Factors associated with on-time graduation of MPH students at the school of public health, University of the Witwatersrand: 2000-2008

Abstract

Introduction: Low throughput rates are a concern for higher education institutions nationally. Within the postgraduate Master of Public Health programme in the School of Public Health at the University of Witwatersrand. throughput rates have been identified as a key priority area for improvement. Aim: This study described on-time graduation of Master of Public Health students at the School af Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand from2000 to 200B. In addition, it examined the associations between fáctors such as socio-demographic characteristics. mode of registration. and supervision characteristics and on-time graduation in the same period. Finally, the study aimed to describe the quality of information that is used to measure throughput in the School of Public Health- Results: Frequency analyses of throughput data obtained from the University's Academic Information and Systems Unit indicated that. of the 223 students in the sample, 65% (144 students) graduated, while 35% students) did not. Of the 144 students who did graduate, 121 students (84%) did so on-time. and 23 students (16%) did not graduate on• time, Fisher's exact test showed no association between socio-demographic factors (p=0.79}. sex nationality and on•time graduation. Mode of registration: part-time or full-time number of supervisors and Wits supervisors vs, non Wits supervisors (p=Û 60) were not associated with on-time graduation. However, the study did raise concerns regarding the information system at the university. specifically the quality of data and limited monitoring and evaluation processes to monitor student progress. Conclusion: More than a third of students registered for a Master of Public Health during the period 2000•2008 did not graduate. Given the human resource needs in health and health ser•ices in sub-Saharan Africa this represents an inadequacy. There were no significant associations between students' socio-demographic factors. mode of registration. supervision related factors and either graduation or on-time graduation. The quality of the current information system is not optimal to measure student progress and to flag students who have missed key milestones, There is a need far further studies to improve the information system for the purposes of optimally tracking students' progress.