[Criteria to determine academic levels in public health]

Within the academic modernization strategy that the National School of Public Health developed as a result of its merging into the National Institute of Public Health, a set of different normative standards were established in order to review its academic programs. This paper shows the specific criteria to differentiate the three graduate academic levels (specialty, masters degree and doctoral degree) that are offered by the School. This set of criteria was needed because there were misunderstanding about the goals and the contents of each of these academic programs. The present proposal was done by the Academic Program Associated Dean's team during 1987, after reviewing the academic standards at the national level for graduate programs. On the other hand, a set of criteria is proposed for the graduate continuing-education programs. These courses are seen as strategic for the training of physicians in executive levels of the health sector in Mexico.