2018 Handbook for Postgraduate Studies

139 Pages·2017·2.25 MB·English

Handbook for
Postgraduate Studies
2018
The School of Health
Systems and Public Health
Handbook for Postgraduate Studies 2018

Every attempt has been made to ensure that the information
contained in this handbook is accurate. In the event of
discrepancies, the University of Pretoria’s regulations and/or
the decision of the SHSPH Academic Programme
Committee is considered as the authoritative source.
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Handbook for Postgraduate Studies 2018

Table of Content
Introduction .................................................................................................................. 1
Contact Information ..................................................................................................... 2
Academic Staff ............................................................................................................ 2
Support Staff................................................................................................................ 3
SHSPH Student Administration E-Mail Addresses ...................................................... 3
SHSPH Student Administration fax to mail numbers ................................................... 3
Postgraduate Studies in Public Health ........................................................................ 4
Expectations of all Postgraduate Students of the SHSPH ........................................... 5
Building Blocks of Learning – Course Modules ........................................................... 5
Flow chart .................................................................................................................... 7
Postgraduate Diplomas in Public Health ..................................................................... 8
Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Health (DTM&H) .................................................... 9
Diploma in Public Health (DPH) ................................................................................. 11
Diploma in Health Systems Management – General Operations (DHSM) ................. 14
Diploma in Health Systems Management – Executive Leadership (DHSM) .............. 16
Diploma in Occupational Medicine and Health (DOMH) ............................................ 18
Diploma in Occupational Health (DipOH) .................................................................. 18
Research project for Diploma students ...................................................................... 22
Honours Degrees in Public Health ............................................................................. 34
BSc (Hons) with specialisation Biostatistics (Public Health) ...................................... 35
BSc (Hons) with specialisation in Aerospace Medicine ............................................. 36
BSc (Hons) in Environmental and Occupational Health ............................................ 38
Masters Degrees offered at SHSPH .......................................................................... 41
Master of Public Health (MPH) .................................................................................. 42
MPH Curriculum structure ......................................................................................... 46
Basic components of the MPH programme ............................................................... 48
Assessment and examinations .................................................................................. 52
List and description of MPH area of concentration .................................................... 56
Academic Unit: Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................ 57
Academic Unit: Disease Control ................................................................................ 59
Academic Unit: Environmental and Occupational Health .......................................... 64
Academic Unit: Health Policy and Management ........................................................ 69
Academic Unit: Health Promotion .............................................................................. 71
Master of Science (MSc) Programme ........................................................................ 73
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 73
MSc in Epidemiology ................................................................................................. 77
MSc in Clinical Epidemiology..................................................................................... 78
MSc in Public Health ................................................................................................. 79
MSc in Biostatistics (Public Health) ........................................................................... 80
MSc (Aerospace Medicine) ....................................................................................... 81
MSc in (Environmental Health) .................................................................................. 82
MSc Environmental Health** ..................................................................................... 82
Master of Medicine (MMed) Programme ................................................................... 83
Entry Requirements ................................................................................................... 83
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Handbook for Postgraduate Studies 2018

Scope ........................................................................................................................ 84
Curriculum ................................................................................................................. 85
Assessments ............................................................................................................. 87
Service learning ......................................................................................................... 88
Supervision ................................................................................................................ 89
Doctoral Degrees in Public Health ............................................................................. 91
Introduction ................................................................................................................ 92
Getting admitted to the programme ........................................................................... 92
Roles and responsibilities .......................................................................................... 94
Product .................................................................................................................... 103
General Academic Information ................................................................................ 105
Academic literacy and numeracy ............................................................................. 106
Module prerequisites ............................................................................................... 107
Module enrolment .................................................................................................... 107
Assignments ............................................................................................................ 109
Plagiarism ................................................................................................................ 114
Student / Supervisor Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) ................................. 117
Applied research methods (TNM 700 / TNM 802) ................................................... 117
Procedure for writing up a research protocol ........................................................... 118
Faculty of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee ......................................... 118
Scientific writing (HMS 873/772) .............................................................................. 119
Faculty Day.............................................................................................................. 120
Dissertation and Thesis Specifications (Final Report) ............................................. 120
Accreditation of modules ......................................................................................... 124
Concurrent registration for two study programmes .................................................. 125
Prescribed books ..................................................................................................... 127
Committees of the SHSPH ...................................................................................... 131
General Administrative Information ......................................................................... 132
Cost of courses and financial support ...................................................................... 133
Student support, facilities and services ................................................................... 134
Developing your research skills ............................................................................... 134
Department of Student Affairs at Hatfield Campus .................................................. 135

