Master in Public Health (MPH) Programme

Calendar | Collaboration | Special features | Comparative advantage
Admission | Eligibility | Finances | Application Procedure
Examination procedure | Living

Designed to be innovative, embracing international standards, utilizing state-of-the-art methods and techniques of teaching, learning, and providing opportunities for hands-on field experience, the School offers a unique Master of Public Health (MPH) programme with students and faculty recruited from Bangladesh and abroad. Previous and current students are from 19 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas.

It is a one-year full-time residential programme with 51 credits.

Calendar:

The MPH programme runs full time for 12 consecutive months. Usually it starts in the last week of January and runs through the end of January of the following year.

Collaboration:

Faculty is drawn from other departments of BRAC University, BRAC, ICDDR, B, Schools of Public Health from USA (Columbia, Johns Hopkins, George Washington, Harvard and University of Maryland), the Netherlands (University of Amsterdam), Sweden (Karolinska Institute), the United Kingdom (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), Germany (University of Heidelberg), Japan (Nagasaki University) and India (Sree Chitra Tinural Institute for Medical Science and Technology, Kerala), Public Health Foundation of India in addition to JPGSPH's own faculty.

Special features:

• The MPH is a 51 credits programme which runs full time for 12 consecutive months. Usually it starts in the last week of January and runs through the end of January of the following year. There are some vacation breaks (1-2 weeks) interspersed through the programme;
• Multi-disciplinary in design, the programme emphasizes development of the core public health competencies: epidemiology, biostatistics, medical anthropology, qualitative and quantitative research methods, health systems management, health economics and health care financing, environment and health, health communication, monitoring & evaluation, public health nutrition, demography, sexual and reproductive health, aging and health and noncommunicable diseases;
• Faculty members are from reputed international universities, institutions and research centers such as: BRAC University, ICDDR,B, BRAC, University of Heidelberg (Germany), Harvard University (USA), Johns Hopkins University (USA), George Washington University (USA), Karolinska Institute (Sweden), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (UK), and University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands);
• To facilitate experiential learning, the programme is residential, of which the first 6 month semester is spent in the rural setting of BRAC University campus in Savar to learn from communities and villages in the area;
• The second semester is taught at ICDDR, B, Dhaka, where the students receive access to it's several facilities including a library with over 50,000 journal titles and 15,000 books, which is one of the largest and most modern in South Asia, is highly equipped laboratories and study areas.

Comparative advantage of our MPH Programme

• Location in a developing country providing a social laboratory for public health teaching and learning;
• Emphasis on community-based experiential learning with the first six months conducted in a rural setting;
• Placement in a development organization (BRAC) with a track record of accomplishment in promoting social goals of poverty alleviation, which bridges the artificial divide between health and development [www.brac.net];
• Partnership with International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) [www.icddrb.org];
• Partnership with BRAC International which offers opportunities for learning and career development; 
• Partnership with other internationally recognized schools of Public health in both developed and developing countries that enables access to the rich academic resources of the collaborating institutions as well as exposure to the global health agenda.

International Advisory Board

An International Advisory Board oversees the James P Grant School of Public Health the members are: 

• Dr. Jon Rohde, Chair (MSH, USA)
• Dr. James M. Sherry, Co Chair (George Washington University, USA) 
• Mr. F. H. Abed, Chairperson and Founder of BRAC
• Dr. Richard Cash (School of Public Health, Harvard University, USA)
• Dr Alejandro Cravioto (Executive Director, ICDDR,B)
• Prof. Patrick Vaughan (Professor Emeritus, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine,UK)
• Prof. AMR Chowdhury (Rockefeller Foundation, Bangkok Thailand)

Admission

The MPH programme is designed for individuals who wish to build or further their career in public health or allied areas. 

The James P Grant School of Public Health was established to respond to the critical problems faced by the health sector in the developing world. Hence in addition to Bangladeshi students, the School accepts students from Asia, Africa and Latin America. Priority is given to candidates from countries where BRAC has ongoing (e.g. Afghanistan, East Africa) development programmes. However, in recognition of the realities of global inter-relatedness, the School is keen to have a diverse composition of its students representing different nationalities (including a few from the industrialized world), academic background and a favourable gender balance to expand the scope and range of experience. 

Eligibility

The MPH programme is particularly suited to individuals who wish to build or further enhance their career in public health or allied areas. Candidates fulfilling the following criteria are eligible to apply:

• A Bachelor's/ Master's degree (at least 16 years of education) in Medicine, Nursing, Health Sciences or any physical, biological or social sciences. Excellent academic records with no third division or with GPA of less than 3.0 (out of 4)
• Basic Arithmetic skills and proficiency in English (written and spoken). A TOEFL score of 250 on computer-based test/100 on internet-based test or IELTS of 6.5 would be an advantage.
• Preferably 1 year of work experience in health / social development sector.
• Computer literacy is essential; skill in using data analysis software will be an advantage.
• The admission process involves a written test and interviews.

1. Completed application form (may download from the website, or collect from student desk or SPH Office) 
2. Detailed CV describing work, research and educational background
3. A statement of career interest in public health (250 - 300 words) 
4. Copy of certified academic transcript and certificates of all the degrees (scanned copies are accepted for electronic submission) 
5. Name and address of two referees
6. Proof of proficiency in English language
7. Statement on whether funds have been secured or support is required
8. 2 Passport and 2 stamp (2.5cmx 3cm) size photo (scanned copies are accepted for electronic submission) 

No application can be considered until all these above mentioned items are received.

MPH Application form Download : Application form

National students are advised to post applications to both these addresses:

International students are advised to post applications electronically to both these addresses:

Examination procedure

For International Students
Short listed candidates will be called for an interview in their home country by the designated personnel and, if successful, contacted by the school to follow-up on the admission process by October, 2010.

For National students 
A written exam is taken; students qualifying the test are short listed. Short listed candidates will be contacted to be interviewed, first in a group interview and, if qualified, they will be called for individual Interviews.

Living Arrangement

The 12 month course is divided into two semesters. To facilitate experiential learning, the first semester is residential in the rural setting of BRAC Training and Resource Centre (TARC) in Savar, approximately an hour drive from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Students are exposed to surrounding villages and health facilities where field exercises illustrate public health in practice. The second semester is also residential in the urban setting of Dhaka City at Niketon where students are exposed to internationally renowned resources and facilities of ICDDR,B where research in diverse areas of health and development are routinely carried out.

1st Semester at Savar Campus (Classes at Savar, TARC)

• Students will be provided residential dormitory with air cooler facility
• Meals will be provided in the MPH dining facility at a set time
• The campus has a Computer lab with internet facility 
• It is a secured campus where students can enjoy indoor and outdoor games
• During the weekends, that is on Thursday at 6 P.M. the School bus leaves Savar campus for BRAC Center Dhaka and will return to Savar on Saturday at 6 P.M. from BRAC Centre, Dhaka

2nd Semester at Niketon, Dhaka (Classes at ICDDR,B)

• Students will be provided residential dormitory with air cooler facility in Dhaka city
• Transportation for classes at ICDDR,B is arranged by the School
• Niketon also has a Computer lab with internet facility

Further inquiries please visit http://sph.bracu.ac.bd/ [Tel. +88 (02) 8824051-4 Ext: 4102] or email: nzaman@bracu.ac.bd [Md. Nuruzzaman, Research Associate, James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University]