Postgraduate: Course rule and topic information

Master of Health Sciences
(Pre-Hospital and Emergency Care)

(MHlthSc(Pre-HospEmergC))

Program of Study

INTRODUCTION

The Master of Health Sciences (Pre-Hospital and Emergency Care) is a 72-unit program comprising coursework and a research project. The course is offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences on a fee-paying basis.

While the core coursework component of the degree focuses on current issues and advanced concepts in emergency and pre-hospital care and the development of advanced research skills, students also undertake 12 units of elective topics relevant to their learning needs and/or research project. These may be selected from a range of areas including health (eg primary health care, rehabilitation, occupational health, environmental health), science, management or law. The elective topics may be studied before commencing, or concurrently with, the research project.

For the research project, the student will develop and undertake research in an area of pre-hospital and emergency care of their choice, subject to adequate supervision and facilities being available. The results will be presented in a final seminar and thesis.

COURSE AIMS

The award provides opportunities for health professionals from a wide range of disciplines including medical practitioners, registered nurses and ambulance officers to acquire the knowledge and skills to undertake independent study in the area of pre-hospital and emergency care.

The course specifically aims to enable the student to:

• develop an understanding of the relevance of research in advancing knowledge. This will include being able to critically assess research and how research findings can be incorporated into practice.

• acquire research skills. This includes knowledge of statistics, when qualitative research is appropriate and when quantitative methods should be applied, the ethics of research, communication and interdisciplinary co-operation and identifying which research will make a difference.

• successfully plan and undertake a research project in the area of pre-hospital and emergency care. Students will be supported in choosing and completing a research project in their professional area.

COURSE RULE

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must hold an approved degree or equivalent qualification in a health-related discipline from an approved tertiary institution with a credit or better Grade Point Average and have completed not less than one year of postgraduate work experience in a relevant health area.

PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2007]

To qualify for the Master of Health Sciences (Pre-Hospital and Emergency Care), a student must complete 72 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below:

Coursework component

Research component

The Faculty Board will appoint a supervisor for the research component.

Except with permission of the Faculty Board:

• the coursework component with the exception of the elective topics must be completed before the research component is commenced;

• no topic may be taken more than twice;

• the program must be completed full-time within four consecutive semesters or part-time within ten consecutive semesters.

The award of a grade of Fail (F) in 18 or more units may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.