PREAMBLE

Primary Health Care (PHC) is enthusiastically gaining momentum and acceptance worldwide as the most cost-effective alternative for addressing prevailing health situations in the community. Health care is diverse and Health Promotion appears to run through all the components of PHC. Thus, Health Promotion professionals must be adequately prepared to deliver relevant, functional and acceptable interventions related to health advocacy, health communication, health leadership, health care management, etc. Our faculty and students examine and apply health promotion principles to environmental health issues, access to health care services, health policies, social and contextual factors, etc. We acknowledge that efforts to improve health must go beyond the treatment of diseases and must address all conditions affecting the health of populations including human behaviour, socio-economic conditions, and environmental impacts on human health. To achieve reduced burden of disease and improved quality of life, Public Health specialists with the relevant knowledge, skills and vision are highly needed to advance the goals of PHC.

AIMS/OBJECTIVES

The major goal of the Doctor of Philosophy in Health Promotion and Education Track is to train and produce health personnel with sufficient knowledge and skills in Health Promotion and Education practice such that the graduate can critically and adequately:

1.     Identify existing and prevailing health problems within the community,

2.     Appraise scientifically, existing health services in the community, 

3.     Propose and implement changes required to reduce the burden of disease within the community, through health education, health services improvement and advocacy.

4.     Become involved in research process that would link theory with practice of Health Promotion in the community.

Objectives

By the end of the programme of study, the student will be able to:

1.     Demonstrate ability to apply Health Promotion methods and techniques  in all components  of Primary Health Care;

2.     Develop skills in working with other health personnel in solving health problems.

3.     Promote the application of appropriate knowledge, skills, attitude and technology in Health Promotion;

4.     Demonstrate professional skills in Planning, implementing and evaluating components of Primary Health Care programme;

5.     Mobilize and utilize appropriate resources to address prevailing health problems in the community;

6.     Demonstrate skills in designing and conducting original research in Health Promotion;

7.     Design action plans for building public and political support for health programs and policies;

8.     Integrate health literacy concepts in all health communication and marketing initiatives;

9.     Assess cultural, environmental and social justice influences on the health of communities;

10.  Design health needs and resource assessment for communities;

11.  Evaluate the performance and impact of health programs, policies and systems;

12.  Guide organizational decision-making and planning (in health-related issues) based on sound scientific evidence;

13.  Evaluate organizational performance in relation to strategic and defined (undefined) health goals;

14.  Demonstrate cultural sensitivity in ethical discourse and analysis; and

15.  Develop tools that protect the privacy of individuals and communities involved in health programs, policies and research.

GENERAL ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

(1) The entry requirements into the PhD degree in Health Promotion and Education shall be a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree at not less than CGPA of 4.0 on a 5-point scale.

(2) Applicants must satisfy the ‘Ordinary’ level first degree matriculation requirements of Babcock University, that is ‘O’ level credit passes at not more than two sittings, including English Language, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics or one other appropriate subject.

(3) In addition to the above requirements, candidates with at least a Bachelor of Science in Public Health (Honors) Degree, Second Class Lower Division of Babcock University or any other recognized University, in any of the Basic Sciences, Medical/Health Sciences, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Environmental Health, Health Education, Home Economics, Nutrition & Dietetics, Medical/Health Records, Demography & Social Statistics, Medical Ecology/Geography, Health Services Administration and Management, Medical Sociology/Anthropology and other Health related, Art and Social Sciences disciplines.

Admission shall be made to the Postgraduate School on the recommendation of the Department Postgraduate Committee. Recommendation for Admission will be based on candidate’s performance in the screening exercise (written/oral) to be conducted by the Department. Applicants are also expected to write a two- page proposal on their research interest.

COURSE REQUIREMENT

Each candidate will be required to take prescribed Courses of a total of 71 credits. The candidate should attend lectures, seminars, and practical/demonstrations regularly, and submit term papers when due. Project proposal are to be submitted within the stipulated period. All submissions must follow the Post-Graduate College Format.

FIELDWORK/CLINICAL SETTING/ LABORATORY ATTACHMENT/INTERNSHIP

After the successful completion of the Course Work, each candidate will be attached to a Public Health/Community Health Care Programme for a period of 6 weeks (within the 3 months summer period) under supervision of approved departmental faculty/on-site staff.  At the end of the Field Attachment/Internship, the candidate will be assessed based on written reports from the site supervisor, faculty supervisor and a written report from the student. The Internship/Attachment carries 4 Credit Units.

THESIS

The PhD degree program culminates in a thesis based on original intervention research work leading to a final examination bearing on some aspects of the components of Primary Health Care. The thesis must be written according to the standard prescribed by the Post Graduate College of Babcock University, and in consultation with the Student’s supervisor(s). The thesis carries Sixteen (16) Semester units of credit.

PERIOD OF STUDY

The minimum period of study for the PhD degree for students on the Regular Semester module shall be SIX (6) semesters of THIRTY-SIX (36) months. A maximum extension by additional 2 semesters shall be granted to the student (upon formal written request), after which the studentship expires.

COURSE WORK/WRITTEN/ORAL EXAMINATIONS

The PhD programme in Health Promotion and Education shall last for 6 semesters. The minimum CGPA for graduation shall be 4.0. The programme consists of course work, extended fieldwork and a thesis. The credits for graduation shall be 71 credit units distributed as follows: GEDS (6), Core (42), Elective (3), Extended Fieldwork (4), and Thesis (16) Units respectively.

The candidate for the PhD degree must appear for oral examination at the end of all course work and fieldwork. The Composition of the Examiners shall include the supervisor(s), at least one External Examiner, one Internal Examiner and the Head of the Department, who shall be the Chief Examiner.

The structural overview of the PhD programme in Public Health is presented in the Table that follows.

LIST OF COURSES FOR PHD IN PUBLIC HEALTH

NOTE: Candidates in consultation with the Departmental Head and PG Coordinator are to pick one elective course from the list below in the 1st semester of the 2nd year. All elective courses are offered for 3 credits each.