Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health

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A career in public health offers the opportunity to make a difference to many lives and improve health outcomes on a large scale. In a rapidly changing world, we face a number of challenges relating to global public health, including navigating a post-Covid society, substance abuse and addiction, climate change, and malnutrition - to name just a few.

Our diploma in public health online addresses the rising demand for skilled, tenacious public health specialists to treat, manage and eradicate public health threats with confidence. This postgraduate diploma in public health is designed for healthcare professionals including doctors, GPs, nurses, pharmacists, policy makers, or other public sector professionals with an interest in public health.

You will be equipped with a deeper understanding of the complex issues surrounding public health, as well as the leadership and problem-solving abilities essential to approach them.

PgDip Public Health

Next intake: March 2025Key Facts

Awarding University
University of South Wales
Commitment
Part-time
Class Size
15 - 20
Application Deadline
7th March 2025
Course start date
Format
100% Online
Total Fees
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By studying a public health diploma, you can access this valuable PGDip public health from anywhere in the world, and learn from our dedicated expert tutors, who are exceptionally experienced in this field. Our multidisciplinary learning experience means that not only will you be learning from industry leaders across the globe, you will gain access to a network of students all over the world, with whom you can share best practice and global insight into the function of different healthcare systems.

Not only is our public health diploma 100% online, it is completely flexible; we put you at the forefront of your learning experience by reading, researching and responding to clinically rich case scenarios in our academic forum and participating in multi-diciplinary class discussions led by an expert tutor. Reflective practice means learning is related back to real world experiences and can be immediately implemented.

On completion of this public health diploma, graduates will be able to:

  • Critically evaluate current research in Public Health.
  • Critically apply independent learning skills in the exploration of knowledge and enquiry within public health.
  • Demonstrate reflection and creativity in addressing complex issues that involve many interacting factors in the advancement of public health.
  • Deliver management strategies for the investigation and treatment of populations presenting with health improvement needs.
  • Initiate and lead complex processes and public health strategies within the context of the multidisciplinary team.



Next intake: March 2025 Key Facts

Awarding University
University of South Wales
Commitment
Part-time
Format
100% Online
Duration
12 months
Class Size
15 - 20
Application Deadline
7th March 2025
Course start date
10th March 2025 (view full module dates)
Total Fees

Why Study a Public Health Postgraduate Diploma with Learna

We have over 10 years’ experience delivering online courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.

knowledge

100% Flexible

Our courses are 100% online. No fixed study times mean you can log in and learn whenever and wherever.

Multidisciplinary - study in a group of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals.

Experts

Expert Led

All of our programmes are authored and developed by world leading experts in their field.

Our faculty are selected due to their subject expertise, experience and teaching abilities to ensure the highest standards of educational excellence.

confidence

Career Boosting

Get a University Validated postgraduate qualification in just 1 calendar year instead of 2 academic years.

40% of our alumni reported an increase in salary 2 years after studying with us.

Who is this course for?

Our diploma public health course is suitable for healthcare professionals with an interest in public health – this could include, but is not limited to, doctors, GPs, nurses, pharmacists, policy makers, public health professionals, geographers, exercise scientists, sociologists and environmental scientists.

Graduate entrants are expected to include those with an interest in public health, especially those in the public sector, such as police,* fire service, local authority, local and national government, health service, and NGO’s*.

How Will I Learn?

You'll learn through our flexible, interactive online platform, which allows you to engage with clinical cases, complete assignments, and collaborate with fellow students at times that suit your schedule. There's no fixed timetable—simply log in daily to participate in the week's activities.

Learn through engaging discussion

Our teaching approach is highly interactive, using small groups of 10-20 students to foster a collaborative environment where you can engage in thoughtful discussions and receive guidance from your tutor. You'll have access to learning resources and discussion forums that encourage ongoing interaction and deeper engagement with the material.

Throughout your studies, you'll receive support from a dedicated expert tutor and our Student Support Team, ensuring you have the resources needed to navigate the course successfully.

Curriculum

Our postgraduate diploma in public health allows you to study for just one calendar year and is a part-time, distance-learning course. The course is worth 120 credits and comprises six modules of 20 credits, each running over a period of six weeks.

Module Aims

  • To provide an overview of the introduction to public health and explore relevant definitions.
  • To critically use relevant data and evidence to understand contemporary issues within the public health arena.
  • To develop an understanding of evidence-based interventions, to prevent contemporary issues or to protect the population’s health.

