Public Health (Health Technology Assessment) MPH/PG Diploma/PG Certificate

Summary

THE MPH(HTA) IS A STRAND OF THE MASTERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH (MPH) PROGRAMME FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO WISH TO SPECIALISE IN PUBLIC HEALTH WITH HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT. THE MPH(HTA) IS AN EXIT QUALIFICATION FROM THE MPH PROGRAMME. CANDIDATES ACCESS THIS STRAND BY APPLYING FOR THE MASTERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMME; SEE WWW.BIRMINGHAM.AC.UK/PUBLICHEALTH.

This multidisciplinary MPH provides firm grounding in the range of skills and disciplines essential to public health and health technology assessment. This programme will allow you to combine the benefits of completing an MPH degree with the specialism of health technology assessment and evidence-based healthcare. Health technology assessment is a new and rapidly expanding area, and employment prospects are good.

Key facts

Type of Course: Taught

Duration: 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time, up to 5 years flexible

Start date: 26th September 2012. Induction date - 23rd September 2012

Entry requirements

An upper second-class degree (or equivalent) in Medicine, a life science or another relevant subject; an interest in public health or epidemiology; experience of working in public health or a related field would be an advantage. Recent graduates with limited relevant experience may apply if they can demonstrate an interest in public health. Students seeking entry to the Certificate or Diploma programmes can also be considered if they have a relevant professional qualification, for example RGN, or experience of working in a health protection, public health or related field.

The University accepts Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL). For further details see www.marketing.bham.ac.uk/admissions/apl-introduction.htm. 

Learn more about entry requirements

International entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications from different countries – learn more about international entry requirements

Standard English language requirements apply

IELTS - 7.0. overall with no less than 6.5 in any band.

TOEFL - Internet based 100 overall with no less than 23 in any band.

Contact details

Ms Tricia Henley
Tel: +44 (0)121 414 3163
Email: mph@contacts.bham.ac.uk

How to apply

International students are advised to apply as early as possible to allow sufficient time in which to obtain a visa (i.e. before the end of January for a September start).

UK and EU students should apply before the beginning of June 2012.

Applications will be assessed and decisions made monthly from January to June. Later applications may be considered if places are still available.

All applicants for the Master of Public Health, Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health or Postgraduate Certificate in Public Health must complete the online MPH selection test at www.mph-selection.org.uk

Fees and funding

2012/2013 course fees
UK/EU students 
 MPH - £8220 / PGDip - £5480 / PGCert - £2740

Non UK/EU
 Full-time £16,200

Applicants will need to pay a £500 non-refundable deposit at the point of accepting an offer to study on a public health programme. The deposit is put towards payment of fees when students join the course.

Learn more about fees and funding

International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

For general scholarship enquiries email sfo@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Programme overview

This multidisciplinary MPH provides firm grounding in the range of skills and disciplines essential to public health and health technology assessment. This programme is for anyone who wishes to develop their career by acquiring skills in using health information and making evidence-based policy within the healthcare field. It is particularly suitable for professionals who wish to develop their skills in evidence-based healthcare and health technology assessment. This includes those working in public health, health services research (including medical statisticians, health economists and epidemiologists), or information departments in the health service, university, government or health care industry settings in the UK or abroad.

The programme will allow you to combine the benefits of completing an MPH degree with the specialism of health technology assessment and evidence-based healthcare. Health technology assessment is a new and rapidly expanding area, and employment prospects are good.

Skills gained

This programme equips professionals with a range of skills and abilities to be able to critically appraise and use healthcare evidence to improve health service policy. You will learn how to ask challenging questions, understand the nature of research and evaluate evidence in an informed and unbiased way.

Information for employers

There are a number of potential benefits to employers:

  • Evidence-based healthcare is a new and rapidly growing area. It is likely that all employers in the health care sector will require their staff to be knowledgeable in this area in the coming years
  • This course equips students to understand the work of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) which is having a major impact on the NHS in the UK.
  • Similar health care decision-making bodies are being set up in numerous other countries around the world and the impact on purchasing decisions is considerable. Students will be equipped with the tools and abilities to be able to interact successfully with these decision-making bodies.
  • The course includes studying cost-effectiveness so it is likely that the students could apply their knowledge within the employment context
  • This is a well regarded course both with the HTA community and wider and is one of only a few such courses in the world.
  • Teachers of this course are actively involved in HTA nationally and internationally. Many undertake HTAs for leading organisations such as the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and other national decision making bodies. Related links

Related Links

School of Health and Population Sciences website: www.haps.bham.ac.uk

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Modules

For full details of all modules click on the module title below.

Compulsory Modules

Optional modules (select 20 credits)

Assessment

Assessment is via a mixture of examination and assignment.
MPH (HTA) Students complete their Master's degree by also undertaking a research project and writing a 10,000 word dissertation. This provides an opportunity to pursue a specific area of public health in depth, and to demonstrate the knowledge and skills acquired during the taught part of the course. It is therefore undertaken only once the taught part of the course has been successfully completed. The dissertation for the MPH (HTA) is in the form of a systematic review.