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2024

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A curriculum comprises prescribed modules and/or a research report compiled in conjunction with the head of department or Chairperson of the School. Details regarding the curriculum and syllabuses are published in a brochure which is available on request from the relevant department or School.

Students may, with the approval of the Head of the Department of Public Health Medicine or the Chairperson of the School of Health Systems and Public Health, register simultaneously for Part I and Part II of a diploma which extends over two academic years.

1. MBChB (or equivalent) degree
2. Completed internship of at least one year
3. Applicable professional work experience (post-internship) of at least one year
4. Currently registered as a medical practitioner with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) or registration with the Licensing authority in the country of domicile

Registration as a special student in the Faculty in order to pass a status examination

1. Candidates will be required to first register as a special student in the Faculty, in order to pass in a status examination, in the following instances:

• A three-year bachelor's degree with less than five years' applicable practical (work) experience; or
• A four-year bachelor’s degree with less than two years’ applicable practical (work) experience; or
• Any applicant in possession of an approved bachelor’s degree, who the School’s Selection Committee deems fit to register as a special student.

NB:
In accordance with the criteria of the Senate of the University, the applications for admission of all such candidates must, apart from any Faculty requirements, also be submitted to the University Senate for approval.
All candidates accepted for postgraduate study (MPH or the Postgraduate Diplomas) must be in possession of a National Senior Certificate with admission for degree purposes.

2. Pass requirements for the status examination

• At least 60% must be obtained in the status examination.
• The status examination will be written in June.

3. The application of a student who has passed the status examination must be submitted to the Senate of the University for approval. Successful students may then enrol for the degree programme in the following academic year.

Other selection criteria
(Each on a scale of one to five.)

• Academic merit
• National/International need for public health
• Under-represented groups in public health
• Public health related employment
• Track record – e.g. employment, academic, community-building, etc.

Students must attend all lectures and practical classes to the satisfaction of the head of department or the Chairperson of the School before they will be admitted to the examinations. Written, oral and/or practical examinations must be passed in all the modules. All diploma programme summative assessments will be externally moderated.

The minimum pass mark for prescribed modules and the summative assessment is 50%.

Only with the approval of the Chairperson of the School, on the recommendation of the relevant head of department, will a student be allowed to continue his or her studies after having failed two modules (or the same module twice).

A second examination in a module (including the diploma-specific summative assessment) is arranged in conjunction with the relevant head of department.

A diploma is awarded with distinction to a student who has obtained a mark of at least 75% for the externally moderated assessment component as well as a simple (unweighted) average of at least 75% of all the marks for the other required modules for the relevant diploma; excluding PHM 870 Learning in public health 870.

Concurrent registration for two study programmes

1. In accordance with the stipulations of the General Academic Regulations, concurrent registration for two postgraduate programmes is not allowed, except in the case of exceptional academic achievement, and the permission of the Dean is required for concurrent registration, subject to the regulations applicable to the fields of study in question and to any other stipulations the Dean may prescribe. Such a concession may be withdrawn by the Dean if the student does not perform satisfactorily – all assignments and coursework must be completed on time. Concurrent registration will not be accepted as a reason for poor performance or not meeting deadlines for both study programmes.
2. In the case of registering concurrently for two study programmes in the School of Health Systems and Public Health and elsewhere, students must obtain the written consent of both the coordinator of their current programme and the coordinator of the second programme (or the track co-ordinator in the case of the MPH), and submit it with a substantiating letter to the School’s Academic Programme Committee, for recommendation by the Chairperson of the School, after which the application is submitted to the Dean for approval.
3. The School of Health Systems and Public Health states that concurrent registration for two study programmes is a privilege and not a right.
4. Concurrent registration must be applied for annually and is granted based on academic performance in the primary degree/diploma programme. If the current field of study is a master’s degree, then the second field of study can be a postgraduate diploma.
5. If the current field of study is a postgraduate diploma, then the second field of study can be another postgraduate diploma.

University of Pretoria Programme Qualification Mix (PQM) verification project

The higher education sector has undergone an extensive alignment to the Higher Education Qualification Sub-Framework (HEQF) across all institutions in South Africa. In order to comply with the HEQSF, all institutions are legally required to participate in a national initiative led by regulatory bodies such as the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), the Council on Higher Education (CHE), and the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The University of Pretoria is presently engaged in an ongoing effort to align its qualifications and programmes with the HEQSF criteria. Current and prospective students should take note that changes to UP qualification and programme names, may occur as a result of the HEQSF initiative. Students are advised to contact their faculties if they have any questions.