Module Content

  • Overview/history of public health
  • Demographic data
  • Global burden of disease
  • Non-communicable disease
  • Infectious disease
  • Personal Factors contributing to non-communicable disease and infectious disease
  • Wider determinants contributing to non-communicable disease and infectious disease

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply relevant understanding of data and evidence to understand the factors that impact on contemporary public health issues, whilst reflecting on the strength, weaknesses and limitations of using robust data and evidence.
  2. Demonstrate an ability to critically apply appropriate statistical and evidence-based analysis techniques and methods to contemporary public health issues.

Module Aims
To critically use relevant data and evidence to understand the impact of environmental/geopolitical issues and interventions to protect the population’s health.

Module Content

  • Safe and secure supplies of water and food
  • Rising temperature
  • Flooding/water security
  • Diminishing Biodiversity
  • Natural disasters

Learning Outcomes

  1. Critically apply the evidence to assess the impact of environmental/geopolitical issues on the health and wellbeing of populations and population groups, whilst reflecting on the strength, weaknesses and limitations of using robust data and survey information.
  2. Demonstrate an ability to critically apply robust evidence to support effective interventions to protect populations.

Module Aims
To critically use relevant data collected by a variety of methods and techniques to survey and assess a population’s health.

Module Content

  • Sources and uses of data
  • Surveys and epidemiology
  • Population statistics: Techniques and methods for analysing population health data - quantitative
  • Population statistics: Techniques and methods for analysing population health data - surveillance qualitative
  • Data from the use of health and other services
  • Legal and ethical frameworks for the use of data

Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate an ability to critically apply appropriate techniques and methods to the analysis of health data for populations and population groups.
  2. Critically appraise and apply appropriate data and survey methods to assess the health and wellbeing of populations and population groups within an applicable legal and ethical framework.

Module Aims
To develop knowledge of a range of effective strategic leadership, organisational and management skills in a variety of complex public health situations and contexts, dealing effectively with uncertainty and the unexpected to achieve public health goals.

Module Content

  • Leadership
  • Policy development
  • Change/project management
  • Partnership
  • Working within and with communities
  • Implementation of public health interventions in complex settings

Learning Outcomes

  1. To assess, communicate and understand the management of different kinds of risks including health, financial, reputational and political.
  2. To critically apply influencing and negotiating skills in a variety of complex settings to advocate for public health issues.

Module Aims

  • To critically apply the evidence base to address issues within public health care systems.
  • To develop an understanding of needs assessment and health impact assessment to support evidence-based interventions.
  • To develop skills in pathway development for integrated services.

Module Content

  • Understanding of health protection risk
  • Understanding of environmental determinants of disease and disease control
  • Identifying and managing an outbreak
  • Identifying and managing an incident
  • Surveillance: Immunisation and screening
  • Health protection: legal

Learning Outcomes

  1. Use appropriate data and evidence to critically apply the appropriate techniques and methods to identify and assess the risks and hazards of communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases, relevant to health protection.
  2. Demonstrate an ability to coordinate appropriate public health responses, communicating effective interventions to protect populations by preventing communicable and non-communicable disease, ensuring that this is supported by the critical application of robust evidence.

Module Aims

  • To critically apply the evidence base to address issues within public health care systems.
  • To develop an understanding of needs assessment and health impact assessment to support evidence-based interventions.
  • To develop skills in pathway development for integrated services.

Module Content

  • Understanding organisation and management of care and healthcare systems
  • Understanding needs assessment
  • Understanding health impact assessment
  • Working to protect equality and diversity
  • Understanding quality and risk in health care
  • Understanding patient pathways and the transformation of patient pathways

Learning Outcomes

  1. Critically apply the evidence base to the factors that impact on public health issues within a variety of health and care systems, whilst reflecting on the strength, weaknesses and limitations of using robust data and evidence.
  2. Demonstrate an ability to critically apply appropriate techniques and methods to the analysis of health care public health issues and linked health data and evidence for populations and population groups, and protect the health of populations in a healthcare environment.

Assessment Methods

This programme emphasises learning through active participation in case-based discussions, reflection, and real-life scenarios. Students engage with clinical cases that mirror everyday practice, fostering problem-solving and evidence-based application from the very beginning.

Across the modules, assessments are integrated with learning. Each week, you will work through two to three clinical cases, discussing and reflecting on them with peers under the guidance of an expert tutor. These discussions form the core of your learning and are also the basis for your assessments.

Our innovative teaching methods are designed to help you translate this learning into real-world clinical practice. You'll need to regularly log in to participate in discussions, ideally on a daily basis, and commit approximately two hours per day to your studies. Our dedicated Student Support Team is available to assist with any challenges you may encounter, from navigating our online platform to managing deadlines.

How Foundational Knowledge is Developed

The programme is structured so that foundational knowledge is introduced through carefully designed clinical cases. Each case is crafted to highlight essential concepts and progressively deepen your understanding as you apply critical thinking and evidence-based analysis. This hands-on approach ensures that you are not only acquiring theoretical knowledge but also learning how to apply it in a practical, clinical setting.

