Master of Science in Public Health (Parasitology)

The Master of Science in Public Health (MSPH) Parasitology is a research-intensive graduate program designed to develop experts in medical and public health parasitology who can address parasitic diseases of national and global importance through innovative diagnostics, epidemiology, and integrated control strategies. The program integrates classical parasitology, molecular and immunodiagnostics, epidemiology, and One Health approaches, equipping graduates with competencies in laboratory diagnostics, disease surveillance, transmission dynamics, zoonotic interface research, and evidence-based public health interventions.

1966

1989

Graduates of the Master of Science in Public Health (Parasitology) are expected to:

1. design, implement, and evaluate public health programs;
2. design, implement, and use research findings for policy development and institution building;
3. employ statistical techniques in analyzing and interpreting public health and medical data;
4. implement appropriate health promotion and education strategies in addressing public health issues;
5. practice interprofessional collaboration in public health service while adhering to professional, social, and ethical standards;
6. effectively use Filipino and English communication skills in both oral and written form;
7. exemplify positive Filipino values (e.g., damayan, bayanihan, hospitality, compassion) in the conduct of public health practice;
8. provide technical services related to medical parasitology; and
9. select appropriate laboratory procedures for the determination of parasitological diseases.

1. Must fulfill the general admission requirements of the National Graduate Office of UP Manila
2. Good scholastic record from any recognized institution of higher learning
3. Must be graduates of approved schools of medicine and/or allied professions or have at least a baccalaureate degree in the biological sciences
4. Approval of the applicant’s qualification for graduate work in Parasitology by the faculty of the Department of Parasitology

1. Residency of at least one full academic year immediately prior to granting of the degree
2. Completion of a minimum of 40 units
3. GWA of 2.00 or better in major courses and in all courses taken, provided there is no grade of 5.00 in any subject
4. Satisfactory completion and submission of 6 bound copies of a master’s thesis

Course Code: Para 201
Course Title: Public Health Parasitology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Parasites of medical and public health importance - their host and environmental relationships and control

Course Code: Para 202
Course Title: Medical Protozoology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 201 or consent of instructor
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: The relationship of parasitic protozoans to their human host and his environment

Course Code: Para 203
Course Title: Medical Helminthology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 201 or consent of instructor
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: The relationship of parasitic helminths to their human host and his environment

Course Code: Para 204
Course Title: Medical Entomology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 201 or consent of instructor
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Arthropods of medical and public health importance in the Philippines

Course Code: Para 207
Course Title: Immunology of Parasitic Infections
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 202, Para 203, or consent of instructor
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Immunologic principles and techniques applied to parasitic infections

Course Code: Para 210
Course Title: Diagnostic Parasitology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisites: Para 202, Para 203 and Para 204
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Practicum in the diagnosis of parasitic infections

Course Code: Para 211
Course Title: Advanced Systematics of Helminths
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 203
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Taxonomic considerations in helminthology

Course Code: Para 297.1
Course Title: Seminars in Parasitology I
Credit Unit: 1.0
Pre-requisite: All other major Para courses or consent of instructor
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Oral and written reports on advances in Parasitology

Course Code: Para 297.2
Course Title: Seminars in Parasitology II
Credit Unit: 1.0
Pre-requisites: All other major Para courses or consent of instructor
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Written and oral presentation of a review of advances in a certain topic in Parasitology

Course Code: Biostat 201
Course Title: Fundamentals of Biostatistics
Credit Units: 3.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Collection, presentation and elementary analysis of data

Course Code: Epi 201
Course Title: Principles of Epidemiology
Credit Units: 3.0
Pre-requisite: Biostat 201
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Ecology of human diseases and epidemiologic methods

Credit Units: 2.0 (16 hours lecture, 32 hours laboratory)
Pre-requisite: Biostat 201 and Epi 201 or their equivalent
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Principles of field investigation; sampling methods in the study of health problems of human populations

Course Code: Biostat 202
Course Title: Fundamentals of Biostatistics II
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Biostat 201
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Further treatment of frequency distributions and sampling variation; least squares, correlation, linear and curvilinear regression

Course Code: Micro 201
Course Title: Public Health Microbiology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: The biology of pathogenic microbes (bacteria, rickettsiae, viruses and fungi); principles of parasitism; host-microbe interactions

Course Code: EH 202
Course Title: Environmental Health Practice
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Problems of water supply and waste disposal, milk and food sanitation, solid waste management, control of vectors of diseases, atmospheric pollution control, radiological health, housing and emergency sanitation. Practice is provided in conducting community sanitary surveys and inspection.

Course Code: Para 205
Course Title: Applied Medical and Public Health Entomology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 204
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Laboratory and field research methods employed in the study of arthropods of major importance

Course Code: Para 208
Course Title: Molecular Parasitology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 207 or consent of instructor
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Theory and application of chemical, immunological and molecular biology techniques in experimental Parasitology

Course Code: Para 209
Course Title: Medical Malacology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 203
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: The biology and ecology of medically important mollusks

Course Code: Para 212
Course Title: Parasitic Zoonoses
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 201 or consent of instructor
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Parasites of zoonotic importance

Course Code: Para 213
Course Title: Ecology and Control of Major Arthropod Vectors
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Para 204
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Taxonomy, biology, and control of vectors of malaria, filariasis, dengue/ DHF, Japanese B encephalitis and other selected arthropods

Course Code: Para 299
Course Title: Special Studies and Research
Credit Units: 3.0
Pre-requisite: Consent of adviser
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Research on a problem in parasitology. Time and credit to be arranged with the adviser.