Master of Public Health (MPH)

Master of Public Health (MPH) at Asian College for Advance Studies, Lalitpur

The Master of Public Health (MPH) at Asian College for Advance Studies, Satdobato, Lalitpur, is a two-year postgraduate program affiliated with Purbanchal University.

The program is structured across four semesters and combines core public health study with specialization. It is designed for graduates from eligible health disciplines who want advanced academic preparation in epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health policy and administration, behavioral sciences, public health management, health promotion, research, and related areas.

Admission requires candidates to pass the MECEE-PG entrance examination.

Key Highlights

MPH Program at ACAS

The MPH curriculum is intended for multidisciplinary health professionals seeking postgraduate study in public health. It develops academic and professional understanding across disease prevention, health promotion, public health administration, research, program management, policy, environmental health, and population-level health issues.

The program also prepares students to work with public health information and research rather than concentrating on a single clinical discipline. Its academic orientation includes planning, implementation, evaluation, management, education, and research within public health practice.

Five Core Public Health Disciplines

Purbanchal University's MPH curriculum is built around five core areas:

• Biostatistics

• Epidemiology

• Environmental Health

• Health Policy and Administration

• Social and Behavioral Sciences

These areas establish the common academic base of the degree before students move further into specialization-focused coursework.

Biostatistics and epidemiology support the analysis and interpretation of health information. Environmental health addresses health in relation to environmental conditions, while health policy and administration deal with the organization and management of public health systems. Social and behavioral sciences examine the human and social dimensions of health and health-related behavior.

Course Structure

The MPH runs for two academic years divided into four semesters. Students are required to attend the program as regular students; the curriculum does not provide a private enrollment system.

The degree consists of 18 courses. Ten are core courses, with five taught in the first semester and five in the second semester. The specialization phase contains eight courses, with five in the third semester and three in the fourth semester.

This sequence gives students a common foundation during the first year and a more concentrated academic direction during the later part of the program.

MPH Specializations

The curriculum provides two specialization areas:

Public Health Service Management

Public Health Service Management concentrates on the management side of public health programs and services. The broader MPH curriculum connects this area with health administration, planning, program implementation, evaluation, health systems, and organizational responsibilities.

Health Promotion and Education

Health Promotion and Education focuses on the educational, behavioral, and communication dimensions of public health. It connects public health knowledge with health promotion activities, behavioral sciences, community health education, and approaches intended to support disease prevention and health improvement.

Students therefore move from a common public health foundation to one of these two areas of concentrated postgraduate study.

Eligibility for MPH

Applicants must hold an eligible health-related bachelor's degree or equivalent from an institution recognized by the Government of Nepal.

The specified qualifying backgrounds include:

• MBBS

• BDS

• BPH

• BN/BNS/BSc Nursing

• BSc MLT/BMLT

• BAMS

• B.Pharmacy

• B.Optometry

• B.V.Sc.

• BASLP

• Equivalent recognized health qualification

Applicants are also required to be registered with the professional council applicable to their qualifying discipline.

The curriculum recognizes registration with bodies such as the Nepal Medical Council, Nepal Nursing Council, Nepal Health Professional Council, Nepal Pharmacy Council, Nepal Ayurveda Council, or Nepal Veterinary Council, according to the applicant's professional background.

MECEE-PG Entrance Requirement

Candidates seeking admission to MPH at ACAS must pass MECEE-PG.

The entrance examination falls under the medical education entrance framework of the Medical Education Commission. Passing the entrance examination is therefore an admission requirement rather than an optional part of the application process.

The MPH curriculum specifies a minimum entrance pass mark of 50 percent.

The entrance format includes:

• Single-best-response multiple-choice questions

• Four answer options for each question

• 200 questions

• Three-hour examination duration

• Question distribution covering recall, understanding, and application

Areas Covered in the Entrance Examination

The MPH entrance syllabus draws from a broad range of public health and health science subjects, including:

• Biostatistics

• Epidemiology

• Health Promotion and Education

• Food and Nutrition

• Research Methodology

• Basic Medical Science

• Demography and Health Informatics

• Public Health and Primary Health

• Environmental Health and Occupational Health

• Family Health and Reproductive Health

• Global Health and International Health

• Sociology and Anthropology

• Public Health Administration and Management

• Health System Management

• Project Planning, Development, Implementation and Evaluation

• Health Economics and Health Financing

This breadth reflects the multidisciplinary character of postgraduate public health study.

Research and Public Health Practice

Research is a central part of the academic purpose of the MPH. Students are expected to develop the ability to apply epidemiology, statistics, and research methods to public health questions and to use research in planning and evaluating programs.

The curriculum also addresses the preparation of research reports, examination of specialized public health issues, and the use of research findings in programs and projects.

Alongside research, the degree covers health promotion, disease prevention, environmental and occupational health, demography, reproductive and family health, management, and public health intervention.

Management, Policy, and Program Planning

The MPH does not treat public health only as disease study. Management and policy are also built into the program.

Students encounter public health management principles, program planning, implementation, health policy, health systems, evaluation, and organizational responsibilities. The Public Health Service Management specialization develops this side of the degree further.

Health Promotion and Education, meanwhile, places greater attention on behavioral sciences, communication, education, and organized health-promotion activities.

The two specialization routes therefore provide different areas of concentration while remaining within the same public health framework.

Academic Fit

The MPH at ACAS is intended for graduates who already have an academic and professional background in health.

It is particularly relevant to students interested in postgraduate study involving:

• epidemiology and disease patterns;

• public health research and statistics;

• health promotion and education;

• environmental and occupational health;

• public health administration;

• health systems and service management;

• program planning and evaluation;

• health policy; and

• population and community health.

Because entry is restricted to specified health-related academic backgrounds and requires professional registration, the program builds on previous health education rather than functioning as an introductory public health degree.

College and Academic Setting

Asian College for Advance Studies is located at Satdobato, Lalitpur. The institution began in 2005 as Asian Foundation of Education & Research Pvt. Ltd. and adopted its current name in 2021.

MPH forms the postgraduate part of the college's Purbanchal University health science portfolio, alongside bachelor-level programs in public health, pharmacy, and nursing.

College: Asian College for Advance Studies (ACAS)
Location: Satdobato, Lalitpur, Nepal
Affiliation: Purbanchal University
Course: Master of Public Health (MPH)
Duration: 2 years / 4 semesters
Entrance: MECEE-PG
Telephone: 01-5440183, 01-5430656
Email: info@acas.edu.np, asiansumeru@gmail.com