Public Health division

 

Background

Public Health is an important field which is significant to ensuring provision of high-quality health care services within the health system. In South Africa, public health is concerned with addressing health problems created by huge burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases; political, social, economic injustices, health inequalities and climate change; pandemic preparedness and response; and developing interventions and policies to ensure efficient and effective provision of high-quality health care services for all the people living in the country

The Division of Public Health (DPH) in the Office of the Dean of Health Sciences is dedicated to recognising and responding to complex national and global public health challenges through high quality research, teaching and learning, and engaged scholarship. The core values of the DPH are transparency, ethical, innovative, excellence, socially responsive and care. The Division’s academic staff have extensive public health expertise and experience, who have published in a wide range of topics, including health professions education, health systems strengthening, epidemiology of infectious and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and health research ethics. The staff are members of a wide range of academic bodies including the HPCSA, Public Health Association of South Africa, Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, John Snow Society, AFREhealth, AMEE and SAAHE among others. The Division has the academic capacity and infrastructure to deliver programmes of high quality.

The Public Health Programme serves multiple purposes:

  • To develop qualified human resources for public health that can serve in various roles within the health system to enable them to handle various health needs of populations and health challenges as well transitioning burden of diseases facing South Africa, Africa and globally.
  • To develop qualified public health experts that will be able to continue with the health professions education through further production of health professionals in academic environments as teachers and researchers.
  • To equip public health professionals already working in the health system or health related fields with relevant and advanced training to make them more efficient and competent in their respective occupations.
  • To provide public health knowledge and skills to graduates from other disciplines who need to be competent in public health to enable them to discharge their responsibilities more efficiently and effectively.

Academic qualifications offered:

1. Master of Public Health

The MPH is a research-based Programme that focuses on the application and integration of a scientific and specialised level of knowledge and skills within the field of research. The application of knowledge and skills will take place against the background of responsible ethical and professional Public Health research practices and enable students to use a wide range of specialised skills in identifying, conceptualising, designing and applying methods of enquiry to address complex and challenging research problems within the field of Public Health. The students will conduct research that will result in scientific documents in the form of publishable manuscripts and/or a research dissertation.

The MPH graduates will exit the programme as knowledgeable, skilled graduates with competence in performing research, being able to communicate and defend substantial ideas that are the products of research to a wide range of audiences, interact effectively within the professional group with different levels of knowledge or expertise, appreciate the components of scholarly writing and evaluate its quality.

Successful graduates of the MPH programme will become trained researchers who can contribute to the development of knowledge at a high level.

Duration of the programme

The programme extends over one-year full time study and three-years part time study (180 credits).

2. Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health 

The PhD (Public Health) programme focuses on the application and integration of a scientific (research-based) and specialised level of knowledge and skills within the field of research. The application of knowledge and skills will take place against the background of responsible ethical and professional Public Health research practices and enable students to use a wide range of specialised skills in identifying, conceptualising, designing and applying methods of enquiry to address complex and challenging research problems within the field of Public Health. The students will conduct high-quality research that will result in scientific documents in the form of publishable peer-reviewed manuscripts and/or a research thesis.

The PhD (Public Health) graduates will exit the programme as knowledgeable, skilled graduates and/or researchers with competence in scientifically-founded and research-based reasoning, being able to communicate and defend substantial ideas that are the products of research to a wide range of audiences, interact effectively within the professional group with different levels of knowledge and expertise, who appreciate the components of scholarly writing and evaluate its quality.

Successful graduates of the PhD (Public Health) programme will become trained researchers who can contribute to the development of knowledge, at a high and/or expert level, within the field of Public Health and a broad range of competencies to ensure a significant impact on the subject field and community of practice.

Duration of the programme

The programme extends over two-year full time study and four-years part time study (360 credits).

Division of Public Health Admission requirements

Master of Public Health

To be allowed to register for the degree Master of Public Health, a student must be in possession of:

(a) A relevant Bachelor of Honours degree in a health sciences disciplines/social sciences qualification, or a relevant four-year Bachelor’s qualification at NQF level 8 in a health sciences discipline.

(b) An appropriate Postgraduate Diploma at NQF level 8.

A selection committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences will select students for the programme.

A student must work as a health professional, public health practitioner, social scientist, social worker, health sciences educator, researcher, public health administrator, OR have at least one-year work experience in health sciences environment, OR admission must be recommended by the Head of the applicable School in the Faculty of Health Sciences of the UFS, or the Head of the Division Public Health

Applicable prior learning and experience will be recognised when admission is sought. Credits gained in prior learning programmes may be recognised, depending on the contents of such programmes. This will be done according to the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy of the UFS. The decision of the Head of the Division Public Health and Dean of the FHS is final.

PhD in Public Health

To be allowed to register for the Doctoral degree in Public Health, a student must be in possession of:

(a) A Master of Public Health degree, or

(b) A Master’s degree in any health sciences discipline, social sciences, or an equivalent qualification at NQF exit Level 9, or

(c) A Master’s and/or doctoral degree and/or equivalent qualification in a scientific field which is applicable to the doctoral discipline.

(d) A selection committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences will select students for the programme.

A student must:

(i) work as a health professional, public health practitioner, social scientist, social worker, health sciences educator, researcher, public health administrator, OR

(ii) have at least one-year work experience in health sciences environment, OR

(iii) admission must be recommended by the Head of the applicable School in the Faculty of Health Sciences of the UFS, or the Head of the Division Public Health.

Applicable prior learning and experience will be recognised when admission is sought. Credits gained in prior learning programmes may be recognised, depending on the contents of such programmes. This will be done according to the Recognition of Prior Learning Policy of the UFS. The decision of the Head of the Division of Public Health and Dean of the FHS is final, refer to: Postgraduate Rulebook

Staff profile


Contact details for inquiries purposes

Sindiswa Montoeli
Public Health  Division
Telephone number:  +27 51 401 3919
Email: PublicHealth@ufs.ac.za

 



FACULTY CONTACT

Central Information Office
T: +27 51 401 3739
F: +27 86 579 5154

E: StudentAdminFHS@ufs.ac.za

Student Administration
Faculty Administration

Health sciences block next to contact

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