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Handbook for Postgraduate Studies 2018

The University of Pretoria
School of Health Systems and Public Health
Introduction

In 1998, the School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH) was established by the
University to enhance its ability to engage one of society's most valued goals: health. The
SHSPH grew out of the Department of Community Health and was tasked with preventing
disease, and promoting and restoring health.
The School has taken over the programmes of the Department of Community Health and
has increased the scope and depth to ensure that its postgraduate students contribute to
a better health system in South Africa and other African countries.
The SHSPH is a multi-disciplinary School staffed by experts from a number of university
faculties and from numerous outside institutions that have the promotion of public health
as a core component. This blend of expertise and interests makes for an exciting
postgraduate learning experience for the students who enrol with us.
We are confident that students will enjoy the programmes we offer and enrich their
professional lives in the course of their learning. We encourage students to make the best
use of the resources that the SHSPH has to offer and to view their postgraduate studies
with us as an entry point into further exploration of health systems and public health at the
University.
Vision
Inspiring public health excellence in Africa
Mission
To promote health, health systems and public health through education, research, service
development, consultancy and advocacy

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Contact Information
Academic Staff

Surname Name Title Position E-mail
Basu Debashis Prof Professor [email protected]
Beke Andy Prof Adjunct Professor [email protected]
Buch Eric Prof Professor [email protected]
Claassen Nico Dr Senior Lecturer [email protected]
Professor / Deputy Dean:
De Jager Tiaan Prof [email protected]
Research / Acting Dean
De la Querra Annie Dr Senior Lecturer [email protected]
Dzikiti Loveness Mrs Lecturer [email protected]
Girdler-Brown Brendan Prof Professor [email protected]
Harris Bernice Dr Senior Lecturer [email protected]
Hendricks Stephen Dr Senior Lecturer [email protected]
Kamungoma-Dada Inonge Dr Lecturer [email protected]
Ledibane Neo Dr Lecturer [email protected]
Louwagie Goedele Prof Associate Professor [email protected]
Moropeng Lucky Mr Lecturer [email protected]
Napoles Lizeka Mrs Lecturer [email protected]
Röllin Halina Prof Senior Research Fellow [email protected]
Senkubuge Flavia Dr Senior Lecturer [email protected]
Turner Astrid Dr Lecturer [email protected]
Voyi Kuku Prof Associate Professor [email protected]
Webb Elize Dr Senior Lecturer [email protected]
Wichmann Janine Prof Associate Professor [email protected]
Wolvaardt Liz Dr Senior Lecturer [email protected]
Zungu Muzimkhulu Dr Senior Lecturer [email protected]

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Handbook for Postgraduate Studies 2018

Support Staff

Surname Name Title Position E-mail
De Waal René Mrs Student Administrator [email protected]
Eksteen Tiaan Mr Operations Manager [email protected]
Koch Jo-Anne Ms Chairperson's Office [email protected]
Grobler Estelle Mrs Librarian [email protected]
Modingoana Kgomotso Ms Administrator [email protected]
Nxumalo Africa Mr Clerical Assistant [email protected]
Pieterse Kathy Mrs Administrator [email protected]
Semenya Reuben Mr Student Administrator [email protected]
Vacant Public Health Medicine:
Administrator

SHSPH Student Administration E-Mail Addresses
The following e-mail addresses are specifically for student administration
Student administration
Application enquiries [email protected]
Submission of assignments
Student administration
Letters [email protected]
Application enquiries

SHSPH Student Administration fax to mail numbers
The following fax numbers are specifically for student administration
Mrs René de Waal 086-694 4010
Mr Reuben Semenya 086-651 7529

