School of Medicine and Health Sciences
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH SCIENCES (SMHS)Department of Allied Health Sciences
MS.c&MPhil. Community Health and Development
Background Information
The University for Development Studies is a pro-poor community-based university. The University aims to promote the development of communities through training of graduates well oriented and motivated to serve in deprived and underserved communities. It aims to achieve this through teaching, field work, community-based and participatory research and outreach programmes.
Objectives
The objectives of the programme are:
- To provide practical and field-oriented training focused on the duties and responsibilities of a community based health, development and social worker;
- To enable participants acquire the ability to critically analyse the health and development needs of the population of a community;
- To promote and develop the analytical and critical thinking capabilities of the participants through interaction, discussion, practical exercises and guided reading.
- To increase the knowledge of participants about methods used to address community problems and goals, e.g., substance abuse, violence, maternal and child health, healthy lifestyles, water and sanitation and HIV/AIDS.
- To enhance core competencies related to community research and intervention e.g. assessing community needs and resources, analyzing problems, strategic planning, designing interventions, evaluating interventions, social marketing and dissemination;
- To promote and develop linkages and exchanges of knowledge and experiences between the university and relevant national and international institutions and organizations;
- To promote and develop contacts and exchanges of knowledge and experiences with districts, sub-districts, hospitals and other non-government organizations in the field of community health and development;
- To provide a continually updated analysis of the Ghana health policy, public health situation and the health system in general; and
- To provide a continually updated analysis of the development agenda of Ghana.
Duration and Commencement
The normal duration of the course is 18 months: 10 months will be spent on campus, 4 months for field analysis and field attachment, and 4 months to prepare the dissertation and in the case of an MPhil. 6 month or more for preparation of the thesis.
Admissions Requirement
Applicants may have a medical degree, health education, nursing, nutrition, environmental health, veterinary medicine and any other health related degree obtained from a recognized university and at least two years of working experience in the health or development sector. Applicants with a degree other than a health related degree must have at least three years of working experience in the health and development field and must have had a good first degree. Only short-listed candidates will be invited for the pre-entry interview. Those selected by this method are invited for an interview conducted by the Admissions Board of the University.
Part-time participants
The course is offered as a full time course but a “part time scheme” is available. Candidates, who cannot leave their duty station for a full academic year, have the possibility of attending specific modules. They must attend an entire module and sit for its exam with the full-time participants. Having attended and passed the exams of at least three modules, a part-time participant must choose a topic for her/his thesis. She/he is assigned an academic tutor who also acts as supervisor for the elaboration of the thesis. The supervised participant maintains frequent contacts with the academic tutor, benefiting from advice, guidance, help, and learning material. Part-timers are entitled to all the benefits of the course enjoyed by the full-time participants. A successfully passed end-of-module examination is valid for a maximum period of three years. After three years, the participant who has not completed the course has to re-attend the specific module and, again, sit and pass its examination. For the successful completion of the course, a part-time participant has to attend and pass the examination of all the modules and successfully submit a thesis. In addition, she/he has to pass the Mid-Term oral exam (after having successfully attended all modules for the semester) and the end of course Comprehensive Oral Examination (after having successfully attended all the modules). A full-time participant may apply to become part-timer.
Application for part-time participants
The entry requirements, procedures and the deadline for applications to attend the course on a part-time basis is the same as for the full-time course. However, the Admission Board will give preference to the full-time students. Should the number of full-time students allow it, part-timers’ applications may be considered on a “rolling admission” basis throughout the academic year. On admission for part-time attendance, a candidate must plan and communicate her/his availability for the modules on offer. It is necessary to re-confirm the attendance with the Co-ordinator one month before the beginning of the modules. Entry requirements for part timers are the same as for the full time participants (including the entry interview).