Master of Health Sciences (MHealSc)—a postgraduate degree for rural health students
Any student who has achieved a B average for their Postgraduate Diploma in Rural and Provincial Hospital Practice (PGDipRPHP) can consider studying toward a Master of Health Science. This can be done either by thesis, or a combination of papers and a smaller research project. If you would like to consider teaching or research in the future, we would encourage you to do a postgraduate degree. It is a great opportunity to undertake your first research in a supported environment.
Most PGDipRPHP graduates do not have a research methods paper, and will need to complete one as part of their Master's. If completing their Master of Health Sciences by research project they will need to undertake a postgraduate-level research methods paper. A B+ grade is required in the research methods paper.
The Master of Health Sciences degree is a 240-point qualification. When proceeding from the PGDipRPHP most students are granted a 120-point exemption for the Diploma. They may then complete the remaining degree requirements by one of the following means:
- thesis alone (120 points)
- 60-point dissertation and further papers to the value of 60 points
- 30-point research project and further papers to the value of 90 points
The research component (regardless of size) is usually the last component of the Master's. Students pursuing the thesis pathway who have not completed the research methods requirement during their Diploma will need to take it during the Master's (before submitting their thesis), which entails 30 additional points over and above the usual requirements.
Students are required to demonstrate that their MHealSc overall programme of study (total papers, credits and exemptions, research topic) constitute a coherent and integrated programme.