Public Health

Course Outline

To meet the increasing demand for highly trained public health specialists, we are offering a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health designed to prepare you to investigate, evaluate and address public health challenges, whatever your professional background. Our Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health programme will equip you with the core knowledge and specialized skills necessary to make a real difference in public health.

Pathways

Pathway preferences are chosen in consultation with the Programme Director. The Postgraduate Diploma has three pathways:



Pathway 1: Health Promotion

Pathway 2: Health Protection

Pathway 3: Epidemiology & Biostatistics



Students take 60 credits in total: In Semester 1, you will take core modules to the value of 30 credits. In Semester 2, you can choose one of the pathways and undertake modules to the value of 30 credits (25 credits from the chosen pathway and a 5-credit core module).



Semester 1

Core Modules - All pathways (30 credits)

EH6025 Principles and Practice of Public Health (10 credits)

EH6026 Applied Research for Public Health (10 credits)

EH6027 Public Health Informatics (5 credits)

EH6157 Qualitative Research in Public Health (5 credits)



Semester 2

Core Module - All pathways

EH6028 Leadership in Public Health (5 credits)

Pathway 1: Health Promotion



Students take 25 credits as follows:

EH6029 Health Promotion: Concepts, Principles and Practice (10 credits)

EH6039 Public Health and Behavioural Change (5 credits)

EH6044 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (5 credits)



Plus 5 credits from either of the following:

EH6046 Global and Environmental Health (5 credits)

SS6017 Critical Public Health (5 credits)



Pathway 2: Health Protection

Students take 25 credits as follows:

EH6019 The Principles and Practice of Multi-disciplinary Health Protection (10 credits)

EH6044 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (5 credits

EH6046 Global and Environmental Health (5 credits)

MB6000 Microbiology for Health Protection (5 credits)



Pathway 3: Epidemiology & Biostatistics

Students take 25 credits as follows:

EH6031 Advanced Epidemiology (10 credits)

EH6044 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (5 credits)

ST6011 Advanced Biostatistics (5 credits)

ST6012 Survival Analysis (5 credits)

All applicants will be required to write a 500-word statement demonstrating their suitability to complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health.



Candidates must also meet one of the following requirements:

Hold a Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours degree (NFQ, Level 8) in a relevant subject area



OR

Hold a Second Class Honours Grade I in a Postgraduate Certificate (NFQ level 9) in a relevant subject area



OR

Completion of three years (180 credits) of a medical degree programme from a recognised University on the Island of Ireland. No student may register for the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health programme of study until the Third University Examination in Medicine has been passed to an Upper Second Class honours Standard.



Relevant subject areas are Biological Sciences, Medical and Health Sciences, Public Health and Social Sciences.



Note: In some circumstances, applicants without a primary degree or applicants without a relevant primary degree may be recommended for entry to the programme under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) following a review of their individual qualifications and experience by the course committee. Such applicants may be called for an interview, and their admission will be subject to the approval of the School of Public Health's Executive Committee.



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements.

Closing Date

Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.



Non-EU Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 May. Early application is advised.

1 year full-time.



This Postgraduate Diploma runs over 10 months, and lectures are delivered on Thursdays (3pm to 9pm) and Fridays (9am to 5pm).

Start Date 8 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

Our graduates are currently employed in a range of careers in Ireland, Europe and in other developed and developing countries in diverse public health roles including health services, public health research, surveillance, environmental health and public health agencies.