The Master's academic programs at the Faculty of Public Health

The faculty of Public Health was founded in 2011.

The faculty of Public Health offers Master’s programs with two different qualifications: Master of Public Health (MPH) and Master in Business Administration (Executive MBA).

The academic program of Master of Public Health (MPH) are:

• Healthcare Organization and Management,
• Epidemiology,
• Environmental hygiene.

The duration of the programs is 1.5 years. Classes are scheduled on weekdays from 15:00 to 19:00.

The academic program for the Master of Business Administration (Executive MBA) is:

• Management of Healthcare Institutions.

The duration of the program is 1 year. Classes are scheduled twice a week, on Fridays and Saturdays from 14:30 to 20:30.

Master’s programs at the Faculty of Public Health adhere to the guidelines established by the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH, www.asph.org ) based on the objectives set by the Public Health programs.

Master’s programs at the Faculty of Public Health conclude with the defence of a master’s thesis. The first semester of the program includes studying the basic public health courses. Subsequent education involves the pursuit of specialized courses as determined by the academic program selected by the learner.

Teaching staff

The teaching staff of the Faculty of Public Health includes both representatives of the YSMU faculty and invited specialists who have relevant education and significant experience in the fields of public health and management. Lecturers are invited from the RA Ministry of Health, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, international organizations such as Global Fund, WHO, Red Cross, World Vision, UNICEF, UNAIDS, Peace Core, Oxfam, FMD K&L Europe, etc.

The Master’s academic program of Healthcare Organization and Management provide substantial knowledge and skills essential for the efficient operation and effective management of healthcare systems, medical services, and healthcare institutions, both in the RA and other countries. The interdisciplinary approach of the program develops skills and abilities in organizing and managing work, human resources, and the strategic decision-making process, as well as the correct selection and development of the health strategy. Within the program framework, the principles related to identifying, evaluating, and solving issues of the health system are presented, as well as the skills to develop, implement and evaluate health programs aimed at preserving and improving both individual and population health.

The master’s academic program of Epidemiology provides basic knowledge and skills on the etiopathogenesis of infectious and non-infectious diseases, risk factors, organization and implementation of preventive and anti-epidemic measures, nosocomial infections, immunoprevention, as well as epidemiological control aimed at prevention and control of infectious and non-infectious diseases, chemical poisoning and radiation damage in the population. The program is designed in accordance with contemporary principles and approaches of European and American schools of epidemiology. The epidemiology curriculum also develops skills related to organizing, conducting, monitoring scientific research, as well as analysing and evaluating the received data.

The master’s academic program of Environmental Hygiene provides fundamental knowledge and skills related to the natural, social, and anthropogenic factors influencing both the general environment and work environments. It covers the mechanisms and cause-effect relationships of these factors on the human body, considering both their favourable and unfavourable impacts as well as normalization, study, and evaluation of harmful factors with the objective of enhancing and preserving the health of the population. The curriculum cultivates the ability to carry out environmental risk assessment, along with conducting hygienic analyses.

The Master’s degree program Management of Healthcare Institutions provides fundamental knowledge and skills related to the peculiarities of healthcare institutions management, modern management models, healthcare information systems, marketing, as well as on the efficient management of work across various levels of the institution. The program also develops skills in finance, human resources and process management, as well as strategic management. The program also covers principles related to managing the care of patients and their relatives, along with hospital accreditation processes. The program provides practical knowledge and skills on the principles of business projects development and implementation, and also develops the skills of drafting and presenting a competitive business plan.

Master’s Program in Management of Healthcare Institutions (1-year)

Both medical and non-medical applicants from other universities can be admitted to the Faculty of Public Health, with a mandatory requirement of holding a Bachelor’s degree. Applicants with a medical background are eligible to apply to all master’s programs, while those without a medical education can only apply to “Healthcare Organization and Management” and “Business Administration in Healthcare Management” master’s programs.

A clinical residency is not scheduled after the completion of the master’s program of the Faculty of Public Health.

The Master of Public Health should be prepared to perform the following functions:

1. scientific research,
2. scientific, manufacturing and programming,
3. organizational-managerial and administrative,
4. pedagogical and promotional,
5. professional functions (according to narrow professional qualifications).

After completing the Master of Public Health academic programs, the graduate should be able to:

1. Apply fundamental knowledge of public health to develop public health strategy and problem solving using principles of epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental and occupational hygiene, management, social and behavioural sciences, guided by principles of scientific and research ethics.
2. Identify the main health challenges facing countries, the causes of these issues and their information sources, as well as propose possible solution options, develop and evaluate strategic approaches to assess the economic, political, administrative, legal and social consequences.
3. Acquire, accurately interpret and evaluate health data available through information technology and other means.
4. Design, implement and evaluate healthcare and prevention programs and activities, as well as plan and submit a competitive project proposal.
5. Apply appropriate program design, along with quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyse healthcare strategy and efficiently evaluate healthcare and prevention programs, utilize data purposefully to identify and solve problems, as well as assess data integrity and comparability.
6. Critically analyse the quality of research outcomes and assess their applicability within the healthcare system.
7. Analyse and assess population health status and demographic data, considering indicators such as morbidity, disease prevalence, structure, mortality, and life expectancy.
8. Analyse and assess the financing and structure of the healthcare system and healthcare institutions.
9. Demonstrate the skills and decision-making abilities characteristic of a public health leader, adhering to ethical principles and professionalism. Apply healthcare organization and management principles, along with system-based thinking, to coordinate the functioning of healthcare facilities, implement healthcare programs, as well as develop strategies for solving public health challenges.
10. Effectively develop, analyse, and assess healthcare strategies to enhance population health and tackle healthcare challenges.

After completing the Management of Healthcare Institutions master’s program, the graduate should possess the ability to:

1. Manage processes by integrating theoretical knowledge with practical skills, applying key concepts, as well as incorporating modern management theories and principles.
2. Tackle challenges through the identification and resolution of the complex business situations, employing analytical and entrepreneurial skills and proposing innovative solutions to problems.
3. Formulate and cultivate long-term prospective strategies for business management and development.
4. Apply suitable financial management methods and analytical skills concerning both operational and strategic issues of the organization.
5. Demonstrate proficiency in working both individually and as part of a team, conducting business research, and critically evaluating the research results to effectively address identified problems.
6. Apply leadership skills and demonstrate appropriate cooperative behaviour, pursuing self-development and heightened self-awareness.
7. Integrate the cultural, ethical and social context of international business into practical work.