Prof Crick Lund (second from left) and Erica Breuer (right) from the Centre with two MPhil graduates on their graduation day.

The Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health’s successful MPhil programme is continuing to equip mental health researchers across the world to contribute to the international effort to scale up mental health care. 

The MPhil in Public Mental Health was initiated in 2012 and is a part-time research degree that aims to develop advanced research skills, enabling participants to undertake their own research projects (such as evaluating services, policies and interventions) as well as interpret research findings for mental health policy and practice. 

The programme is designed to be accessible to practitioners who work full-time, and who are from a range of backgrounds, like social work, psychology, medicine, occupational therapy, nursing, health economics, public mental health, public health, health service management, policy making and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The training aims to build the professional capacity and leadership of the participants in their work, while contributing to knowledge generation in Africa.  

Since 2012, 30 health practitioners and researchers have completed their MPhil studies successfully and this year 13 more aim to do the same. Eleven of the currently enrolled students just completed an intensive 3-week course at the Centre in Cape Town. 

“The course is very beneficial for anyone trying to have a career in research or public health. It equips you with all the skills you may need to conduct good research and critically evaluate health services in any country. I would encourage everyone to consider this course,” says 2015 graduate, Demoubly Kokota. 

Prospective students interested in this course can find out more about applying here.

This year’s MPhil students and their study advisors.