Graduate Certificate in Public Health
PostgraduateTAS-MPH-GCE2025
Contribute to the health of your community
Prepare for a move into the public health sector, where you can make a lasting impact on large-scale health challenges. Gain the practical skills you need to analyse existing healthcare systems. Become a leader who advocates for change.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Applications close
- 6 July 2025
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 2 years part time
- Total subjects
- 4
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Graduate Certificate in Public Health
About this degree
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Identify health challenges of local and global populations to inform decision making in public health practice, policy, and actions.
- Apply evidence-based reasoning and knowledge of public health principles to assess public health actions that focus on prevention, protection and improving the health of the population.
- Engage, collaborate and communicate for ethical public health action and advance health equity.
As a graduate of the Certificate in Public Health you will have foundation competencies required for public health practice in Australia and globally. You’ll learn to think broadly about the factors that affect health and wellbeing including social, environmental, cultural, economic, political and structural determinants.
You will be empowered to address public health challenges as a practitioner who is culturally competent, collaborative, evidence-based and builds capacity for public health action. This program is relevant to those who work within public health as well as those wanting to move into the field of public health.
Recommended study pattern
The course is only available for part-time study.
For students undertaking part-time study the following study pattern is recommended.
Completion of 4 core subjects from the schedule below:
- 2 core subjects:
- TAS-CAM528 Introduction to Epidemiology
- TAS-CAM529 Introduction to Public Health
- Choose 2 core subjects from the following:
- TAS-CAM520 Global Health Systems
- TAS-CAM530 Systems Thinking in Public Health
- TAS-CAM618 Evaluating Health Interventions
- TAS-CAM624 Non Communicable Disease Prevention
- TAS-CAM625 Introduction to Biostatistics
- TAS-CAM626 Communicable Disease Epidemiology
Award requirements
Satisfactory completion of 4 subjects, as required in the schedule, within 1-2 years from commencement.
- 2 core subjects:
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $4,660
The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
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Learn more about UTAS.
Explore UTAS courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 20
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 19
Entry requirements
Successful completion of an AQF 7 Bachelor degree or equivalent
Where standard entry is not able to be met the following criteria for alternative entry will be considered by the Course Coordinator:
- At least 3 years of relevant work experience (Specific occupations, workplace settings and industries are more relevant for specific courses and will receive greater weighting in consideration) demonstrating the relevance of the course;
- A record of high achievement in any other qualifications or uncompleted undergraduate qualifications such as Distinction average.
The University of Tasmania grants credit and recognition of prior learning that may include formal and/or informal prior learning. More information is available here.
Career opportunities
Public health graduates play vital roles in ensuring health system resilience and reform in all countries. Graduates find employment in local, state, and national government ministries and health services, non-government health agencies, international health agencies, humanitarian organisations and universities.
Professional recognition
The curriculum is informed by competency standards articulated by the Council of Public Health Institutions in Australasia (CAPHIA). There is currently no professional accreditation required for public health tertiary qualifications.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
| Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
| Health and Welfare Services Managers | Over $120K | Up 56.6% |
| Health Promotion Officers | N/A^ | Up 44% |
| Policy and Planning Managers | Over $120K | Up 53.8% |
Degree FAQs
How long does it take to finish an online degree?
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
How can I pay for my studies?
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
How does studying through Open Universities Australia work?
You might find learning through OUA a little different to how you've studied in the past. It can take time to develop the skills you need for independent online study.
We connect you with subjects and degrees that are taught by leading Australian universities. You can complete single subjects, or follow a degree structure to work towards a specific qualification. Subjects are offered in several study terms throughout the year, so you can choose to study part-time or full-time, continuously or with breaks.
We help you find the subjects or degree that's right for you, and we handle your enrolment in uni and some administration. Your uni sends you your study materials and deals with all academic matters. They're also in charge of your assessment and graduation. If you go on to complete a degree, you'll graduate from the uni offering your degree, for example, RMIT University or Griffith University.
How do I know if I‘m eligible to apply for a course?
Before starting an enrolment, it's important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you're eligible to apply. If you don't quite meet the requirements, we can help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study. Contact us to find out more.
When is my cut-off date for enrolment?
Our close of enrolment times vary. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting Key dates.
Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don't meet the entry requirements for a degree, we'll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We'll introduce you to flexible study options you didn't even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.You'll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you'll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you'll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.We'll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
How do I enrol?
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you've made your choice, click 'Apply now' on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We'll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to a student advisor and we'll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.