Master of Public Health (MPH)

Overview

The Master of Public Health (MPH) degree is a one-year full-time equivalent qualification that can be completed either as a thesis or as a dissertation alongside further postgraduate public health papers to the value of 60 points. Students enter the MPH after completing a one-year full-time equivalent Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health (DPH). The MPH is an internationally recognised qualification in its field. It is taught in small classes, with an emphasis on multi-disciplinary approaches. Students are drawn from a wide range of backgrounds in the health, social and allied sciences, and many enrol on a part-time basis.

Graduates from the programme are equipped to work in a range of non-clinical fields in the health sector, principally in planning and management and in the delivery of public health programmes

Regulations for the Degree of Master of Public Health (MPH)

1. Admission to the Programme

   1. Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Programme Academic Co-ordinator or his or her nominee.
   2. Every applicant shall normally either:
      1. have satisfied all of the following:
         1. be a graduate or possess an appropriate professional qualification requiring at least three years of full-time tertiary study; and
         2. have completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health or equivalent with grades averaging B or better; and
         3. have passed approved research methods papers worth 30 points; they must include a 15-point research methods paper, passed with a grade of B+ or better, relevant to the candidate's intended research design; and
         4. provide evidence of ability for an advanced level of academic study.

      or

      2. have commenced vocational training for public health medicine and have satisfied all of the following:
         1. have been admitted to the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery of a university in New Zealand or hold an equivalent medical qualification approved by the Academic Board of the Otago Medical School; and
         2. be registered for medical practice in New Zealand; and
         3. have completed four approved papers, each with a grade of B+ or better.

      Note: Candidates who have not completed research methods paper(s) worth at least 15 points are advised to enrol in research methods paper(s) at an appropriate level for Certificate of Proficiency. Where the requisite grade is achieved and admission to the degree programme is later granted, credit for the Certificate of Proficiency paper will normally be applied towards the programme.

2. Structure of the Programme

   1. The programme of study shall consist of either
      1. approved PUBH papers to the value of 60 points and a 60-point dissertation; or
      2. a 120-point thesis embodying the results of one year of full-time or equivalent part-time supervised research.
   2. The topic of the thesis or dissertation shall be in some branch of public health.
   3. A candidate may not present a thesis or dissertation that has previously been accepted for another degree.
   4. The programme of study and the topic and supervisors of the thesis or dissertation shall be approved by the Postgraduate Research Convenor or his or her nominee.
   5. A candidate may, with the approval of the Public Health Academic Committee, substitute alternative papers that have substantial public health content, up to the value of 30 points.

3. Duration of the Programme

   1. A candidate for the degree shall usually follow a programme of one year of full-time study or the equivalent in part-time study.
   2. A candidate for the degree will be expected to satisfy the requirements for the degree within four years of admission to the programme.