Master of Arts in Health Policy Studies (Health Sciences Track)
The Master of Arts in Health Policy Studies is a program that promotes the common good by ensuring that the health delivery systems address the concerns of the poor and the marginalized. There are two approaches or tracks to fulfill the requirements of this degree program, one of which is the Health Science Track. This track makes use of the different fields of public health as the basis for health policy development. The various fields in public health include biostatistics, epidemiology, health care organization, health economics, health research, and health service administration.
Date of BOR Approval (Institution)
1999
Date of Latest Revision
N/A
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the Master of Arts in Health Policy Studies (Health Science Track) are expected to:
- Demonstrates a pro-active, social and culturally relevant analysis of priority health policy issues;
- Utilizes an interdisciplinary approach to developing ethical, relevant and responsive health policy analysis and research towards identified policy-related problems and issues that ultimately, contributes to nation-building;
- Integrates the various principles from diverse fields such as public health, economics, political science, management, operations research and organizational development to analyze health policy problems and solutions;
- Demonstrates a well-rounded practical approach to teaching health policy development at the organization and public policy levels;
- Communicates effectively with various individuals and groups for policy advocacy;
- Creates an inclusive, participative and meaningful engagement towards consensus building in health policy development in a leadership capacity; and
- Engage in lifelong learning in health policy issues.
Admission Requirements
- Good scholastic record from any recognized institution of higher learning
- At least 1 year of work experience in the related field
- Duly accomplished Application Form (downloadable through the NGOHS website: ngohs.upm.edu.ph)
- Comply with the General requirements found on the 2nd page of the Application Form (UPM-NGS-OP-01F1)
Graduation Requirements
- Residency of at least 1 full academic year immediately prior to the granting of the degree
- Completion of 40 units (18 units of core courses, 12 units of major courses, 4 units of electives, and 6 units of thesis)
- GWA of 2.00 or better in major courses and in all courses taken
- Passing the comprehensive examination
- Satisfactory completion and submission of the required hard-bound copies of the thesis, and an electronic copy of the manuscript
- Certificate of submission of paper for publication
Summary of Credit Units
| Category | Credit Units |
|---|---|
| Core Courses | 18.0 |
| Major Courses | 12.0 |
| Electives | 4.0 |
| Thesis | 6.0 |
| Total | 40.0 |
Curriculum Checklist
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Second Semester | ||
| Course Code | Credit Units | Course Code | Credit Units |
| HPS 201 | 2.0 | HPAd 205 | 2.0 |
| HPAd 201 | 2.0 | EPI 201 | 3.0 |
| BIOSTAT 201 | 3.0 | HPAd 208 | 3.0 |
| Total | 7.0 | Total | 7.0 |
| Second Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Second Semester | ||
| Course Code | Credit Units | Course Code | Credit Units |
| HPS 203 | 2.0 | HPS 297 | 2.0 |
| HPS 202 | 2.0 | HPS 252 | 2.0 |
| Elective 1 | 2.0 | HPS 235 | 2.0 |
| Elective 2 | 2.0 | HPS 251 | 2.0 |
| Total | 8.0 | Total | 8.0 |
| Third Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Second Semester | ||
| Course Code | Credit Units | Course Code | Credit Units |
| Any HA or HPAd major | 2.0 | HPS 300.1 | 3.0 |
| Any HA or HPAd major | 2.0 | ||
| Total | 4.0 | Total | 3.0 |
| Fourth Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Second Semester | ||
| Course Code | Credit Units | Course Code | Credit Units |
| HPS 300.2 | 3.0 | ||
| Total | 3.0 | ||
Individual Course Titles and Descriptions with Credit Units, Pre-requisites, and/or Co-requisites
Core Courses
Course Code: HPS 201
Course Title: Fundamentals of Health Policy Studies
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: This course provides a framework for health policy development and analysis of health policy issues. The course introduces students to the foundational skills for rationally analyzing any policy issue that has implications to the public health space. These include using the lens of history, politics, social development, and economics in understanding the context of health policies.
Course Code: HPS 202
Course Title: Research methods in policy studies
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: HPS 201
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Quantitative and qualitative methods of research in health and social policy development
Course Code: HPS 203
Course Title: Ecology of policy development
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Socio-politico-economic context of policy development
Course Code: HPAd 201
Course Title: Principles of Health Administration
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: The course focuses on the theoretical framework for planning and managing the health system.
Course Code: Biostat 201
Course Title: Fundamentals of Biostatistics I
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
Course Code: HPAd 208
Course Title: Economics in Health
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: HPAd 201
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Study of general principles of economics and their applications to health development
Course Code: HPS 300.1 and HPS 300.2
Course Title: Masters thesis
Credit Units: 6.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Masters thesis
Major Courses
Course Code: HPAd 205
Course Title: Health Policy and Legislation
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Basic Principles of Health Policy Studies and Legislation, and methods of health policy analysis
Course Code: HPS 251
Course Title: Advanced Health Policy Analysis
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: HPAd 207
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Applications of the principles of various analytical approaches to policy analysis, focusing on development toward policy implementation
Course Code: HPS 252
Course Title: Advanced Health Economics
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: HPAd 208
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Applications of the principles of economics as they relate to health policy that will deal specially with valuations of health covering burden of disease analysis and cost-benefit analysis
Course Code: HPS 297
Course Title: Special Topics in Health Policy Studies
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Discussion of issues that affect health policy
Course Code: HPS 298
Course Title: Special Problems in Policy Studies
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Application of research methods to policy problems in public health
Course Code: PH 207
Course Title: Health Policy and Epidemiology
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: Preferably HPAD 205/HPS 201 and Epi 201
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Applications of epidemiologic methods and findings to health services research and evaluation, risk assessment and health policy, and analysis of epidemiologic data for formulation of policies
Course Code: HPS 280
Course Title: Field Practice
Credit Units: 2.0
Pre-requisite: None
Co-requisite: None
Course Description: Practical application of policy concepts and theories to their chosen organizations
Electives
Electives may be taken from the list of major courses within the MAHPS health science track.