Background

The University Grants Commission under its Innovative Programme scheme has provided a grant (sanction no.F.14-62/(Inno./ASIST) to establish a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree as a two-year full time post-graduate course. This revolutionary decision heralds the first ever MPH programme in Indian Universities, with the University of Pune as a pioneer institution.

Goal of the MPH programme

• To develop human resource with expertise in the field of public health and epidemiology, who can ensure comprehensive health development of the community and better quality of life;

• To create good advocates for launching public health movements;

• To promote the understanding of the need to integrate social and cultural factors and determinants into the practice of public health;

• To develop qualities that encourage the development of innovative and alternative approaches to meet the varying local needs of communities;

• To train students in health services/systems research in order to encourage this as an integral part of health administration/management.

Objectives of the MPH programme

• To prepare public health practitioners having the

• knowledge and skills of community diagnosis

• ability to design strategies to enhance community health

• skills to implement intervention programs

• skills to develop public health policy

• knowledge to evaluate the impact of public health policies on community health

• leadership skills in public health administration

• To evolve public health as a discipline in Indian Universities, with these departments having the objective of training public health researchers who will produce data for planning public health policies

Skills and Competencies to be imparted

• Public health management

• Public health research

• Teaching skills

• Leadership skills

Career opportunities

The MPH programme will provide career and employment opportunities for students in national and state Government health organizations, with advocacy groups; voluntary health organizations, in research and academic institutions and in international organizations including donor aid agencies.

Eligibility

• The course will be open to students with an undergraduate degree in biological, clinical and social sciences.

• B.Sc. (life sciences, nursing, pharmacology, dietetics), B.A. (Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, LL.B, Journalism) , MBBS, BAMS, BHMS, MSW

• Number of seats : 10

• Fees : As per rules of University of Pune

Teaching and evaluation

MPH is offered as a two year full time course. Students need to complete 100 credits in order to obtain the Masters degree. 75 credits are compulsory from the School. Remaining 25 credits can be taken from any other post-graduate department of the University of Pune, (those courses which are under the University credit system). The two-year course is organized into four teaching Semesters. Each Semester consists of 15 weeks of teaching. One credit hour is equivalent to 15 hours of teaching There is one hour of assessment for every 4 hours of teaching. Assessment may be in the form of evaluation of long/short written answers, multiple choice questions, presentation, term papers, assignments etc.40% of assessment is done during term so that there is continuous evaluation of the student, 60% assessment is done at the term end examination (held around May and November respectively).

Internships: One of the key teaching/learning components of the MPH programme will be internship rotations. The MPH programme will function in close association with the government health services and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Rural residency during internship is a compulsory requirement.