Affiliated to Purbanchal University
Duration: 4 years (8 semesters)
Entry Requirement : As per rule of MEC
Total Intake: 20
Background and Goal
Access to quality education, health care service quality food, shelter and social security with the provision of all the necessary services have, become the essential needs of the common people in the developed countries whereas these needs have become the exclusive privileges of the wealthy and affluent class in most of the developing countries.
Nepal faces a major challenge in providing high quality basic health care services to its population. One of the most limiting factors in meeting this challenge is the severe lack of health workers at various levels ranging from junior, medium to higher levels. A large number of junior and medium level public health workers are needed to deliver the basic health service to the people at various levels (community, district, regional and national). The present rate of production of public health workers at various levels relative to the need of the country is not enough that it may take more than many decades to meet the present demand of the country.
Realizing this desire need of health professionals in public health sector, GoN has encouraged private sector to invest in public health education to produce quality manpower to meet national needs. In this context, the Purbanchal University has initiated bachelor programs in health sciences with the goal of contributing to the improvement of public health service of the country through the production of quality human resources in health sciences needed by the country. Purbanchal University is a multi faculty innovative University involved in the production of high quality human resources in various disciplines of sciences. Therefore, developing curriculum with revision in four years semester system academic course in bachelor of public health (BPH) is certainly an innovative step in producing qualified graduates in health sector for coming days by focusing on primary health care [PHC] approach.
Purpose of the Program
The bachelor of public health program (BPH) aims to prepare professional public health specialists with the highest technical and managerial competence in district level health programs including problem identification, planning, implementing, training, health education and research. Such specialists can serve n various types of positions at national, regional, zonal, district or local levels. They will be needed in various kinds of Governmental or non-Governmental health agencies, hospital, schools and institutions. The special responsibilities, of bachelor level public health professional are; working with school teachers to administer health education services, preparing health workers in public health fields and to carry out the responsibilities designed for the district public health officer.
Carrier Opportunity
In many parts of the world scientists are investing themselves introducing public health interventions that can deal with the lifestyle. However, Nepal is facing three fold burdens of diseases (communicable, lifestyle related and poverty). In order to cope with this complex situation, development of public health graduates has become inescapable. Very few number of public health workers are working within Nepal or in the other countries. In general, a BPH graduates can choose following are to build the career:
- University (Education and Research)
- Health Organization
- Nepal Government -Public Health Sector
- Private Health Sector
- Health Center
- Research sector
- Different NGOs & INGOs
Objectives of the program
The objective of bachelor of public health [BPH] program is to produce competent graduates with advanced knowledge and practical skill necessary to deliver high quality health services needed for the country. Specifically, the program entails the following objectives;
- Provide advanced knowledge and practical skill to health sciences graduates and with biology
- Develop required skill in designing, analyzing and evaluating applied public health science research and management.
- Equip public health specialists with communication and group organization skill for promoting community participation in health and development activities ultimately leading to the individual and community self-reliance in health service and improvement in health status of people.
- Enable public health professionals to deal with existing realities in district public health management issues, concern and problems.
- Foster positives attitudes in health professionals and encourage them to provide more accessible and equitable primary health care services for disadvantage groups and communities.
- Develop the leadership capabilities of public health professionals in the management of primary health care and district level public health programs.
- Enhance vocational competence of public health professionals through advanced education in health strategies. Health promotion and health programming.
Competencies to be achieved by the Public Health Graduates
It is envisaged that the professional public health specialists graduated from Purbanchal University should acquire knowledge, skill and attitudes which will enable them to carry out the following activities.
- View primary Health care in its totality with respect to biological. environmental, socio-economic and cultural factors .and
- Be able to identify and implement promotive, preventive and curative components of public health programs.
- Determine existing community health problems by use of epidemiological investigation and prioritize the problems.
- Apply problem-solving and community participation approach in planning, managing and evaluating programs designed to deal with priority public health problems in appropriate ways to achieve optimum impact from public health programs
- Demonstrate attitudes, which reflect acceptance of, and respect for the important roles of colleagues, sub-ordinate staff and community members such attitudes is expected to enable them to ;
- Provide direction for smooth functioning of a public health team
- Train, supervise and support existing public health staff.
- Arrange for intersect oral co-ordination and cooperation
- Raise awareness among community citizens concerning the existing public health problems.
- Organize health actions which will address these problems especially bearing in mind the needs of disadvantaged groups and communities.
In view of the above considerations, it is quite evident that a tremendous responsibility has to be borne by a professional public health specialist in order to provide; leadership to the community, to middle level and grass roots health workers in order to bring about health for all.
