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1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Postgraduate Diploma
5. Public Health

Course Fact File

Code	PDPH
Duration	1 Year Full-time
Teaching Mode	Full-time
Qualifications	PG Dip
NFQ Level	Level 9
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.
Start Date	8 September 2025

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.

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

Programme Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Critically analyse theories and issues related to public health;
• Construct arguments around the social, political and economic factors determining the health of populations;
• Demonstrate competence in the key underpinning disciplines and theories of public health including epidemiology, communicable diseases including healthcare-associated infections, biostatistics, social and behavioural sciences, and social policy;
• Analyse and synthesise evidence and apply it to public health;
• Demonstrate enhanced knowledge in the chosen specialist pathway (health promotion, health protection, epidemiology and biostatistics). 

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)

Course Practicalities

Teaching takes place on Thursdays and Fridays. Teaching includes the use of SPSS (all students) and STATA labs (Epidemiology and Biostatistics students) and occasional field trips. 

Assessment

You will have a range of written assignments, exams, and presentations to complete for this postgraduate diploma.

Who teaches this course

Staff from the School of Public Health along with guest lecturers from outside the School.

• Dr Zubair Kabir (Academic director)
• Prof Ivan Perry
• Dr Tony Fitzgerald
• Dr Ali Khashan
• Dr Maria Roura
• Prof Patricia Kearney 
• Dr Karen Matvienko-Sikar
• Ms Donna Ó’Doibhlin
• Ms Colette Cunningham
• Ms Mary Cronin
• Ms Maura Smiddy

Why Choose This Course

The Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health is a multi-disciplinary course that allows you to specialise in health promotion, health protection, or advanced epidemiology. The course offers both quantitative and qualitative research methods.

This is an innovative course designed to offer multi-disciplinary academic and experiential development for students from a range of professional backgrounds. Our modules are developed and taught by a dedicated team of staff, who are experts in a variety of public health areas. Students will experience a wide range of teaching styles: classroom-based, limited fieldwork, and lab sessions.

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.

Requirements

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.

Fees and Costs

How To Apply

Additional Requirements 

Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

• You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

• In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.

• Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

Deposit

Please note that successful EU applicants will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of €500 on acceptance of their place.

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 May. Early application is advised.

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