In this innovative course, the origins and evolution of public health and the underlying principles of community-based and community-led public health will be explored. The social-ecological model of health forms the basis of the Graduate Diploma in Public Health and you will be introduced to complex adaptive systems thinking and how this influences the way we think about public health.

This approach reflects contemporary trends in public health and provides the basis for innovative interventions for social change. You will undertake units that outline the origins and evolution of public health and the underlying principles of community-based and community-led public health. You will explore fundamental concepts associated with these principles, including complex adaptive systems thinking, social and environmental determinants of health, social epidemiology, social justice, partnership development and participatory research. You will have the opportunity to apply these concepts in practical ways in both strengths-based and disease-prevention approaches.

The course offers you the choice of two electives from a restricted set of non-public health units in order to complement your public health practice. This will allow you to develop multi- and trans-disciplinary synergies between public health and at least one other field of study.

Career Opportunities

You can also work on projects for government and non-government organisations relating to a number of health fields including health promotion and health administration.

Course Structure

• Core Units

  8

• Electives

  None

• Major Units

  None

• Minor Units

  None

Course structure

You are required to complete eight units including six (6) compulsory core units and two (2) electives from a selection of non-public health units. The core units cover topics such as understanding public health, systems thinking approach to public health, social epidemiology, public health action and evaluation, global public health and health research. The two electives provide the multi-disciplinary context of the Graduate Diploma of Public Health.

Unit information

For information on the units, you could study as part of this course, visit the Handbook and select the "Course Structure" tab.

Credit transfer information

If you have already completed a study relevant to the course you have enrolled in, you may be eligible for credit transfer.