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Master of Public Health

Course code/s: Melbourne (CI) (HMPHC)

The Master of Public Health is an internationally recognised professional qualification in public health enabling graduates to work all over the world in a variety of health settings. La Trobe University offers its own comprehensive, stand-alone degree, with both research and practice pathways, as capstones to this useful and practical degree.

This program is designed for professionals, currently working in health settings, who are seeking to expand their career pathways into senior roles in government and non-government organisations, community health services, hospitals and other organisations in the private sector, research bodies and public health and health promotion agencies. A distinctive feature of La Trobe's Master of Public Health program is that it is designed to ensure that graduates are trained according to the Foundation Competencies for Public Health Graduates in Australia.

Admission requirements

Prospective students for the Master of Public Health usually hold a relevant undergraduate degree, plus a minimum of two years relevant career experience.

Course structure

Subjects are taught in combinations of daytime, evening, block and distance education modes at the Franklin Street (City) campus.

After completing nine core public health subjects, students will complete the degree in either the research or practice mode.

Opportunities are available for students to undertake up to two subjects at other universities offering a similarly structured Master of Public Health degree.

Students are required to complete a total of 16 subjects (240cps).

Research Mode

Students undertake two core research subjects and then a research project, written up as a minor thesis.

Practice Mode

Students undertake three subjects from one of six specialist streams and then design and undertake a learning study. The six specialist streams are: (i) health policy, (ii) health promotion, (iii) global health, (iv) health leadership, (v) workplace health and rehabilitation; and (vi) health and social care.

First year

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit Points
TE-SEM-1	PHE5EPI	Epidemiology and Demography	15
TE-SEM-1	PHE5POL	Public Health Policy	15
TE-SEM-1	PHE5WPH	Wellbeing and Prevention in Health	15
TE-W18-21	PHE5LAE	Health Law and Ethics	15
TE-SEM-2	PHE5IST	Introduction to Biostatistics	15
TE-SEM-2	PHE5SCP	Social and Cultural Perspectives in Public Health	15
TE-SEM-2	PHE5PDE	Program Development and Evaluation	15
TE-SEM-2	PHE5ENV	Environmental Influences on Health	15
TE-W32-36	PHE5EBP	Evidence Based Public Health	15

Students complete the rest of the program in either research or practise mode.

Second year - Research Mode

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit Points
TE-SEM-1	PHE5ARS	Advanced Research Skills	15
TE-SEM-1	PHE5THA	Minor Thesis	15
TE-SEM-1	PHE5THC	Minor Thesis	15
TE-SEM-2	PHE5THB	Minor Thesis	15
TE-W32-36	PHE5EBP	Evidence Based Public Health	15
TE-SEM-1 & 2	electives	students to choose two 15cp subjects	30
and
TE-SEM-2	PHE5QMH	Qualitative Methods in Health Research
or			15
TE-SEM-2	PHE5QRM	Quantitative Research Methods in Health

 

Second year - Practise Mode

Teaching period	Subject code	Subject title	Credit Points
TE-ALLYR	PHE5ALS	Action Learning Study	45
TE-SEM-1	electives	students to choose three 15cp subjects from specialist stream	45
TE-SEM-2	elective	students to choose one 15cp subject from specialist stream	15
TE-W32-36	PHE5EBP	Evidence Based Public Health	15