High demand for public health professionals to manage disease prevention and good health promotion across populations has prompted rollout of a new Master of Public Health program by the University of Technology Sydney.
Commencing from 2016, students completing the course will acquire skills in planning, implementing and evaluating public health programs. The flexible degree features a wide-range of electives and the opportunity to specialise in a particular field of public health.
UTS Dean of Health Professor John Daly said demand in Australia had never been greater for health professionals who could view health challenges from a macro point of view.
“While we must continue to educate health professionals in highly specialised areas, it is increasingly vital we also offer additional knowledge and learning that enables ‘big picture’ thinking and skills to effectively respond to large-scale and often complex health challenges,” Professor Daly said.
“Some crucial areas the new program would encompass include quantitative analysis in biostatistics and psychosocial skills in health promotion and community development.
“The UTS Master of Public Health will promote collaboration across a range of UTS health research focus areas. Populations with vulnerabilities such as justice health, juvenile health and homeless health are examples.
“Medically and non-medically qualified students who are interested in forging a career in public or global health, research or practice can undertake the program.”
Professor of Epidemiology and Deputy Director of the Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM) David Sibbritt will coordinate the new Master program. New staff well-known for their strength in research in public health have been appointed by the Faculty of Health to support the program’s roll-out.
- A new Master of Public Health program will begin at UTS in 2016
- Students completing the course will acquire skills in planning, implementing and evaluating public health programs