to work optimally to deliver excellent service within the District and National Health Service.

Content:

Legislative framework, public legislative framework in South Africa and in post-colonial Africa; ways in which legislation impacts equity and access to public health and health service delivery; Right to health care: health as a human right; health as a socio-economic right; equity and public health; rights of vulnerable and previously disadvantaged groups; the notion of public interest vs individual rights; role of government– enabling and restricting rights; Governance model for health service: the structural components of the health governance system in South Africa; Intergovernmental relations: approaches to government relations, social, political, economic, institutional and extra- governmental relations; concept of power in government relations: mandate agency; partnership; Lobbying and advocacy: a ten step process of lobbying and advocacy; stakeholder mobilization identification, profiling, engagement and capacity building.

Contacts hours:

137.5 notional hours

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite:

None

Credits:

15

Practical Work:

Exercises, computer practical, workplace learning.

REM800E:

Research Methodology

Purpose:

After completion of this module the student will be familiar with the nature, types and uses of both quantitative and qualitative research methods in public health, and be able to write a research proposal which forms the basis of the mini-dissertation.

Content:

The research process; quantitative research methods, qualitative research methods, biostatistics, research proposal writing; research report.

Contacts hours:

165 notional hours

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite:

None

Credits:

30

Practical Work:

Exercises, computer practical, workplace learning.

MIN821E:

Mini Dissertation

Purpose:

After completion of this module the student will have conducted either an intervention or a (qualitative or quantitative) research project and communicate the results in the form of an article of publishable standard.

Content:

Carrying out a pre-test or pilot study, sampling, data collection, data management, data analysis and writing the research report.

Contacts hours:

97.5 notional hours

Examination:

External and internal examination of mini-dissertation

Pre-requisite:

Research Methodology

Credits:

120

Co-requisite(s):

Core and track modules: MPH programme

Practical Work:

Conducting a research project

HSM811E:

Health Systems

Purpose:

To develop insight into the concepts and values underlying public health and health equity and to relate these concepts to tackling health inequalities within the African context.

Content:

Public Health and Development Concepts, History of Public health, Health Equity and Exploring policy implications

Contacts hours:

82.5 notional hours

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite (s):

Core modules

Credits:

15

Co-requisite(s):

Operations Management

Practical Work:

None

HSM812E:

Operations Management

Purpose:

This module is a compulsory track module and will serve to acquaint learners with the nature, scope, and conceptual component of operations management in the public health setting. It equips the student with theoretical knowledge and practical managerial and supervisory skills for the professional arena. Emphasis is placed on understanding real world operations management, in general, and in the Public Health sector, in particular as well as role of marketing in healthcare system in South Africa; analyses of health care market; healthcare market mix; implementing and controlling market effort.

Content:

Decision-making, work systems and measurement, planning, operations scheduling, facilities, inventory Management, Physical and Capital Assets Management, Waste Management and Quality Assurance; role of marketing in healthcare, analysis of healthcare market, and healthcare market mix.

Contacts hours:

137.5 notional hours

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite (s):

Core modules

Credits:

15

Co-requisite(s):

None

Practical Work:

Exercises, computer practicals, workplace learning.

HSM813E:

Public Financial Management Health

Purpose:

This module introduces basic concepts, key issues and the principles of the Public Financial Management Act (PFMA) and related legislation by focusing on current best practice.

Content:

Health Care Financing, Sources of Health Care Financing, National Health Accounts, benefit incidence, public private mix, budget principles of Government, Budgeting and Expenditure Reviews, annual financial statements, financial misconducts, supply chain management and BAS.

Contacts hours:

137.5 notional hours

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite (s):

None

Credits:

15

Practical Work:

Exercises, computer practicals, workplace learning.

HSM814E:

Public Human Resources Management

Purpose:

The purpose of this module is to provide the learner with an overview of People (Human Resource) Management, providing some context for the South African Health environment.

Content:

The Manager’s Role as ‘HR Manager’, Performance Measurement and Management, Workforce Planning, Training and Development, Coaching, Diversity Management, Recruitment, Induction and Retention, Team Building and Employee Relations both individual and collective. These topics also cover the areas highlighted by Health Professionals as being the areas of importance & most relevant. This course seeks to empower the learner as manager, to effect their role in managing people.

Contacts hours:

137.5 notional hours

Assessment:

Portfolio of Evidence.

Pre-requisite(s):

Health Research

Credits:

15

Practical Work:

Exercises, computer practicals, workplace learning.

HRS811E:

Epidemiology

Purpose:

After completion of this module the student will be familiar with infectious diseases epidemiology (outbreak investigations and surveillance), epidemiological study designs and measures of frequency and association. Furthermore, students will be able to critically appraise epidemiological studies (including randomized controlled trials).

Content:

Investigating and outbreak; evaluating a surveillance system; principles of surveillance; measures of frequency and association; evaluation of tests; criterion- related validity; critical appraisal of epidemiological studies; evidence-based practice; methodological quality assessment; literature search.

Contacts hours:

137.5 notional hours

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite(s):

Research Methodology

Credits:

15

Practical Work:

Exercises, computer practicals, workplace learning.

HRS812E:

Monitoring and Evaluation

Purpose:

After completion of this module the student will be able to use the strategies and techniques for monitoring and evaluation projects; assess the adequacy of program evaluations conducted; develop a monitoring and evaluation plan; and conduct an evaluation of a limited scale public health programme.

Content:

Introduction to monitoring and evaluation; program goals and conceptual frameworks; indicators; overview of data collection methods; program monitoring; evaluation design; evaluation tools; analyzing data; reporting results.

Contacts hours:

137.5 notional hours

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite(s):

None

Credits:

15

Practical Work:

Exercises, computer practicals, workplace learning.

HRS813E:

Biostatistics

Purpose:

After completion of this module the student will be able to understand the statistical methods employed in research papers, their rationale, interpretation and appropriateness. Furthermore, students will be able to conduct the statistical analyses of a basic epidemiological study.

Content:

Data, frequencies, and distributions; estimation and significance tests; comparing means; preparing data-analysis; data-management in SPSS; analyses of qualitative data; correlation and regression.

Contacts hours:

137.5 notional hours

Assessment:

Continuous assessment through participation in class, short assignments and presentations; summative assessment; portfolio and examination.

Pre-requisite:

Epidemiology

Credits:

15

Co-requisite(s):

Research Methodology, Advanced Epidemiology

Practical Work:

Exercises, computer practicals, workplace learning.