NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EPIDEMIOLOGY (ICMR) MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH

MPH-IB-1
ICMR School of Public Health
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EPIDEMIOLOGY (ICMR)
Ayapakkam, Chennai 600 077
No.NIE/SPH/03/IB/2014/ Date: October 1, 2013
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(Epidemiology and Health Systems)
Information Brochure - 2014
01. INTRODUCTION
The National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) was conducting two programmes of Sree
Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST),
Thiruvananthapuram: (1) Master of Applied Epidemiology (MAE) since 2001 and (2)
Master of Public Health (Health Services Development Research) (MPH-HSDR) since
2008, at NIE, Chennai. These programmes were primarily aimed at developing a cadre of
trained public health professionals in the country by training the ‘in-service’ health
professionals working in government health departments.
Since July 2011, NIE has been conducting MPH (Epidemiology and Health Systems)
programme designed by integration of MAE and MPH (HSDR), building on the strengths of
the two programmes. The programme uses the basic learning by doing model with focus on
applied epidemiology and health systems.
The academic session for the year 2014 commences on 1st July 2014.
02. CORE COMPETENCIES
MPH (Epidemiology and Health Systems) programme is designed to introduce the students
to the basic principles of public health, with emphasis on public health practices in India.
Upon completion of the MPH, the student is expected to develop the following seven
technical core competencies:
(1) Understand the scope and concepts and master the methods in epidemiology
(2) Plan, implement and evaluate public health surveillance systems
(3) Investigate the outbreaks
(4) Conduct public health research in accordance with principles of human subject
protection
(5) Communicate public health information to lay and professional audiences
(6) Conceptualize the elements of health systems to effectively design, develop,
implement and evaluate the public health interventions
(7) Comprehend the biological, social, behavioural, environmental determinants
affecting healthMPH-IB-2
03. COURSE DESCRIPTION
(a) Duration and course organization:
The MPH (Epidemiology and Health Systems) is a two-year programme, comprising of four
contact sessions across 13 months at NIE interspersed with three field postings of 11 months
duration in total. The details of the contact sessions and field postings are summarized
below. YEAR-1 (Months)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
First Contact Session at NIE First Field Posting Second Contact Session at NIE
 Principles and practice of
public health
 Epidemiology – Principles
and methods  Biostatistics  Principles of disease
surveillance  Outbreak investigation/s  Ethics  Communication skills  Qualitative research
methods  Field exercise: Research
methodology
 Public health
situation analysis  Outbreak
investigation/s  Secondary data
analysis
 Field exercise: Evaluation of
surveillance system
 Health Systems and National
Rural Health Mission
 Programme evaluation
 Social and Behavioural sciences  Infectious disease epidemiology
 Chronic (non-communicable)
disease and injury epidemiology
 Demography
 Manuscript writing
YEAR-2 (Months)
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Second Field
Posting
Third Contact
Session at NIE
Third Field Posting Final Contact
Session at NIE
 Description and
evaluation of
health
programme  Outbreak
investigation/s
 Discussion and
finalization of
dissertation
protocol  Media and
communication
 Public health
nutrition
 Occupational
and
environmental
health
 Outbreak investigation/s  Data collection for
dissertation
 Data
analysis  Manuscript
preparationMPH-IB-3
(b) Course credits:
The MPH (EHS) is a 60 credits programme. Of these, 22 credits are for the contact sessions
at NIE and 38 for various field projects conducted during their ‘field postings’. During the
field postings, the students will be placed in their districts/workplace and they will conduct
five field projects, i.e., (1) public health situation analysis (2) surveillance data analysis (3)
outbreak investigation (4) evaluation of health programme and (5) dissertation. The
distribution of credits for the courses that will be covered during the contact sessions and
various projects to be conducted during the field postings are summarized in the following
table
Courses Contact session Field posting Total
Modules Credits credits Field projects Credits
Principles and practice
of public health
Principles and practice of
public health
0.5 Public health
situation analysis
1.0 1.5
Epidemiology Epidemiology-principles and
methods
2.5 Secondary data
analysis
4.0 17.5
Applied Epidemiology 5.0 Outbreak
investigation
4.0
Infectious disease
epidemiology
1.0
Chronic (non- communicable) diseases and
Injury Epidemiology
1.0
Bio-statistics Bio-statistics 2.5 2.5
Demography Demography 0.5 0.5
Health systems Health systems 5.0 Programme
evaluation
5.0 10.0
Social and behavioural
sciences
Social and behavioural
sciences
1.5 1.5
Media and
communication
Media and communication 1.5 1.5
Nutrition Public health nutrition 0.5 0.5
Occupational and
environmental health
Occupational and
environmental health
0.5 0.5
Dissertation 24.0 24.0
TOTAL 22.0 38.0 60.0MPH-IB-4
(c) Grading system:
A six letter grading system, as described below will be used to assess the student’s
performance for all courses during the contact sessions and the field projects including the
dissertation.
