Master of Public Health (Global Health and Advocacy)

This degree aims to equip graduates with specialised knowledge, understanding and skills in flobal health and advocacy to improve and advance population health and well-being at community, national and global levels in an ethical manner.

On successful completion of the Master of Public Health (Global Advocacy), graduates should be able to:

1. Summarise advanced specialised knowledge across a range of subject areas within global health andadvocacy in particular humanitarian aid, sustainable development, food security and global nutrition
2. Employ advanced communication and interpersonal skills, across a range of media, to support effective public health practice.
3. Develop conceptual knowledge in which public health content knowledge is synthesised with the application of public health skills.
4. Develop, implement and evaluate innovative, best practice global health policy, programs and interventions, taking account of values such as respect for human rights, the dignity of the human person and commitment to social justice
5. Analyse, synthesise and utilise best available evidence to support global health action with an emphasis on rigorous intellectual inquiry and ethical, evidence-based practice
6. Design and apply a substantial global health research or practice-based project, drawing on advanced knowledge of applicable principles and methods

ACU’s Master of Public Health equips graduates with specialised knowledge, understanding and skills in public health to improve and advance population health and well-being.  ACU’s MPH prepares graduates to practice with a community, national or global focus, and with an ethical, social justice perspective.

A uniquely ACU specialisation, global health is an increasingly important and active area of work for public health practitioners. If you are planning to focus on global health, our Master of Public Health program offers a specialisation in global health and advocacy during your second year. The Master of Public Health (Global Health and Advocacy) specialisation will give you the knowledge, skills and experience to practice effectively in the evolving professional landscape of global health.

Students may choose to complete their Master with specialisation through a Research Pathway (undertaking additional research training and completion of a minor thesis) or a Capstone Pathway (involving a capstone experience, such as a practice-based project).

Recommended study pattern

Students are required to follow the pattern of subject enrolment set out in the relevant Course Enrolment Guide, unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator. In all aspects of progress through the course, students will be advised by the Course Coordinator.

For this course students are allowed to enrol in up to 4 subjects per study term. To enrol in more than 3 subjects please contact us.

To qualify for the Master of Public Health (Global Health & Advocacy), a student must complete 160 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings comprising of:

a. 80 cp specified Public Health Units ; and

b. 80 cp Stream Units, consisting of either:

i. Research Stream:

1. 80 cp Specified Research units;

ii. Project Stream:

1. 60 cp Specified Project units;
2. 20 cp Elective units

Specified Public Health Units:

• HLSC641 Introduction to Health Services Research (10cp)
• PUBH610 History and Principles of Public Health (10cp)
• PUBH611 Health Promotion (10cp)
• PUBH620 Biostatistics (10cp) discontinued, replaced by HLSC642 Biostatistics for Health Sciences (10cp)
• PUBH621 Epidemiology (10cp)
• PUBH630 Determinants of Health (10cp)
• PUBH631 Disease Prevention and Management (10cp)
• PUBH632 Public Health Law and Policy (10cp)

Global Health and Advocacy Specified Research Pathway Units:

• PUBH640 Global Health and Sustainable Development (10cp)
• PUBH641 Humanitarian Assistance and Health (10cp)
• PUBH642 Global Nutrition and Food Security (10cp)
• PUBH643 Health Advocacy (10cp)
• PUBH651 Public Health Research Thesis A (20cp)
• PUBH652 Public Health Research Thesis B (20cp)

Global Health and Advocacy Specified Project Pathway Units:

• PUBH640 Global Health and Sustainable Development (10cp)
• PUBH641 Humanitarian Assistance and Health (10cp)
• PUBH642 Global Nutrition and Food Security (10cp)
• PUBH643 Health Advocacy (10cp)
• PUBH649 Preparation for Practice (10cp)
• PUBH651 Practice Placement (10cp)

Award requirements

To qualify for the Master of Public Health (Global Health & Advocacy), a student must complete 160 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings comprising of:

a. 80 cp specified Public Health Units ; and

b. 80 cp Stream Units, consisting of either:

i. Research Stream:

1. 80 cp Specified Research units;

ii. Project Stream:

1. 60 cp Elective units;
2. 20 cp Specified Project units

Choose your subjects

Majors

Two streams are available :

• Master of Public Health (Global Health and Advocacy) Research Stream
• Master of Public Health (Global Health and Advocacy) Project Stream

Electives

Project Pathway to select 2 electives from the following subjects:

• HLSC603 Organisational Culture and Management (10cp)
• HLSC604 Quality and Safety in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC605 Leadership in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC606 Workforce Management (10cp)
• HLSC607 Policy and Planning in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC652 Health Promotion and Social Inclusion (10cp)
• PHIL623 Healthcare Ethics: Principles of Practice (10cp)

Exit points

ACU - Graduate Certificate in Global Health

Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.

