RĪGA STRADIŅŠ UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF PUBLIC HEALTH
MASTER’S STUDY PROGRAMM
IN PUBLIC HEALTH
Riga, 2003.year
Content
1. Assessment of Master’s program
/ 3.pp.1.1. Aim of Master's study program: / 3.pp.
1.2. Tasks of Master's study program: / 3.pp.
1.3. Organization of Master's study program / 4.pp.
1.4. Practical realization of Master's study program / 4.pp.
1.5. System of knowledge assessment / 5.pp.
1.6. Characterization of students / 5.pp.
1.6.1. Students' surveys and their results / 5.pp.
1.6.2. Surveys of graduates and the results / 6.pp.
1.6.3. Students' participation to perfect the study process / 6.pp.
1.7. Funding of studies, material and technical equipment and provision of methodology / 6.pp.
1.8. Qualification of the academic staff involved in Master's study program and their professional skills / 7.pp.
1.9. Public relations, international cooperation, guest lecturers from abroad / 7.pp.
2. Program assessment from the point of view of Latvia and international recognition / 8.pp.
2.1. Surveys of employers / 8.pp.
2.2.Comparison of Master's study program of RSU Faculty of Public Health with that of Danish Master's study program in Public Health in Aarhus and Copenhagen Universities / 9.pp.
3. Development plan for study program / 9.pp.
Appendix
Appendix 1. Admission requirements for acquisition a master’ s degree in Public health sciences
Appendix 2. Regulations on the order for acquisition of academic master’s degree in Public health sciences at RSU
Appendix 3. Description of content and realization of RSU academic studies to acquire master’s degree in Public health sciences
Appendix 4. Short description of the course
Appendix 5. Curriculum vitae
"Public health is the science dealing with disease prevention, expansion of one's life-span and health promotion by means of organized public activities"
J.M.Last, 1983
INTRODUCTION
Objectives of modern public health care have expanded from rendering medical help up to health improvement, maintenance and promotion which can be achieved by changing the environment, public attitude, functions of institutions and services. To implement these tasks, well-trained specialists are needed.
Classification of professions of the Republic of Latvia says that the work of a specialist in public health is to observe and assess the public health, physical and social environment; to identify and analyze health risks and the ways of their prevention; to find the public health needs and priorities; to participate in establishing health strengthening policy and perfection of legal acts; to make plans, to put them into life and evaluate various public health programs; to organize and estimate the work of public health agencies, to give advice on introducing changes; to educate separate individuals and the public on health issues; to perfect and strengthen intersectoral cooperation; to do research work.
Training of specialists for public health and their involvement into health care will provide further improvement of population health and optimal use of resources intended for health issues.
Taking into account this necessity, the Faculty of Public Health was founded in 1997, offering studies for the Bachelor's and Master's degrees.
Education of these two levels allows to educate specialists-practitioners for work in public health field, as well as to participate in research work.
The academic Master's study program in Public Health has been developed in compliance with the state academic education standard. Specificity of Master's study program is determined by contemporary tendencies in the world and Europe in health care and public health, the necessity to solve many new problems related to health in our country as well as in the international context by using modern theoretical and methodological approaches. Urgency for the program results from the necessity to ensure state health policy and its strategy towards the integration into European Union, to provide studies to fit the needs of our country, as well as the needs of public health sciences of Europe taking roots in the fundamentals of scientific theory and methodology.
1. ASSESSMENT OF MASTER'S PROGRAM
1.1. Aim of Master's study program:
To train highly qualified specialists in public health fields having fundamental theoretical knowledge and skills to work successfully in intensification and solution of public health problems, to assess the dynamic changes, to coordinate intersectoral cooperation and to form a health care system directed towards the increase of the life quality.
1.2. Tasks of Master's study program:
§ To perfect the education of academically oriented public health specialists by rendering deep theoretical and methodological knowledge in the field of public health research;
§ To provide knowledge and skills on making evidence-based decisions, establishing various public health programs, their implementation and assessment;
§ To increase skills of public health specialists to think critically and creatively, to prognose the future development of public health and public health services;
§ To realize the acquisition of modern knowledge following the tendencies of development in European and the world's public health fields;
§ To increase the involvement of Latvia's public health specialists in working out and implementing various international projects;
§ To provide the ability of graduates of Master's study program to compete in the local and European labour market.
Master's study program has been worked out by analyzing programs offered by European higher schools in Public Health, and considering the recommendations of the Association of European Public Health Schools. Besides, the needs in the field of public health of Latvia and its perspectives for the development described in the strategy of Latvia's Public health strategy, as well as WHO program document "Health for the 21st century" have also been taken into account.
Great practical and consultative support for writing the Master's program was rendered by professor Ilze Kalniņš from the Department of Social Sciences of Toronto University.
1.3. Organization of Master's study program
Master's program is meant for full-time students and is realized within 2 academic years. The program is made of:
§ theoretic subjects which deal with methodological issues of public health research, investigation of diseases, health and their risks for quantitative and qualitative approach, statistics data processing (part A);
§ subjects which help Master's students to deepen their knowledge and to specialize in some of public health subdisciplines (part B);
§ Master's paper with an original approach and elements of scientific innovations.
Master's study program may give 80 credit points, from them 20 credit points go for Master's paper (see the appendix 1.).
To complete studies well, Masters have to acquire subjects of part A and B and have to defend the Master's paper. Study course is arranged according to the modules, thus giving students a possibility to concentrate on mastering one subject and to provide an opportunity to invite better teachers and guest lecturers. More than 50% of time is devoted to students' independent work.
A significant role in acquisition of Master's study program is the cooperation of the Faculty of Public Health with the RSU Institute of Environmental and Labour Health, Health Promotion Centre, Public Health Agency, Agency of Medical Technologies. It gives a chance for Master's students to get involved in research and to get deeper insight into research in the above-mentioned public health institutions.
