Guidelines for MPH Programs in Canada
The Public Health Human Resources Task Group
Guidelines for MPH Programs in Canada
September 2007 Update
to include MPH Practicum Guidelines
Prepared under the guidance of the MPH Guidelines Working Group and the Public Health Human
Resources Education Working Group.The opinions expressed in this document are those of the Public health Human Resources Task Group and do not necessarily represent those of the Public Health Agency of Canada. © Pan-Canadian Public Health Network, 2009
For readers interested in the PDF document version of this report, the document is available for downloading or viewing: Guidelines for MPH Programs in Canada (PDF document 454.76 KB - 40 pages)
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Note
- Introduction
- Purpose
- Vision
- Criteria
- Glossary
- Capstone project
- Culminating experience
- Deliverable
- Field-based practicum supervisor
- Learning contract
- Practicum
- Stipend
- University-based practicum supervisor
- Appendix 1: Canadian Public Health Workforce Core Competencies
- Appendix 2: U.S. Association of Schools of Public Health MPH Competencies
- Appendix 3: Illustrative Examples of MPH-Type Programs in Canada
University of Alberta - MPH Program with specialization in Health Policy and Management
University of Toronto - MHSc Program
Université de Montréal - MSp (santé publique) - Appendix 4: Sample Application Form for a New Practicum Proposed by a Public Health Organization
- Appendix 5: Questions to Assist Development of Learning Objectives and Deliverables
- Appendix 6: Sample Practicum Learning Contract
- Appendix 7: Interim Evaluation Form
- Appendix 8: Final Evaluation Form
Example 1
Example 2 - Appendix 9: Options for Additional Material in Practicum Guidelines
- References
Acknowledgments
These guidelines were prepared at the request of the Public Health Human Resources Task Group (which reports to the Public Health Network Council), with financial support from the CIHR-Institute of Population and Public Health and the Public Health Agency of Canada's Office of Public Health Practice (PHAC-OPHP). The Task Group struck the MPH Guidelines Working Group to provide a forum for selected leaders nominated from the Canadian graduate public health education community to prepare guidelines to inform the overarching definition, content, and structure of Canadian professional Master's of Public Health (MPH) programs.
The contents of the practicum criteria section were informed by a review of existing accreditation and review criteria, MPH practicum guidelines from several universities, the practicum guidelines from other professional graduate degree programs, and the advice and experience of several key informants from established and newer MPH-type programs.
Existing MPH practicum guidelines had a considerable influence on the drafting of the practicum criteria, including those from:
- Armstrong Atlantic State University;
- Harvard School of Public Health;
- New York Medical College School of Public Health;
- Simon Fraser University;
- Université de Montréal;
- University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health;
- University of New Mexico School of Medicine;
- University of Oklahoma College of Public Health; and
- University of Toronto.
Contributions
The Public Health Human Resources Task Group would like to acknowledge the contributions of the many key informants and students who helped shape the content of these guidelines. The following individuals were particularly instrumental in the development of these guidelines:
Members of the MPH Guidelines Working Group
- Rick Audas, Memorial University
- Janet Braunstein-Moody, Nova Scotia Department of Health
- Nicola Cherry & Duncan Saunders, University of Alberta
- Erica Di Ruggiero, CIHR-Institute of Population and Public Health (Chair)
- Rebecca Fuhrer, McGill University
- Ian Johnson & Donald Cole, University of Toronto
- Cory Neudorf, Saskatchewan Health Region
- David Patrick, BC Centres for Disease Control/University of British Columbia
- Ron Wall & Jamie Hockin, Public Health Agency of Canada
- David Mowat, PHAC, Public Health Human Resources Task Group Vice-Chair
- Elinor Wilson, Canadian Public Health Association, Public health Human Resources Task Group Chair (Ex-Officio Working Group member)
Members of the Public Health Human Resources Education Working Group
- Janet Braunstein-Moody, (Co-Chair)
- James Hockin, (Co-Chair)
- Rick Audas Monica Hau
- Steve Corber Ian L. Johnson
- Colleen Davidson Christina Mills
- Lise Gauvin Bruce A. Reeder
- Susan Gilliam Bart J. Harvey
We are also grateful to members of the Public Health Human Resources Task Group for their helpful guidance and feedback; Brent Moloughney (Public Health Consultant) for his expert review of MPH program criteria in other jurisdictions and for preparing numerous draft guidelines for review; and Rushi Buckshi, Paulo Da Silva, Josée Beauregard, Jeremy Rhoades and George Andersen (PHAC) for the secretariat support provided.