Mireia Llimós1, Carmen Vives-Cases2, M Carmen Davó-Blanes2, Pilar Carrasco-Garrido3, Olatz Garin4, Elena Ronda5, Fernando G Benavides6. 1. Departamento de Ciencias Experimentales y de la Salud, Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, España. Electronic address: mireia.llimos@upf.edu. 2. Departamento de Enfermería Comunitaria, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Historia de la Ciencia, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España. 3. Área de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, España. 4. Departamento de Ciencias Experimentales y de la Salud, Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, España; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España; Instituto Hospital del Mar de Investigaciones Médicas (IMIM), Barcelona, España. 5. Departamento de Enfermería Comunitaria, Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública e Historia de la Ciencia, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España; Centro de Investigación en Salud Laboral (CiSAL), Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, España. 6. Departamento de Ciencias Experimentales y de la Salud, Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, España; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España; Instituto Hospital del Mar de Investigaciones Médicas (IMIM), Barcelona, España; Centro de Investigación en Salud Laboral (CiSAL), Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, España.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare the main academic characteristics and contents of the different master's programs in public health currently offered in Spain. METHOD: A systematic search has been carried out in the Register of Universities, Centers and Degrees of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports. The main academic characteristics and the contents (mandatory and optional) of the programs of 11 official master's degrees with the renewed accreditation in 2018 were analyzed based on the data published on the universities' web pages. RESULTS: Most programs are 60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System), face-to-face, taught in Spanish, include in their curriculum the completion of a master's thesis but not professional practices. Only contents related to statistics and basic epidemiology, and the training activity of master's thesis, are offers by all programs. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of public health master's programs in Spain shows a certain homogeneity regarding their academic characteristics, but a great heterogeneity in relation to their contents. There is also a great heterogeneity in the credits granted to the different subjects, especially optional subjects. It would be advisable to standardize a common core, especially in the mandatory contents.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the main academic characteristics and contents of the different master's programs in public health currently offered in Spain. METHOD: A systematic search has been carried out in the Register of Universities, Centers and Degrees of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports. The main academic characteristics and the contents (mandatory and optional) of the programs of 11 official master's degrees with the renewed accreditation in 2018 were analyzed based on the data published on the universities' web pages. RESULTS: Most programs are 60 ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System), face-to-face, taught in Spanish, include in their curriculum the completion of a master's thesis but not professional practices. Only contents related to statistics and basic epidemiology, and the training activity of master's thesis, are offers by all programs. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of public health master's programs in Spain shows a certain homogeneity regarding their academic characteristics, but a great heterogeneity in relation to their contents. There is also a great heterogeneity in the credits granted to the different subjects, especially optional subjects. It would be advisable to standardize a common core, especially in the mandatory contents.
Keywords:
Academic characteristics; Características académicas; Competencias; Competencies; Contenidos; Content; Formación; Master's programs; Programas de másteres; Public health; Salud pública; Training