Extended Master of Science in Public Health (EMSPH) Programme

The Extended Master of Science in Public Health (EMSPH) offered by the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad and administered by the Health Services Academy (HSA), Islamabad, is a three year postgraduate degree programme. 

Goal of the MSPH/MSPH Evening/EMSPH Programmes
The MSPH/MSPH Evening/EMSPH programmes 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.

Objectives of the MSPH/MSPH Evening/EMSPH Programmes

The objectives of the MSPH/MSPH Evening/EMSPH programmes are to train the graduate:

1. Solve health-related problems within the financial, socio-cultural, environmental and political framework of Pakistan and its surrounding region.

2. Design, conduct, analyze 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 programmes at HSA provide experienced professionals with a thorough grounding in population-based approaches to health sector problem identification, investigation, analysis and managed response. 

Programme Organization 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 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 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 enroll for a course. New credited courses are introduced on a need-and-demand basis. 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. 2.4 MSPH/MSPH Evening Programme Duration, Credits and Medium of Instruction The MSPH degree programme extends up to twenty four (24) months comprising four semesters. The first two semesters are dedicated to course work, culminating in an end-of-semester examination. In the third semester, the examination is held by mid-semester, and the remaining time is to be used to complete student dissertations. During the first three semesters, students are expected to attend all classes at the HSA; however, during the fourth semester, they are expected to return to a job environment and carry out an on-the-job assignment as part of their practicum. 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 a 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. HEAL SERVICES ACADEMY TH In the fourth semester the students of MSPH proceed to their respective workplace and apply the skills that they learnt in the first three semesters. The immediate supervisor's/mentor's appraisal is submitted at the end of the semester.

Semester-wise Distribution for MSPH/MSPH Evening (2 year program)
The distribution of the core and elective courses in the three semesters is given in the following tables

Semester I:Credits 18 (All Core Courses)

Courses	Credits
Foundations of Public Health	1
Basic Epidemiology	3
Basic Biostatistics	3
Introduction to Population Dynamics	1
Computer Applications in Public Health	1
Foundations of Qualitative Research	3
Introduction to Environmental Health	3
Aspects of Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health	1
Health Systems Analysis	2

Semester II: Credits 20(All Core Courses) 

Course	Credits
Research Process Part I	2
Reproductive Health	2
Child Health Programmes and Interventions	2
Applied Epidemiology & Biostatistics	3
Communicable and Non-communicable Disease Control	2
Health Promotion	3
Health Systems Management	3
Health Planning	3