Graduate Certificate or Diploma of Epidemiology overview
The Graduate Diploma of Epidemiology is a one-year full-time program covering advanced level methodology and statistical practice applicable to the tracking and measuring of disease. Institutions like the University of Queensland offer it to any who have completed a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or a certificate in the discipline. It generally requires prior completion of the six-month Graduate Certificate of Epidemiology to enter, however.
Employment options
A master level degree is often required for most employment positions in epidemiology, yet both these lower-level qualifications are excellent baselines for further study and improved understanding of disease control for students interested in public health policy and tangentially related specialisations.
Scholarships and funding
General scholarships are available to students of epidemiology in certificates and diplomas, such as the Gallipoli Scholarship. These types of scholarships often have esoteric requirements, however. For this particular scholarship, the recipient must be descended from an Australian WWI serviceman, for example. For this level of study it’s more difficult to find epidemiology-specific funding, but meeting these requirements can act as a sound alternative.
Prerequisites and selection process
In the case of a Graduate Certificate of Epidemiology, entry requirements are often merely the completion of any bachelor’s degree. The Diploma of Epidemiology is slightly more stringent, requiring the completion of a relevant bachelor level program or the prior certificate to enter.