This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.

• Public Health Subjects

• Global Health Specialisation (Research) Subjects

• Global Health and Advocacy Specialisation (Project) Subjects

• Project Stream Electives

Submission of Application to Course Complete form to ACU

ACU will cease delivery of this degree through OUA Full-Service but will be accepting applications for 2023 through OUA's Lead-Referral program or direct application to ACU. Existing students, in this degree, will continue to enrol in units through OUA. Students who have not course completed by the final study period/session will be transferred into ACU Online campus version of the degree.

All students that have enrolled in this course via OUA will register to graduate through the normal ACU procedures as outlined in the ACU Student Portal in the year of course completion.

Established in 1991 after amalgamating four eastern Australian Catholic tertiary institutes, Australian Catholic University now has seven campuses, from Brisbane to Melbourne and welcomes students of all beliefs. Specialising in arts, business, education, health sciences, law, theology and philosophy, ACU encourages its students to think critically and ethically and bring change to their communities and offer this online through Open Universities Australia.

Learn more about ACU.

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QS Ranking 2024:

34

Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:

29

To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have:

• a Bachelor degree (or higher) or equivalent

OR

• successfully completed a Graduate Diploma in Public Health;

AND

• Either
  • a Grade point average of at least 4.2 on the ACU 7 point scale in a Bachelor degree; OR
  • a minimum of 2 years professional experience in health (or related field), including Honours or other postgraduate study in health; OR
  • suitable practical experience in public health, global health or humanitarian assistance to the satisfaction of the course coordinator.

If the applicant does not have a Bachelor degree (or higher) of equivalent, applicants may apply using the following for entry:

• A minimum of two years professional experience in health (or related field), including Honours or other postgraduate study in health;

OR

• Suitable practical experience in public health, global health or humanitarian assistance to the satisfaction of the course coordinator.

Students must meet English Language requirements as follows:

• IELTS: Overall score 6.5, Individual score of 6.0 in all test
• PTE: 58 with a minimum of 50 in all four communicative skills
• TOEFL: Internet based total of 79: minimum 21 in writing, 18 in speaking, 13 in reading and 12 in listening
• ACU English Language Test: B (65-74%)
• CAE: Overall CAE of 176, Minimum individual score of 169 in all tests

ACU will consider requests for advanced standing based on prior studies to a maximum equivalence of 8 subjects (80cp).

For further information click here.

A broad range of public health projects, activities or fieldwork can be undertaken in ACU-PUBH655, subject to approval of the Lecturer in Charge . These include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

• Project/activity: practice-based quality improvement; knowledge transfer; capacity building; program development, implementation, evaluation; policy analysis or advocacy activity; practice-focused research and reporting. Any project/activity undertaken must have a pre-defined, measurable output for a student to report on.
• Fieldwork: students may undertake fieldwork within their area of public health interest. Students must demonstrate that their fieldwork contributes to the health of the relevant community and/or improves the health program, service or system they are working in.

 As part of the learning and teaching strategy for the unit, students will undertake 150 hours of practice-/fieldwork-based activity, not including time spent organising their practice-based experiences or the preparation of assessment tasks for this unit. Where appropriate, students will incorporate an element of community engagement within their practice-based activity in order to demonstrate the relationship between public health practice and community engagement in enhancing the health, wellbeing and dignity of people and communities, especially those most marginalised and disadvantaged.

In general, project experiences will be undertaken by students on an individual basis. Group-based project experiences (e.g. international fieldwork opportunities) will be considered for ACU-PUBH655; however, the level of contribution from each group member will remain equivalent. In the event that an appropriate external placement is not available, an equivalent project will be offered.

Students are required to meet mandatory or other requirements as indicated by ACU or placement sites (e.g. vaccinations, Working with Children checks, CPR training, hand hygiene and others). Students are not permitted to conduct an external placement where they do not have a verified compliance status as appropriate by the first week of the semester of offering. ACU-PUBH649 provides students with guidance and opportunities to meet compliance requirements.