Grading system for the MPH (EHS)
Grade Performance Percentage Grade points
A Excellent 90% or more 4.0
B Very good 80-89% 3.5
C Good 70-79% 3.0
D Average 60-69% 2.5
E Satisfactory 50-59% 2.0
F Fail Below 50% 0
Based on the credits obtained in different courses, Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)
will be calculated as the weighted average of numerical values of grades with credits as
weights.
In case of failure in any of the courses, one more chance will be given to reappear for
examination within three months. If any candidate fails for the second time, the candidate
will have to reappear for the course when the same is offered in subsequent academic years
within a span of three years of his admission. In such instances, the candidate will have to
obtain prior approval from the competent authority. The maximum grade that will be
awarded for a re- examination will be limited to C.
(d) Criteria for award of the MPH degree:
The minimum for pass in each course and field projects including dissertation will be grade
E. For award of the MPH degree, the student must obtain a minimum of grade E in all the
courses and field projects with a minimum CGPA of 2 in total.
04. SPONSORING AGENCIES
The sponsoring authority (Central/State Government/non-governmental organizations)
should nominate and depute the candidates for two years on a full time basis (refer-5f).MPH-IB-5
05. ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAME
Admission is open to government sponsored and private candidates. Upto twenty Five (25)
candidates will be admitted in the July 2014 academic session. Preference will be given to
the candidates sponsored by the Central/State Governments / Union Territories and Armed
Forces.
(a) Eligibility Criteria
Candidates fulfilling the following criteria are eligible to apply for the course:  M.B.B.S. degree recognized by Medical Council of India  Working in public health, preferably regularized and permanent employees of State
or Central Government Department or Medical institutions, sponsored on deputation
for two years on full-time basis  Three years experience in public health related activities  Age up to 45 years as on 1.7.2014. Departmental candidates from ICMR institutions
will be granted age relaxation of 5 years. SC/ST/OBC/PH candidates will be eligible
for age relaxation as per Government of India rules
(b) Course Fee
There is no course fee for the candidates sponsored by the State/Central Government
Departments/Armed forces.
For the non-sponsored government/private candidates and the sponsored candidates from
private institutions, the course fee is Rs.1,00,000/= (Rupees One lakh only) (non- refundable), payable at the beginning of the course.
(c) Method of selection
A Selection Committee constituted by SCTIMST will select the candidates based on the
following:  Review of the application form
 Written test (if necessary)  Personal interview at NIE, Chennai
Reservation of seats will be as per Government of India norms being followed by
SCTIMST. Mere possession of the eligibility criteria will not entail selection for the course.
The decision of the Director, SCTIMST, shall be final for selection of the candidates.
(d) Application Form
The prescribed application form can be downloaded from the Institute’s Website:
www.nie.gov.in
The prescribed application form given in the website or its photocopy alone should be used.
Application in any other form will not be considered.MPH-IB-6
(e) Application Fee
Applications should be submitted along with the application fee of Rs.600/= (Rupees Six
hundred only) by means of a Demand Draft drawn on any nationalized bank in favour of
“SCTIMST” payable at Thiruvananthapuram. Applications without the application fee will
not be considered.
(f) Sponsorship
Sponsored candidates should enclose Sponsorship Letter from the employer, in original in
the specified format (refer specimen given in the Application Form), along with the
application or produce the same at the time of interview.
If the candidates are not sponsored at the time of application, No Objection Certificate
(NOC) from the employer or a letter mentioning that the candidate will be sponsored if
selected for the course should be enclosed (refer specimen given in the Application Form).
(g) Last Date
The last date for receipt of the completed applications at NIE is 31st December 2013.
(h) Submission of application
Duly filled in prescribed Application Form with necessary enclosures should be sent to the
following address, superscribing “Application for MPH” on top of the cover.
The Course Co-ordinator, MPH
ICMR School of Public Health
National Institute of Epidemiology
Tamil Nadu Housing Board, Ayapakkam
Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 077
Candidates should submit an advance copy of the application in the prescribed form
with the Application Fee of Rs.600/= (original Demand Draft) and other enclosures by
Registered/Speed Post, to reach NIE, directly, on or before the last date. They should
send a copy of the Demand Draft along with their original application through proper
channel. The application through proper channel should contain either Sponsorship
Certificate from the employer or NOC. (Please tick the appropriate box in the first
page of the application regarding Original or Advance Copy)
(j) Contact details
Email: nieicmr@gmail.com Phone: 044-26136417 / 26136420
Website: www.nie.gov.in Fax: 044-26136426