Duration of the program
The course has been designed for four academic years (Eight Semester) concentrating in general public health courses. There will be concurrent and residential fieldwork during the academic years.
Course Structure
- The program follows the credit system. Each course is assigned a certain number of credits depending generally upon its lecture, tutorial and practical work hours in a week. In theory subjects, one lecture per week is assigned one credit as a general rule.
- One credit hours of theory is equivalent to 16 hours lecture and one credit hour of practical is equivalent to 32 hours practical.
Course Coding
Each course is identified by initial letter of the course title followed by three digit number and credit hours after decimal i.e. BPH 101.1-AP for Anatomy and Physiology, PSD 101.1-AP for Practical Skill Development and TPP 102.1-IPH for Introduction to Public health and similarly.
Academic Schedule
The academic session consists of two semesters per year. Generally the Fall Semester (September-February) starts in September and the Spring Semester (March-August) begins in February, however it may differ slightly in any particular year.
Usually, new academic year starts from September in each year. Notice for Application for entrance examination is published (National Newspaper) by Purbanchal University tentatively in July – August in each year. Applicant should submit the Application form in particular PU affiliated College. Entrance exam is conducted by the University itself. Candidates will be selected for admission on the basis of merit or from obtained mark within descending order.
Normal and Maximum Duration of Stay in the University
The normal duration for completing the BPH course is four years. If a student is unable to complete the course within two years from final examination of last semester, the University registration is cancelled.
Teaching and Learning Methods
Participatory teaching and learning methods will be employed to facilitate innovative learning [acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitude]. The choice of the methods largely depends on the nature of the subject matter and the situation nevertheless the following methods will be emphasized and adopted.
- Lectures using overhead projector, multimedia and white boards,
- Learning process through Groups discussion, interaction, brain storming, observation
- Reading assignment,
- Field study, analysis and group presentation
- Directed study and seminar.
- Teaching approach- Participatory base andragogy with appreciative approach
Teaching and Learning Setting
A participatory teaching and learning environment is created. The concerned teacher will facilitate and motivate the students for participatory learning through group discussion and interaction. The use of modern information technology will be emphasized and students will be directed and encouraged to develop their analytical capacity for the acquisition. Processing, interpretation and presentation of the knowledge acquired.
Medium of Teaching and Examination
The medium of instruction and examination for BPH program will be English.
Admission Criteria
The candidates should have proficiency certificate level in general medicine or any other recognized certificate level courses in health sciences, or intermediate science certificate or 10+2 with biology and a pass the entrance examination as taken by University.
Admission Procedure
- A notice inviting application for admission will be publicly announced.
- The application forms are provided, on request, after the payment of the prescribed University fee.
- The eligible candidates are publically informed to take the entrance examination
- The college may also take interview with pass list candidates for final selection for admission
- College will provide the time duration of admission
- (Noe: All students must submit their all certificates and credentials from SLC to intermediate level including their citizenship
Evaluation
There will be final examination at the end of each consecutive semester. This will carry 80% marks in final examination and 20% marks will carry by internal assessment. A student has to get minimum 50% mark in theory and 60% marks in practical separately to pass the subject.
Internal assessment will not be taken for practical subject (PSD, FHE and TPP)
Attendance
The students must attend every lecture, tutorial, seminar and practical classes. However, to accommodate for sickness and other contingencies, the attendance requirement shall be a minimum of 80% of the classes in any particular subject, otherwise she shall not be allowed to take the final examination in that subject. If a student is continuously absent in the class for more than four weeks without notifying the authorities, his/her name will be removed from the school roll.
Grading system
The grades (marks) awarded to student in a course is based on his/her consolidated performance in internal and final examinations. The letter grade in any particular subject is an indication of a student’s relative performance in the course the pattern of grading will be as follows
Grading system for BPH (Purbanchal University)
| Letter as Grade | Secure Marks in % | GPA score | Division equivalence | Grade point description |
| A | >80 | 4 | Destinction | Excellent |
| A- | 76-79 | First Division | Very Good | |
| B+ | 71-75 | 3.7 | ||
| B | 66-70 | 3.3 | ||
| B | 61-65 | 3 | Second Division | Good |
| C+ | 56-60 | 2.7 | ||
| C | 51-55 | 2.3 | Third Division | Satisfactory |
| C | 50 | 2 | Marginal | |
| F | <50 | Fail | Fail |
The student’s final grade will be calculated on cumulative grade point average (CGPA)