GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SERVICES & POLICY RESEARCH

GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY RESEARCH

The Graduate Diploma in Health Services and Policy Research is offered by Lakehead University as one of six Ontario Universities that have established the Ontario Training Centre in Health Services and Policy Research (OTC). Health services research is intended to inform policy development and decision making regarding the organization, funding, and delivery of health services, or the allocation of resources dedicated to improving health. Increasing the number of health services researchers to address critical issues in effective and efficient health care delivery has been identified as a high priority by national research funding agencies.

The Graduate Diploma program has a number of unique features. Courses, many being developed for distance education delivery, will be available from any of the six participating universities (Lakehead, Laurentian, McMaster, Ottawa, Toronto, and York). Students will attend summer institutes that address important issues in health services research. Field placements will be done in policy settings and with health services researchers.

Admission to the graduate diploma offered in conjunction with a master's (or doctoral) degree, requires that the candidate be already admitted to the master's (or doctoral) degree in a specific discipline. This diploma represents an additional, usually interdisciplinary, qualification.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Students interested in applying for the Graduate Diploma program must first be enroled in one of the following graduate programs:

Master Arts in Economics
Master of Arts in Sociology
Master of Public Health
Master of Social Work

Applications should be submitted to the Office of Graduate and International Studies. Application deadline is March 31st for entry in the Fall term. Admission decisions will be made by the Program Admissions Committee on the basis of aptitude for health services research, career plan, and plan of study in the diploma. At the time of application, students will normally have completed 1.5 full course equivalents towards their graduate degree and identified a Health Service or Policy research area to be eligible for consideration to the Graduate Diploma.

ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

In addition to the Graduate Studies Regulations outlined on pages 266-269 of this calendar, students taking the Graduate Diploma program are also bound by the regulations listed below:

Advanced Standing

No advanced standing credit may be awarded on the student's transcript towards this graduate diploma.

Period of Study (Time Limits)
Full-time graduate students will normally need two extra terms to complete the additional diploma requirements of their programs. A candidate shall complete both the degree and diploma requirements within one of the following prescribed time limits from the time of first registration:
(a) two years plus two terms registered full-time;
(b) one year registered full-time, four years registered part-time;
(c) eight years registered part-time.
PhD students will add two terms to their period of study.

Ontario Visiting Graduate Student
Lakehead University students may take courses at another university and have them credited towards the Graduate Diploma. Students must complete the required Ontario Visiting Graduate Student form prior to enrolment in the course.

Graduation
Normally, students will complete the requirements of both the degree and diploma portions of this program at the same time. While students may receive the degree before completing the diploma, they may not receive the diploma before completion of the degree.

PROGRAMS

The student's learning plan, developed in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator and the student's Supervisor, will be used to develop an individualized program of study.

Graduates of the diploma program will demonstrate the following core competencies:
(a) understanding of the Canadian health care system
(b) ability to effectively carry out health services research
(c) understanding of theories about how the health of populations is produced, maintained and enhanced at the individual, group, community, provincial and national level
(d) understanding of theories of health and health services knowledge production
(e) ability to effectively exchange knowledge and develop research partnerships with stakeholders in the health field (e.g., citizens, health care providers, decision-makers at all levels)

1. MASTER OF ARTS IN ECONOMICS/GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY RESEARCH

In addition to the requirements of the Master of Arts in Economics, as described on page 308 of this calendar, the requirements of the graduate diploma consist of:
(a) HSPR 5015 - Summer Institute (non-credit required course),
(b) HSPR 5050 - Research Practicum (non-credit required course), or
HSPR 5055 - Policy Practicum (non-credit required course),
(c) HSPR 5070 - Learning Portfolio (a non-credit required course),
(d) health services research as the focus of the graduate thesis or major research paper
(e) three half-course electives, chosen in consultation with the student's OTC mentor

Students who lack demonstrated core competencies may also be required to complete additional work. In consultation with their supervisors, these students may be able to build these competencies by completing an additional half-course credit as the required elective in their master's degree.

2. MASTER OF ARTS IN SOCIOLOGY/GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY RESEARCH

In addition to the requirements of the Master of Arts in Sociology, as described on page 318 of this calendar, the requirements of the graduate diploma consist of:
(a) HSPR 5015 - Summer Institute (non-credit required course),
(b) HSPR 5050 - Research Practicum (non-credit required course), or
HSPR 5055 - Policy Practicum (non-credit required course),
(c) HSPR 5070 - Learning Portfolio (a non-credit required course),
(d) health services research as the focus of the graduate thesis or major research paper
(e) three half-course electives, chosen in consultation with the student's OTC mentor

Students who lack demonstrated core competencies may also be required to complete additional work. In consultation with their supervisors, these students may be able to build these competencies by completing an additional half-course credit as the required elective in their master's degree.

3. MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH/GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY RESEARCH

In addition to the requirements of the Master of Public Health, the requirements of the graduate diploma consist of:
(a) HSPR 5015 - Summer Institute (non-credit required course),
(b) HSPR 5050 - Research Practicum (non-credit required course), or
HSPR 5055 - Policy Practicum (non-credit required course),
(c) HSPR 5070 - Learning Portfolio (a non-credit required course),
(d) health services research as the focus of the graduate thesis or major research paper
(e) three half-course electives, chosen in consultation with the student's OTC mentor

Students who lack demonstrated core competencies may also be required to complete additional work. In consultation with their supervisors, these students may be able to build these competencies by completing an additional half-course credit as the required elective in their master's degree.

4. MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH WITH SPECIALIZATION IN NURSING/GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY RESEARCH

In addition to the requirements of the Master of Public Health with Specialization in Nursing, the requirements of the graduate diploma consist of:
(a) HSPR 5015 - Summer Institute (non-credit required course),
(b) HSPR 5050 - Research Practicum (non-credit required course), or
HSPR 5055 - Policy Practicum (non-credit required course),
(c) HSPR 5070 - Learning Portfolio (a non-credit required course),
(d) health services research as the focus of the graduate thesis or major research paper
(e) three half-course electives, chosen in consultation with the student's OTC mentor

Students who lack demonstrated core competencies may also be required to complete additional work. In consultation with their supervisors, these students may be able to build these competencies by completing an additional half-course credit as the required elective in their master's degree.

5. MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK/GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY RESEARCH

In addition to the requirements of the Master of Social Work, as described on page 294 of this calendar, the requirements of the graduate diploma consist of:
(a) HSPR 5015 - Summer Institute (non-credit required course),
(b) HSPR 5050 - Research Practicum (non-credit required course), or
HSPR 5055 - Policy Practicum (non-credit required course),
(c) HSPR 5070 - Learning Portfolio (a non-credit required course),
(d) health services research as the focus of the graduate thesis or major research paper
(e) three half-course electives, chosen in consultation with the student's OTC mentor

Students who lack demonstrated core competencies may also be required to complete additional work. In consultation with their supervisors, these students may be able to build these competencies by completing an additional half-course credit as the required elective in their master's degree.