Program Overview

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Graduate Diploma in Public Health

The Graduate Diploma in Public Health prepares students for work, education, and research in public health. It provides the skills necessary to launch a career in public health and the education needs of public health professionals who want to advance their careers.

Overview

You will graduate with the necessary skills for professional public health practice across a broad range of settings. Gain an in-depth understanding of health promotion, the social determinants of health, population health priorities, and the methods used to improve these across versatile professional contexts.

Key Features

• Pathway to further study: Students can articulate from the graduate diploma to the Master of Public Health. You can elect to further your studies by adding an extension to gain research experience through additional research methodology courses and/or an advanced research project.
• Industry-relevant program: This program was designed to be relevant to the workplace, with many opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge to practice. One such opportunity is our internship program, where youll gain practical experience in relevant health organisations.
• Flexible delivery: Complete your study from anywhere in the world. This program provides flexible learning options so you can complete the program according to your needs and commitments. Courses can be taken online or face-to-face, full-time or part-time.

Why Study at UNSW?

• We're a global leader in research and impact: Recognised for our excellence, we rank #20 globally for public health research.
• Join a sector-leading population health community: UNSW's Medicine & Health faculty is ranked #54 globally for life sciences and medicine and is creating the leaders of tomorrow.
• Build your professional network: Join an engaged cohort of like-minded students and a successful alumni community.

Program Details

• Program Code: 5507
• CRICOS Code: G
• Campus: Kensington
• Total Units of Credit (UOC): 36

Entry Requirements

There are two pathways for entry and a third exceptional pathway. These include:

1. Pathway 1: Applicants must have both a three-year undergraduate degree in any field of study and two years of full-time professional or volunteer experience in a relevant field.
2. Pathway 2: Applicants must have at least one of the following: an undergraduate degree plus an honours in a relevant field of study, or a postgraduate degree in a relevant field of study.
3. Pathway 3: In exceptional circumstances, applications will be considered for entry when they have extensive professional health or public health experience but do not hold a relevant degree qualification.

Relevant Fields of Study

Accepted areas of study include:

• Medicine
• Nursing
• Allied health
• Health sciences
• Biomedical sciences
• Dentistry
• Social sciences
• Social work
• Psychology
• Paramedicine
• Environmental health
• Health administration
• Policy studies
• Development studies

Professional or Volunteer Experience

Relevant professional experience includes:

• Roles in health (including allied health, medicine, nursing, oral health, public health, environmental health, and psychology)
• Health service provision or health management roles in human services
• Roles that involve working specifically on health-related activities or portfolios

English Language Requirements

You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments, and examinations.

What Will I Study?

The Graduate Diploma in Public Health can be completed in one year of full-time study or 1.7 years part-time. The program is made up of six courses, including:

• Two core courses
• Four elective courses

Core Courses

• Health Promotion and Social Perspectives of Health
• Foundations in Public Health and Health Care Systems

Elective Courses

Please visit the program handbook to view the elective courses on offer.

Future Careers

Our graduates are recognised as leaders in disease prevention and control, program and policy formulation, implementation and evaluation, health promotion, population health research, and management of health programs. Many occupy key positions in health departments, population health units, universities, and non-government organisations in Australia, the Western Pacific, and Asian regions.

Fees & Scholarships

• Commonwealth Supported Places: A limited number of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) are available for this degree. To be considered for a CSP, please ensure you preference the CSP code in UAC.
• Indicative Fees:
  • 2026 Indicative CSP First Year Fee: $7,000
  • 2026 Indicative CSP Fee to Complete Degree: $7,000
  • 2026 Indicative First Year Full Fee: $45,500
  • 2026 Indicative Fee to Complete Degree: $46,500

Scholarships

At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether youre a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes, and awards can support your journey.