This programme is suited for professionals who thrive in an online, discussion-based learning environment. Please note that this course focuses on interactive, applied learning through peer collaboration and case discussions. You will be fully supported, encouraged and led through the programme to success and graduation!

  • Every week students are presented with two/three clinical case-based scenarios that are reflective of every day clinical practice and research.
  • Tutors will post a number of questions and prompts to aid students in a formal discussion of each case.
  • These discussions are facilitated throughout by your tutor and are then assessed at the end of every module.

The reflective journal is used by students throughout each module to monitor personal progress. This is guided by weekly feedback from your tutor and is graded at the end of every module. The journal typically includes the following:

  • Initial expectations and reasons for taking the course.
  • Module and/or personal learning objectives.
  • Description of events, issues and learning points within current personal practice.
  • Change in every day practice due to knowledge gained on each module.
  • A description of what has been learned during the module.

For this assessment, students will work on a group assignment and/or an individual assignment.

  • Group assignments are designed to hone skills in the multidisciplinary, holistic approach to modern treatments and patient management by requiring group participation in a single piece of work.
  • Individual assignments are designed to hone skills in academic career progression through such tasks as reviewing papers, developing scientific posters or abstracts, peer-reviewing, social media activities, patient information leaflets and essays.
  • Students are provided with case-based problems in the form of a one-hour timed examination.
  • The exam consists of 30 'Single Best Answer' questions.
  • Students are required to complete the exam online within the set time.

Entry requirements

Since our public health graduate diploma programmes are conducted entirely online, they are accessible to both UK and international registered healthcare professionals.

Applicants will typically hold a first degree or equivalent (including international qualifications) in a relevant professional healthcare or management field.

Registered healthcare professionals or experienced managers working in the healthcare field, without these recognised qualifications will be considered on an individual basis and a wide range of prior experience may be taken into account. In some cases, applicants may be asked to submit a piece of work for assessment in order to confirm that they are able to work comfortably at postgraduate level, and demonstrate the requisite clinical and professional knowledge.

Documents Required

  • A copy of your updated CV including your address and date of birth.
  • A copy of your undergraduate degree certificate.
  • The name and email address of someone who is able to provide a reference, this can be a work colleague, employer or former tutor.
  • A detailed personal statement explaining why you would like to undertake the course.
  • A copy of your proof of English competency (see below).

English Language Requirements
Proficiency in the English language is also essential to completing our courses. If English is NOT your first language, we ask for proof of competency during the application process. We are able to accept an IELTS overall score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 for each band) or an equivalent qualification.

If you do not meet these requirements, please don’t worry. The University of South Wales run a number of English Language Programmes at the Centre for International English to prepare you for your academic studies. You can also contact our admissions team on admissions@diploma-msc.com for more information on the qualifications we accept.

Course Fees

Total Course Fees for UK & International Students for March 2025:
£5,040

Option 1: Upfront Payment in full. Option 2: Interest free payments every other month for the duration of the course.

DateInstalmentsUp-Front Payments
Deposit£840£5,040
1st May 2025£840
1st July 2025£840
1st September 2025£840
1st November 2025£840
1st January 2026£840

† Deposits are non-refundable
†† Prices are subject to review following each intake

Option 3: Lower your monthly payments by spreading the cost for between 2 and 8 years with a loan from our lending partner Lendwise*.

*Subject to eligibility criteria.

lendwise

Learna | Diploma MSc has a partnership with Lendwise which is a leading private student loan provider, to help UK students fund their course fees should they require financing. Lendwise is a UK-based education finance platform through which candidates can fund their postgraduate and professional qualification studies at leading educational institutions.

A Lendwise loan comes with a fixed interest rate for the duration of the loan (between 2 and 8 years) and no early repayment penalties. The interest rate offered will depend on the overall applicant profile and the application process is entirely online.*

*Other sources of funding are available.
Learna | Diploma MSc does not offer financial advice, recommend or endorse any financial product. You should always check the suitability of the product that is of interest to you. If you are in any doubt as to its suitability, we suggest that you seek independent professional advice.

Talk To Our Students

Why Learna

We have over 10 years’ experience delivering online diploma courses, giving you access to flexible, affordable distance learning in partnership with world-leading educators.

Our courses are some of the most affordable of their kind, providing value for money without compromising on quality. We also don't apply an international surcharge. No fixed timetable means you can log in & learn on the go, at your convenience.

Being totally online means we can select the very best tutors and resource editors, no matter where they’re located.

Connect with multidisciplinary people around the world to expand your insights & broaden your career prospects.

Our programmes produce 90% fewer emissions than campus-based learning.

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