Home » Healthcare » Public Health » 6 Public Health Courses Online in Australia

6 Public Health Courses Online in Australia

Public health courses are available online to start or boost a career in this field. Choose from bachelor degrees, graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and masters degrees.
Young woman smiling at large computer screen

Courses in public health are open to people from different backgrounds. You'll learn how to promote community health using evidence-based interventions and programs. Let's explore the best online courses from Australian universities.

Online Courses

Get Behind a Healthier Australia

Father, mother and boy in field

The ultimate goal of a public health professional is pretty simple. It's to improve the health and welfare of the community. By doing an online public health course, you may be laying the foundations to contribute to a happier and healthier Australian population.

Unlike many health fields, the job relies on tools such as community education, health regulations, public programs and improvements in our knowledge base. While public health officials don't directly handle patients, they work in many ways to advances the health interests of people everywhere. And the impacts can be profound, as we've witnessed in our responses to pandemics.

People arrive at careers in this field in many different ways, often after working in a different health sector. You might also have a science or administration background. Postgraduate courses are available to help all kinds of professionals build the skills they need for future public health roles.

Bachelor of Public Health

Woman receiving drive-through car vaccination

A Bachelor of Public Health offers a well-rounded education in how to address health challenges and improve individual and community wellbeing. As well as electives from related disciplines, you'll study disease, epidemiology, statistics, health policy, research and communications. Online bachelor degrees are similar to on-campus programs but with all academic content delivered online.

Deakin Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion

Deakin University offers a bachelor degree that is available in the cloud (online) format, combined with 120+ hours of practical experience in a health-related agency. One-third of  the three-year program are elective units. Apart from those, you'll study topics such as disease prevention and control, health protection, health information and data, population health, epidemiology and biostatistics, policy and research. With fieldwork replicated throughout the program plus the work placement component, graduates are primed to enter the workforce with job-ready skills. Graduates are also eligible to become members of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) and for professional accreditation with the Australian Health Promotion Association (AHPA).

Graduate Certificate in Public Health

Man typing at home on laptop

The first of the public health postgraduate courses is a Graduate Certificate in Public Health online. This is a four-subject course that you can complete over 8 months of part-time study.

A relatively short course typically forms part of a master's program. If you enjoy your post graduate studies, you can easily continue on to earn a graduate diploma or Master of Public Health.

Topics this foundations course could cover include epidemiology fundamentals, social perspectives in public health, biostatics, and health systems... READ MORE

Graduate Certificate in Communicable Disease

Woman wearing mask while shopping in supermarket and checking phone

We all acquired communicable disease knowledge from the COVID-19 pandemic. You can gain university credentials in this field with a postgraduate course.

A Graduate Certificate in Communicable Disease provides foundational education in public health, with an emphasis on monitoring and controlling spreadable diseases of the human population.

Topics student examine in communicable disease courses include epidemiology fundamentals, communicable disease, consumer engagement, qualitative research, and biostatistics... READ MORE

Graduate Certificate in Health Analytics

Man wearing white lab coast using computer tablet to bring up anatomy graphic

Many healthcare professionals have an interest in health analytics because you learn how to extract value from the large amounts of health data being collected every day. You can study this discipline in a postgraduate program.

Graduate Certificate in Health Analytics courses may cover topics such as measuring health system performance, data visualisation and visual analytics, biostatistics, and health risk models.

The mathematical courses provide useful knowledge of health analytics, though further study may be needed to specialise in this quite technical field... READ MORE

Graduate Diploma in Public Health

Woman standing outside office building looking up as people walk past

A Graduate Diploma in Public Health might offer the ideal amount of learning for you. Comprised of 8 subjects, the course is halfway in duration between a graduate certificate and masters. You can earn the qualification over 16 months of part-time study online.

UTS Online Graduate Diploma in Public Health

The UTS Online Graduate Diploma in Public Health is designed for professionals who are looking to advance their skills and gain a global perspective on public health. Students acquire tools with which to positively impact population and community health. Through this course, you will develop specialist knowledge and skills in health education, data and promotion, enabling you to contribute to public health programs. Delivered part-time and 100% online, the course enables you continue full-time work while gaining skills to add value to your public health career.

Master of Public Health

Woman wearing glasses using laptop

An outstanding career could be built on the education foundation of a Master of Public Health. The degree qualifies you for almost any high-level role within Australia's healthcare system or public service.

In a 12-subject master's degree, you could cover advanced topics such as global health systems, advanced biostatistics, planetary health, leading health and social care, and using health data for decision-making.

An online postgraduate program can be completed in 2 year's of part-time study – without requiring you to be away from work... READ MORE

What You'll Study (Course Structure)

Public health university programs may be general or specialised. For a general course, you'll cover key topics such as epidemiology, public health research, use of statistics, communicable disease, non-communicable disease, inequality of health outcomes, and health promotion. Popular specialisations include health analytics and communicable disease.

A bachelor degree is made up of 24 subjects and takes three years while graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and masters degrees normally consist of 4, 8 and 12 subjects respectively. Most university courses are a combination of core subjects and electives. For bachelor and master's degrees especially, electives may be drawn from other programs such as health science, management or data analytics.

If you're a working professional, flexible study options are available. Most postgraduate courses are designed for you to study online part-time while working full-time. Students typically complete one subject at a time over a 6-7 week study period. With accelerated online study, you can complete six subjects annually as a part-time student.

Learning Outcomes

You can achieve foundational as well as specialised and advanced learning from online public health courses. Students consider different public health issues and explore the tools available to achieve better health outcomes.

Foundational knowledge and skills are often gained through bachelor degrees, graduate certificates and the core subjects in a Master of Public Health. You'll gain essential knowledge such as how the Australian health system works, use of evidence in public health, key threats from communicable and non-communicable diseases, and intervention principles and strategies.

An advanced education in certain areas can be achieved with a specialist short course or by your choice of major in a longer program. Epidemiology, biostatistics, health economics and healthcare leadership are examples of fields where you can build expertise through online courses.

Career Opportunities

Professional man and woman with laptops consulting one another at table

Job titles for public health course graduates include community health and wellbeing officer, data analyst, epidemiologist, health coordinator, health planning and evaluation officer, health researcher, policy analyst, program manager, health promotion officer, and public health consultant.

If you have a strong professional skillset already, you may be able to use that as part of your future job. Public health is a multidisciplinary profession that attracts people from many fields, such as healthcare, health management, law, the social sciences and data analytics.

Where are public health professionals employed? According to a University of Melbourne alumni survey, common employers of public health graduates are non-government organisations (such as global health and disease-specific agencies), government-affiliated organisations such as hospitals and health agencies, governments at multiple levels, universities and research institutes, and health and communications consultancies.

Entry Requirements

The entry requirements for public health degrees online are quite typical. For bachelor degrees, you'll generally need to achieve the required ATAR. For postgraduate courses, you'll qualify with a bachelor degree in any discipline or significant relevant professional experience.

Please check individual programs for detailed course admission requirements and alternative pathways. Fully online courses are unavailable to international students on a student visa.

Public health presenter

What is a Master’s in Public Health?

A Master’s in Public Health (MPH) is a post graduate degree where you learn how to protect and improve the overall health of communities.

FAQs

† Online courses are available in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Gold Coast, Newcastle. Australia Wide.