MANGALORE June 30: The Manipal University here has plans to start a masters programme in public health. The course will come up for offering in August.

For this purpose the University has set up a department in the community medicine. The Chief of the department Ramchandra Kamath, told Mangalorean.com that the course had a wide ranging carried aspects including placements in international NGOs, public and private sector organizations, and in the field of research.  Among new initiatives this year, the Manipal University has established a department of Public Health which would offer a Masters in Public Health (MPH) course. The Manipal MPH program hopes to bridge the gaps in international public health research and training.

 This August the department plans to commence with the postgraduate Master’s in Public Health (MPH) degree programme, which includes an Epidemiology track (2009). This course will have five core subjects: Biostatistics; Epidemiology; Health Sciences; Health Administration; and Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Plans are on the anvil to introduce MPH courses in Environmental and Occupational Health, International Health, and Maternal and Child Health as the program continues to expand.

This programme is targeted at health care professionals, administrators in governmental and non-governmental organizations, academicians, physicians, as well as other professionals with health-related backgrounds. 

The curriculum has been developed in collaboration with the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA, and the National Institutes of Health, USA. It meets the requirements of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH).

The duration of the course is 24 months, structured into four semesters of 25 credit hours each.  Three semesters will be course-based, and the fourth semester will be research-based.

The courses will include lectures, self-directed learning, problem-based learning (PBL), practical sessions (computer labs and field projects), and seminars.  Students will be assessed in terms if written and practical examinations, viva voce, assignments, and research projects.

The MPH degree will broaden the scope of employment opportunities for health professionals.  Qualified MPH graduates will play key roles in international organizations, state and central public health departments, national and international research organizations, and academic institutions. 

Students with a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Life Sciences, or Allied Health Sciences from a recognized university are eligible to apply for the course. 

Our Correspondent