Master of Health and International Development

No further student intake

The Master of Health and International Development is a 72-unit program offered by the College of Medicine and Public Health.

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Program of study

Admission requirements

The Master of Health and International Development requires the completion of 72 units of work and is normally available to applicants who hold an approved degree or equivalent from an approved tertiary institution.

The Dean (Education) may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Credit arrangements

Credit may be granted, on application, for relevant work already completed in other approved programs. 

Up to 18 units of credit will be awarded to applicants who:

• have completed the Graduate Certificate in International Development; or the Graduate Certificate in Primary Health Care in Developing Countries; or an approved equivalent; or
• have not less than 2 years' work experience in the field of International Development or Primary Health care

Up to 36 units of credit will be awarded to applicants who have:

• completed the Graduate Diploma in International Development; or a Graduate Diploma in Primary Health Care or an approved equivalent; or
• at least 5 years working experience in the field of Public Health and International Development and have demonstrated excellence in practice

Demonstrated excellence in practice will include any combination of the following appropriate to the field:

• publication of at least 2 papers in refereed journals
• publication of at least 5 papers in non-refereed journals or other publications appropriate to the field
• evidence of having written at least 4 reports to government or other organisations as a result of research or project work

Course aims

The course aims to provide students with:

• an understanding of the philosophical, theoretical and empirical issues of International Development
• an understanding of comprehensive Primary Health care as it applies in the developing world
• critical insights into the social, political and cultural processes, as well as the institutional contexts that shape health and development issues, research, policy and practice
• knowledge and skills in the field of International Development and Primary Health care, enabling them to better plan, develop, manage and evaluate health initiatives and programs

Learning outcomes

Graduates will have:

• an understanding of the philosophical, theoretical and empirical issues of International Development
• an understanding of comprehensive Primary Health care as it applies in the developing world
• critical insights into the social, political and cultural processes, as well as the institutional contexts that shape health and development issues, research, policy and practice
• knowledge and skills in the field of International Development and Primary Health care, enabling them to better plan, develop, manage and evaluate health initiatives and programs.

Program of study

To qualify for the Master of Health and International Development, a student must complete 72 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below.

Not all topics are necessarily available in a given year.

All students must complete the following five core topics.

Core - Year 1 & 2 topics

 GEOG8012  Development Problems and Solutions  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9501  Social Determinants of Health and Well Being (4.5 units)
 PHCA9505  Primary Health Care Practice in Developing Countries  (9 units)
 PHCA9509  Public Health Practice Development  (9 units)
 PHCA9514  Action on Social Determinants of Health  (4.5 units)

Plus either:

 DVST9031  Gender Analysis  (4.5 units)* OR
 DVST9032  Gender Mainstreaming  (4.5 units)*

Plus 36 units of option topics

Option - Year 1 & 2 topics

 DVST9031  Gender Analysis*  (4.5 units)
 DVST9032  Gender Mainstreaming*  (4.5 units)
 GEOG9022  Debates in International Development  (4.5 units)
 GEOG9050  Population Dynamics GE  (4.5 units)
 GEOG9141  Women's Health and Child Survival  (4.5 units)
 MMED9103  Introduction to Biostatistics for Public Health (4.5 units)
 MMED9104  Introduction to Epidemiology for Public Health (4.5 units)
 PHCA9502A  Qualitative Research Methods - Part A  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9502B  Qualitative Research Methods - Part B  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9503  Research Methods for Social Epidemiology  (9 units)
 PHCA9504  Critical Practice in Indigenous Health  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9506  Program Planning and Evaluation in Public Health  (9 units)
 PHCA9507  Health Promotion in Public Health  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9510  Leadership and the New Public Health  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9511A  Social Statistics in Public Health - Part A  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9511B  Social Statistics in Public Health - Part B  (4.5 units)
 PHCA9518  Food Democracy for Public Health Practice  (4.5 units)
 POAD9026  Management in Non-Government Organisations  (4.5 units)

*Topic can only be completed once towards the Master of Health and International Development.

With the permission of the course coordinator, students may be permitted to undertake other appropriate option topics.

Except with permission of the Dean (Education):

• the program must be completed full-time within four consecutive semesters or part-time within 10 consecutive semesters;  a lesser period may be set for students granted credit for prior studies
• except with the permission of the Dean (Education) no topic may be attempted more than twice.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in 18 units or more topics, or the award of a grade of Fail (F) in the same topic on more than one occasion, may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.