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Handbook for Postgraduate Studies 2018

Postgraduate Studies in Public Health
An Overview

Students may enrol for postgraduate studies in the field of health systems and public health
on the basis of their previous training in health sciences or in any other field relevant to
health systems, public health and health care or with relevant experience in the health field.
Those with previous learning in the health sciences are traditionally considered as health
professionals in comparison to other professionals such as educators, who are often not
considered to be part of the health professions. For the purposes of our definition of a
health professional, we include this latter group. Any discipline that can be applied to the
health field and is relevant to improving health is of interest to us. Examples of the type of
previous training in this second group include: sociology, economics, engineering,
veterinary science, environmental sciences, biology, nutrition, education and
communication, law, medical technology, psychology, business administration,
management and commercial sciences, accountancy and chemistry, to name a few.
The essence of postgraduate training in public health is the obtaining by students of
knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies that enable them to optimise the use of their
expertise (gained through tertiary education and health sector experience) to the benefit of
the complex and broad field of health systems and public health.
Both staff and students in the public health learning environment are mature and goal
oriented, and come from a large variety of professional backgrounds. The postgraduate
study programmes need to accommodate this to prevent unnecessary duplication of
previous learning, and to increase the efficiency of learning by encouraging students to
identify their own level, intensity, and direction of learning. In addition, most students
occupy senior positions in the public or private health sector and thus do not have the
option of taking time off for studies.

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Handbook for Postgraduate Studies 2018

Expectations of all Postgraduate Students of the SHSPH
No matter the diversity of professional backgrounds of students of the SHSPH, or whether
they are studying part time or full time, all students are expected to devote much of their
‘free’ time to reading academic reports and journal articles. Many assignments that form
part of coursework (if the degree selected includes coursework) require students to read
prescribed material on which to base their answers. Naturally, a research protocol and a
research report require extensive reading that relates to the chosen research topic.
An attitude of “I’m going to read what I have to and no more” is incompatible with success
in postgraduate studies. When students write they have to do so with an authority that
might have little to do with their experience as public health practitioners or practitioners in
any other health-related field. This is not to say that the knowledge and experience of
working in the field is of little value – far from it. The point is that the learning that happens
in a course presented by the SHSPH comes primarily from efforts made to gain in-depth
knowledge through reading widely and critically.
Building Blocks of Learning – Course Modules
To meet the needs of postgraduate students who are part of the School, the programmes
in health systems and public health offered are extensive and complex. The basic building
block for learning is a “module”, which is a learning unit with its own objectives, learning
opportunities and assessment. By grouping or linking modules, students can build
substantial learning in many different directions, at different levels of intensity, and at a
pace that suits them.
All our graduate programmes start with a first common module that has three
different codes and three different module requirements:
Learning in Public Health
PHM 880 for MPH students;
PHM 873 for MSc, MMed and PhD students; and
PHM 773 for postgraduate diploma students
Once it is understood that modules are the basic building blocks of graduate learning in
public health, it becomes easier to understand our programmes and to identify which
individual learning option is most appropriate for your career.
For calculation of credits for each module the guidelines of the National Qualifications
Framework (NQF) are used. This framework was established by the South African
Qualifications Authority (SAQA) in 1995. As an example, the overall credit value of the
MPH (in NQF units) is 200 credits at level 9 (post-primary degrees).
The NQF credit allocation is based on “notional hours”, i.e. the time an average student
requires to master a subject. A module with a credit value of five units is based on
approximately 50 hours of work, including course preparation and assessment.
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Handbook for Postgraduate Studies 2018

Credits are allocated to a completed module and no partial accreditation is possible. The
same applies to accreditation of modules previously studied. All components of a module
must be completed to the satisfaction of the School before any credits can be given.
All post graduate diploma and BSc (Hons) module codes start with a “7” and all masters
codes start with an “8”.
Given the unique nature in which the programmes are presented, it is required of all
students enrolled for any postgraduate programme within the School to spend at least one
full calendar year within the programme before graduating. This however does not apply
to a PhD where at least two years are required.
A graphic representation of all the graduate study programmes in health systems and
public health is displayed on the next page.

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