The BRAC James P. Grant School of Public Health (BRAC JPGSPH) at BRAC University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is pleased to announce a Call for Applications for the award of TDR Postgraduate Training Scholarships for the one-year Master of Public Health (MPH) 2024–2025 Programme, beginning in January 2024. The International MPH Programme is a 12-month full-time programme which is taught in English with a focus on promoting problem-based experiential learning. To access the prospectus for the current 2023-2024 academic year: click here.
Nationals who are also residents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) of WHO South-East Asia or WHO Eastern Mediterranean regions are eligible to apply. Individuals with an interest in a scientific career and health professionals with an interest in analytical approaches to programme implementation are welcome to apply!
The training will focus on modules relevant to skills needed to independently lead and undertake implementation research, which is a growing field that supports the identification of health system bottlenecks and approaches to address them. It is particularly useful in LMICs, where many health interventions do not reach those who could be benefitting from them. The goal of this scheme is to enhance graduate training capacity and boost the number and quality of researchers in LMICs.
Funding for these scholarships is from the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), based at the World Health Organization in Geneva, as part of the TDR Postgraduate Training Scheme.
Scholarship recipients will be enrolled as postgraduate students and conduct their Thesis/Summative Learning Project (SLP) on implementation research on infectious diseases of poverty, which includes Neglected Tropical Diseases, TB/HIV, Malaria, other vector-borne diseases, emergency preparedness and including also perspectives of One Health, climate change, and an intersectional gender lens.
Recipients will be enrolled as postgraduate students, and their careers will be tracked through the TDR postgraduate alumni platform, IR Connect, which monitors the impact of the programme and provides networking and opportunities to increase visibility for students and alumni. The programme provides on-campus teaching. However, depending on regulations related to any future pandemic, the course may be adjusted, for example with entirely online delivery.
THE SCHOLARSHIP PACKAGE
- One return economy airfare between the home country of the student and Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Tuition and academic fees
- Basic medical and accident insurance
- Monthly stipend to cover living expenses, including accommodation equivalent to local cost of living.
- Support for Thesis/Summative Learning Project expenses during data collection.
ELIGIBILITY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP
Candidates must be eligible for both the MPH Programme and TDR Scholarship. Applicants must meet BRAC University post-graduation admission criteria.
Applicants should:
Meet standard minimum university requirements for international postgraduate students at https://www.bracu.ac.bd/admissions/postgraduate or https://bracjpgsph.org/mph-admission
- Minimum GPA of 2.5 out of 4.0 for Bachelor’s Degree
- Minimum GPA of 2.5 in O-Levels/SSC/Equivalent in five subjects and A Levels/HSC/Equivalent in two subjects or equivalent as per BRAC University scale (A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2 & E=1)
- Proficiency in oral and written English and basic Mathematics
- Basic Computer skills including Microsoft Office and Data Analysis Software.
Have a 4-years Bachelor’s degree or 3-years Bachelor Degree and 1-year Master/Postgraduate Diploma Degree in Health Sciences (Medicine, Nursing, Midwifery, including Allied Health Sciences)/Life Sciences/Social Sciences (Anthropology, Public Health, Food and Nutrition, Sociology, Psychology or any other Social Sciences Discipline);
- Be a national of and resident in a low- and middle-income country (as defined by the World Bank) of either the WHO South-East Asia or Eastern Mediterranean region;
- Be under 37 years of age at the time of application for the Master’s programme;
- Be interested in developing a career in implementation research on infectious diseases of poverty, including neglected tropical diseases; and
- Submit a statement of purpose on the reason for pursuing a career in infectious diseases of poverty
- Preference will be given to applicants currently working with health programmes in their respective countries;
- Provide a letter of support from the Director/Manager of the applicant’s home institution testifying the applicant’s ability to successfully undertake the Master’s programme and certifying that the applicant, if selected, will be granted a leave of absence. The Director/Manager must also indicate how the Master’s programme will strengthen the institution’s capability to conduct implementation research upon the return of the applicant. Applicants will be required to provide the letter of support if they are shortlisted for entrance exams and aptitude tests.
APPLYING FOR THE TDR POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME AT BRAC UNIVERSITY
To apply, you must complete the following two steps:
Step 1. Complete the TDR postgraduate scholarship application form and email it to: [email protected] with a copy to [email protected] and [email protected]
Step 2. Apply for the Master’s Programme. Call for Applications for the MPH 2024-2025 academic year will open in mid-May 2023.
Students must submit their online application for the MPH Programme at BRAC JPGSPH at https://admissions.bracu.ac.bd/academia/authentication/login or https://admissions.bracu.ac.bd/academia/admissionProcess/listAvailablePublishedCircularForAdmission (Only completed forms will be further processed).
APPLICATION DEADLINE: The deadline for receipt of applications is 30 July 2023.
