Higher Education in Flanders

Master in Public Health (MPH)

With choice between two orientations (majors):

• Disease Control (MPH-DC)
• Health Systems Management and Policy (MPH-HSMP)

Within each major / orientation the participant can choose between two optional modules to further tailor the programme to his/her specific interests:

• MPH-DC: - Option Tropical Diseases - Option Reproductive Health
• MPH-HSMP - Option Health Policy - Option Strategic Management of Health Services

Content of the two orientations (majors):

The MPH is intended for health professionals working in ministries of health, in international agencies or in non-governmental organizations in low and middle-income countries. This advanced master course aims at training health professionals in evidence-based and scientific approaches to public health development.

Common content

• Concepts and methods used to critically assess, plan and evaluate health services and systems' organization, management and policy.
• Methods used to critically assess, plan and evaluate health programmes or interventions (basic epidemiology and statistics, applied epidemiology, demography, health economics, social sciences, vertical, operational and causal analysis, research methods and tools)
• Communication skills

Orientation: Disease Control (DC)

The orientation DC is intended for mid-career health professionals in charge of health programme management in low and middle income countries. They will acquire through this course, the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to formulate and manage disease control programmes, taking into account the socio-cultural context and the organizational framework of health services.

The core programme, has three major course components:

• Quantitative and Qualitative methods,
• Public Health
• Research & Tools

Each of them is composed of several modules. The 3 components are taught in parallel with the orientation HSMP and mutual reinforcement of learning between the two groups is sought where possible. The students have to choose one of the two options (the 4th component), Reproductive Health or Tropical Diseases, during which the evidence on specific health problems is reviewed and programme management tools and skills are applied on specific health programmes in different health systems and socio cultural contexts. All students will write a thesis (5th component) and defend it before an international jury during the final examination.

Orientation: Health Systems Management and Policy (HSMP)

The orientation HSMP is addressing mid-career health professionals managing public or non-for-profit health care organisations at local, meso- or national level. The aim of the course is to strengthen their capacity to improve access to and quality of health care provision in low and middle income countries through the acquisition of insights and skills in management, organisation and policy development for health.

The core programme has three components:

• Health Systems Development (HSDev),
• Health Problems Management (HPMan) and
• Analytical and Research Perspectives and Decision-making (ARPD).

Each of them is composed of several modules. These 3 components are taught in parallel with the other major (DC) and mutual reinforcement of learning is sought where possible.

Thereafter the students have to choose one of two options (4th component): Strategic Management (Mx) or Health Policy (Px). For each specific domain, the concepts, methods and skills introduced in the HSO&M core component are further elaborated. All students write a thesis (5th component) and defend it before an international jury during the final examination.

MPH-DC Detail of course components and modules (60 Credits)

• Component 1: Quantitative and Qualitative Methods (15 Credits) - Basic epidemiology and statistics - Data analysis - Applied epidemiology - Advanced statistical methods - Demography - Qualitative methods
• Component 2: Public Health (10 credits) - Basic concepts in public health - Health service organisation and integration - Economical tools - Methods for analysing health problems - National health systems and health policy - Analysis of decision making - Management and evaluation of programmes
• Component 3: Research & Tools (5 credits) - Research - Bibliography - Communication
• Component 4: Option Tropical Diseases (TD) OR Option Reproductive Health (RH) (15 credits) - HIV/AIDS module (in both options) - Project Cycle Management and Logical Framework (in both options) Specific TD modules: - Malaria - Tuberculosis - Neglected Diseases Specific RH modules: - Sexually Transmitted Infections - Family Planning and safe abortions - Maternal Health
• Component 5: Thesis (15 credits) - Thesis writing and Defence

MPH-HSMP Detail of course components and modules (60 credits)

• Component 1: Health Systems Development (HSDev) (16 credits) - Organising local health care services: First Line Health Services, Hospital Services, and Integrating Local Health Systems. - National health systems - Health policy - Field visits of health systems - Systematic analysis of own context (assignment)
• Component 2: Health Problems Management (5 credits) - Nutrition - Methods for the analysis of Health problems Part1 - Methods for the analysis of Health problems Part2
• Component 3: Analytical and Research Perspectives and Decision-making (ARPD) (14 credits) - Basic epidemiology and statistics (part 1 and 2) - Perspectives and methods of medical socio-anthropology - Demography - Perspectives and methods of economics - Decision-making
• Component 4: Option "Strategic management (Mx)" OR option "Health policy (Px)" (10 credits) Mx modules: - Analysing performance, organisational configurations and culture of a local health system, health workforce and resource management, leadership and change, learning organisations, bottom-up influencing policy making Px modules: - Methods for policy analysis, role of the state, international actors, comparative health system analysis, health care financing, emerging challenges (obesity, AIDS, fragile states...)
• Component 5: Integration and synthesis (15credits) - Thesis writing - Thesis defence and final exam

Master in Public Health (MPH)

With choice between two orientations (majors):

Major: Disease Control (MPH-DC)

Participants will acquire through this course, the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to formulate and manage disease control programmes, taking into account the socio-cultural context and the organizational framework of health services. The objectives of this major stem from an analysis of the profile of the "ideal" disease control programme manager.

On successful completion of this programme, students should have acquired:

Major: Health Systems Management and Policy (MPH-HSMP)

The aim of the course is to strengthen their capacity to improve access to and quality of health care provision in low and middle income countries through the acquisition of insights and skills in management, organisation and policy development for health. The learning objectives of the course stem from an analysis of the learning needs in different working conditions of health service and health system managers in low and middle income countries.
 

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Health Systems Management and Policy
• Disease Control

• Health Systems Management and Policy
• Disease Control

• Health Systems Management and Policy
• Disease Control

• Health Systems Management and Policy
• Disease Control

• Health Systems Management and Policy
• Disease Control