Adelaide University
Graduate Certificate in Public Health
- Delivery: Face to Face
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
Develop skills to create effective policies and practices that promote health.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Public Health provides a flexible pathway to a fulfilling career in the health sector. You’ll be equipped to address a wide range of health issues, from infectious diseases to chronic conditions and work on local, national or global scales.
Craft a customised study plan aligned to your passions. Choose from a range of public health core courses. Get a grounding in the basic concepts of epidemiology. Or develop a critical understanding of the drivers of global health risks. Complete two elective courses from the broad public health discipline.
Undertake professional development or start a rewarding career in a new field. Develop strong communication skills and a broad range of knowledge in public health. You’ll be ready to take advantage of new and enhanced career opportunities. These can be in government agencies, healthcare organisations and even research institutions.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
What you will study
To qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Public Health, the student must complete satisfactorily a program of study consisting of 24 units.
- Zero to 24 units for core courses.
- Zero to 24 units for electives.
Core
- Introduction to Biostatistics
- Introduction to Epidemiology
- Global Public Health
- Public Health Evaluation and Economics
- Health Systems, Systems Thinking and Advocacy for Change
- Promoting Health in Individuals and Populations
- Environmental and Occupational Health
Electives
- Ethical Challenges in Modern Health Care
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
- Qualitative Research Methods In Health
- Making Healthy Public Policy
- Biostatistics
- Epidemiological Research Methods
- Health Technology Assessment
Entry requirements
To be eligible, an applicant must have achieved at least one of the following minimum entry requirements and demonstrate that they fulfil any prerequisite and essential criteria for admission. In cases where there are more eligible applicants than available places, admission will be competitive with ranks based on the entry criteria.
- A completed bachelor's (AQF level 7) degree or equivalent from a recognised higher education institution with a competitive GPA; OR
- A minimum of five years of relevant work experience.
Recognition of Prior Learning
You may be able to get credit for your course based on prior formal, non-formal or informal learning. To apply, you will need to provide supporting documentation outlined by the university. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
The Graduate Certificate in Public Health empowers professionals to advance their careers. You'll find yourself in organisations dedicated to disease prevention, health promotion and the enhancement of community wellbeing.
You might conduct research to identify health risks, collaborating with epidemiologists and preventing the next pandemic. You could also work in disadvantaged communities and coordinate initiatives to improve public health.
Other careers include:
- Public Health Officer
- Ministerial Adviser
- NGO Worker
- Community Development Officer
- Policy Adviser
- Development Officer
- Project Manager
Fees and CSP
Estimated annual fee in 2026: From $2,369 up to $8,700 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 24 units (normally four courses) per semester or year.
Student annual fees may vary in accordance with:
- The number of courses studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
Commonwealth Supported Places
The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.
If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.
Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate programs.
Your student contribution amount is:
- Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
- Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.
