2. Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) Programme
The Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) offered by the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad and
administered by the Health Services Academy (HSA), Islamabad, is a twenty four months post-graduate
degree programme.
2.1 Goal of the MSPH Programme
The MSPH programme offered by HSA aims to improve the health status of the population, which is to be
achieved by providing public health and health care professionals with a high quality postgraduate training
programme in public health sciences.
2.2 Objectives of the MSPH Programme
The graduates of the MSPH programme are prepared to:
1.
Solve health-related problems within the financial, socio-cultural, environmental and political
framework of Pakistan and its surrounding region.
2.
Design, conduct, analyse and interpret the results of relevant studies, projects and programmes.
3.
Initiate, plan, manage, monitor and evaluate interventions in the field of public health.
4.
Communicate public health messages to diverse audience effectively.
5.
Advocate sound public health policies and practices.
The Master of Science programme at HSA provides experienced professionals with a thorough grounding
in population-based approaches to health sector problem identification, investigation, analysis and
managed response.
2.3 Programme Organisation and Structure
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.
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