1.4. Practical realization of Master's study program
One of the chief learning forms in the study program realization should be the interactive lectures - 10% of the total number of contact hours and practical classes - seminars (40% from the total number of hours), during which the teaching material is described, most complicated themes discussed and practical skills trained. The rest of the time - 50% is meant for students' independent work.
§ Teaching methods applied in the program are:
§ Identification of topical problems in public health in problem lectures;
§ Specification of the acquired theoretical knowledge in seminars;
§ Analysis and solution of problem situations;
§ Writing of reports, essays, literature surveys and applications for research project;
§ Training of presentation skills;
§ Practical classes in work with statistical data processing programs SPSS, STATISTIKA, EPI-INFO, etc.
The aim of the methods applied is to perfect Master's students' skills to analyze public health situations critically and to reveal problems, to make decisions for problem solving, using theoretical knowledge, to prognose logically the development of situations in the future, to develop communication skills, to promote leader's and manager's skills, the ability to work individually and in a group, to apply the knowledge in practice.
Great attention is paid to students' individual work aimed at critical reading of scientific literature and its analysis, looking for topical research questions, the choice of research plan and the methods, writing of reports and essays. The teacher's task is to help students to organize their individual work and to consult them and give advice in case of need. For this purpose 5 consultation hours are envisaged. A detailed description of each subject is given, rendering information on the lecture themes, teachers' requirements, compulsory literature, forms of knowledge assessment and the dates. Students can get acquainted with the necessary literature at RSU library, there are offered copies of the compulsory literature as well.
1.5. System of knowledge assessment
Evaluation system for each subject is given in the study course description. Prior to starting a new subject, the teacher acquaints students with the demands and the form of final knowledge assessment.
A student has successfully acquired a subject if:
§ attendance of lectures and seminars is 80%;
§ a student has been actively participating in seminars;
§ a student has handed in all homework in time;
§ all tests and final examinations have been rated by at least "almost good" (4 point score)
1.6. Characterization of students
§ number of students in the program - 39 students
§ number of admitted students in the Ist year - 10 students
§ number of graduates - 9
Since the year 2001 the academic Master's programe in Public Health has been admitting students who have previously acquired professional education in the Faculty of Public Health with an integrated Bachelor's standard in health care of public health. It was the reason to look through the program and change the layout of subjects and the content of the program. Since the Bachelor's program gives the fundamentals in all public health fields, Master's program lays greater emphasis on the study of research methods and their practical application.
Each year 10 students are admitted to Master's program, those who have completed studies at RSU Faculty of Public Health and who wish to continue studies in a Master's course, and 20 students extra who are already working in some of public health fields and who want to enlarge their knowledge.Studies of the latter are organized and supervised by RSU Academic School of Public Health. Both students' cohorts differ in the number of obligatory courses, yet students have a chance to choose between the optional courses.
1.6.1. Students' surveys and their results
Students' attitude towards the study course is assessed by doing an anonimous questionnaire after completing the course. The results of the questionnaire are discussed at the department meetings. To assess the study program, graduates are distributed questionnaires, the results of which are discussed by the Faculty Council.The information gained allows to draw conclusions, that:
§ teaching is rated mostly as "good". Style of teaching is relevant to the needs of learning the subject and achieving the aims and objectives of the course program.
§ educational form - discussion, which has been introduced in some subjects, is evaluated positively and admitted to be useful. The method of discussion is especially useful in solving unclear and complicated questions during learning.
§ integration of theory and practice is important in the learning process;
§ the amount of the information rendered in lectures and classes are adequate for Master's level;
§ There might be more hand-outs, as well as lecture notes or systematized informative materials which would improve the quality and quantity of learning.
1.6.2. Surveys of graduates and the results
By carrying out a survey of PHF Master's course graduates, an important information is acquired on the applicability of knowledge gained during Master's studies in labour market and in making one's way up. By assessing the information gained, one can draw a conclusion, that:
§ one has gained deeper knowledge in research methodology during the study process;
§ variety of literature to be read during Master's course has given a broader outlook to perspectives of public health sciences and research possibilities;
§ the offered courses have been improved both as to their content and to the quality of teaching;
§ the length and the amount of the courses (lectures and classes) have been adequate to the practical needs and successful acquisition of the study material;
§ knowledge acquired during studies is being successfully used while performing one's duties, as well as building the academic career.
1.6.3. Students' participation to perfect the study process
There are 2 students delegated by the University Students' Self-Government to participate in the Faculty's Council's work. Thus, the presence of students and the protection of their interests are provided while preparing and confirming the priorities of work and development of the Faculty and the associated University's structural units; while surveying and coordinating study program projects prior to their confirmation in the external normative acts and in the University's internal normative acts according to their order.
1.7. Funding of studies, material and technical equipment and provision of methodology
Master's study program " Public Health" in RSU Faculty of Public Health is a state-funded study course. In case of cancelling Master's study program, students may continue education in the professional program of RSU School of Public Health, or do it for pay in Kaunas Medical University. Up to now, there has not been a similar program introduced in any other Latvia's higher educational institutions.
Riga Stradins University provides students with the best arrangement of rooms for studies, libraries, computers and access to internet. At present the library can offer several hundred book titles on various themes of public health, internationally recognized journals in public health and epidemiology are subscribed, e.g. "International Journal of Epidemiology", "European Journal of Public Health", etc. Students can use 30 computers of the information centre in the library. There is an information centre of the World Health Organization (further in the text - WHO), which is regularly receiving the latest publications: annotations on international conferences, legislation, documents on policy and strategy in public health field. It is a wonderful chance for Public Health students to get acquainted with the latest WHO issues.