The intensive curriculum emphasizes basic public
health sciences, essential managerial and analytical
skills including project planning and evaluation,
epidemiological investigations, health systems analysis
and research, reproductive and child health, environmental
and occupational health, disease control, and effective
communication and leadership. It adopts a discipline-based
approach to address the core competencies (see Annex
7).
The 24-month curriculum is organized around a guiding
framework, which first provides students a conceptual
overview of the diverse profession of public health
and team-oriented approach to professional practice
as well as a six-month practicum.
The courses are taught in either a concurrent
or modular manner to build upon and integrate with
each other. The first semester curriculum provides
exposure to the breadth of public health disciplines.
The second semester curriculum provides advanced
training in key methodological and programmatic
disciplines which continues into the third semester,
along with electives and a student-directed thesis.
The Dissertation integrates public health knowledge,
skills, and methods in a professionally and personally
relevant practice context. Elective courses are
offered only during the third semester if minimally
eight participants enrol for a course. New credited
courses will be subsequently introduced on a need-and-demand
basis in the coming years.
Students are encouraged to become involved in the
institutional research, e.g. HSA’s Field Demonstration
Area provides an opportunity for supervised, mentored
practical experiences while addressing the health
needs of Pakistan and its surrounding region.
In the fourth semester the students proceed to
their respective workplace and apply the skills
that they learnt in the first three semesters. The
immediate supervisor’s/mentor’s appraisal
will be submitted at the end of the semester.
3.1 Programme Duration,
Credits and Medium of Instruction
The MSPH degree programme extends up to twenty four
(24) months comprising four semesters. The first
three semesters are dedicated to course work and
dissertation culminating in end of semester examination
in all three semesters. All semesters are followed
by semester break of up to four weeks’ duration.
In the third semester all students have to conduct
a field project leading to a dissertation. In the
fourth semester every student has to carry out an
practicum (on-the-job assignment) and submit a short
written report and an appraisal from the immediate
supervisor/mentor.
The total programme consists of 60 credits. One
credit is equivalent to 16-18 hours of formal teaching/contact
hours or 48-54 hours of practical fieldwork. Practical
fieldwork is defined as consisting of individual
fieldwork, group fieldwork, field visits, individual
assignments and class exercises.
English is the medium of instruction and examination
for the MSPH programme.
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