PRESENTED BY:              Beth Bilson, Chair, Planning Committee                                                               
DATE OF MEETING:       March 16, 2006
 
SUBJECT:                          New program – Master of Public Health

DECISION REQUESTED:  

That Council approve the new program for the Master of Public Health
                                             
SUMMARY OF PROPOSAL:

The Master of Public Health is an interdisciplinary program of the College of Graduate Studies & Research.  The first intake of students will be in September, 2006.  The program will normally be a two-year non-thesis degree requiring 39 credit units including 18 credit units for core required courses, 15 credit units of electives and a 6 credit unit practicum/field experience which would include a written project.  The Master of Public Health will be structured to be eligible for accreditation by the Council on Education for Public Health.   Program requirements are described in the attached program proposal document.
Courses:
INTD 840.3  Interdisciplinary Public Health Practice

AGMD 801.3 Introduction to Occupational and Environmental Health

AGMD 802.3 Rural Health Systems

CHEP 809.3 Field Epidemiology

INTD 841.6  Public Health Practicum

VLAC 840.3 Zoonoses and Food Safety

ECON 833.3 Economics of Health Policy

It is estimated that 20 students will register in the MPH program each year.  Students will have completed undergraduate degrees in health sciences (medicine, veterinary medicine, nursing physiotherapy, pharmacy and nutrition, kinesiology), in Commerce, and in Arts & Science (microbiology, statistics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, biology). 

COMMITTEE COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATION:
 
Academic Programs Committee

At its Jan. 20, 2006 meeting, the Academic Programs Committee approved the following motion:  That the Master of Public Health program be recommended for approval.

 
Budget Committee
At its Feb. 23, 2006 meeting, the Budget Committee approved the following motion:

That the Budget Committee recommends to the Planning Committee the approval of the proposal for a Master of Public Health with the recommendation that program tuition be increased to approach the national mean for comparable programs, and with the recognition that the physical infrastructure costs with respect to faculty member allocations may require adjustment.

Planning Committee
At its March 1 meeting, the Planning Committee agreed to recommend approval of this program.

ATTACHED:  Proposal documentation and memos.