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An image to illustrate the Graduate Certificate in Public Health
This certificate provides you with a critical understanding of public health, health promotion and health security. You’ll study how social determinants of health and illness create inequalities and inequities across populations and consider how evidence-based remedies and interventions can be aimed at individual and communal well-being. On successful completion of this certificate, you'll have the underpinning knowledge required to inform public health practice in line with the standards of the United Kingdom Public Health Register (UKPHR). This qualification doesn’t include a public health practice placement, so to register with UKPHR, you must also demonstrate their standards through practice.
This certificate has one stage, comprising 60 credits.
You will complete 60 credits to develop your knowledge and understanding of public health, health promotion and health security.

ModulesCreditsStart month
You'll study the following:
Public health: health promotion and health security (K310)60Oct

By studying this certificate, you’ll:
You’ll be supported throughout by personal tutors, quality learning materials, tutorials, and regular feedback.
You’ll be awarded a Graduate Certificate in Public Health upon successful completion.
If you plan to work or study outside the UK, we recommend checking whether this qualification meets local requirements. Find out more about the international recognition of Open University qualifications.
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the qualification-specific regulations below and the academic regulations that are available on our Student Policies and Regulations website.
We regularly review our curriculum to keep it up to date. This means the structure, availability, and content of the course or modules may change. We’ll update this page as soon as possible if there are any changes. If you have already registered for this qualification, we’ll inform you in good time of any upcoming changes where practicable. For more details, see our Academic Regulations or contact us.
You can achieve this certificate in as little as one year.
At the OU, flexibility and support go hand in hand. You’ll be in control of when and where you study, with clear deadlines to guide your progress. Whether you’re balancing work, family or other commitments, our approach helps you fit learning into your life. Students consistently praise the support we provide, and from the very start, you’ll be part of a vibrant OU learning community.
As you progress through your qualification, you’ll have access to a dedicated online study space, expert tutor guidance, optional live tutorials, and a wide range of resources to help you succeed. The sections below outline what you can expect.
Your module website will be a central hub for your learning, giving you easy access to:
Discover how the OU’s module websites, course materials, and support tools help you study online with confidence.
Each module has a dedicated tutor who will guide you through your studies. They’ll provide feedback, help you find resources, mark your assignments and support your learning journey.
For extra support, you can attend optional live tutorials with your tutor. These are usually conducted online, and most are recorded so you can review them later.
See how OU tutors and tutorials help you build confidence, connect with others, and get the support you need to succeed in your studies.
Our assessments reinforce what you’ve learned and show your understanding. Assessment types vary by module and may include:
Throughout your studies, you’ll have access to a wide range of support services and be part of a vibrant learning community. Our subject-specific Student Support Teams can help with general queries and any updates to your OU account. You’ll also benefit from:
Discover the support network and learning tools you'll have access to throughout your studies.
There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification.
The fees and funding information shown below relate to the 2025/26 academic year and are provided for guidance only. Updated 2026/27 information will be published on the 25th of March, when this qualification next opens for registration.
£3,892*
Your course fees cover your tuition, assessment and study materials, but there are still a few additional costs that can come with studying. For this qualification, you'll need:
*The fee information provided here is valid for modules starting before 31 July 2026. Fees typically increase annually. In England, fees are subject to the part-time fee limit, as set out in section 5 of the University's Fee Rules.
Pay nothing upfront – over 85% of our students in England fund their studies with a Part-Time Tuition Fee Loan (sometimes called a student loan), meaning they pay nothing upfront.
Learn more about this and our other funding options below.
Repay in monthly instalments while you study.
Pay for each module with a debit or credit card in one quick, simple payment.
More than 1 in 10 OU students are sponsored by their employer.
Combine your payment options to fund your studies the way you want.
If you’re a serving member of the British Armed Forces (or you’ve recently left), you may be eligible to use ELCs to cover up to 100% of your course fees.
You may be eligible for:
The Graduate Certificate in Public Health focuses on defining the nature of public health and builds knowledge of the United Kingdom Public Health Register (UKPHR) standards for evidence-based public health practice. It also emphasises how public health requires crossing professional boundaries and understanding the service user's perspective. You'll acquire a strong set of highly valued transferable skills, including skills in written communication; finding, evaluating, and presenting research and other sources of information; problem-solving and time management. You'll learn to work independently and as part of a team.
Completion of this qualification would not in itself provide the working experience of public health practice that is required to apply to the UKPHR. You will have to source your own working experience of public health practice via employment or other equivalent means. However, this qualification and the module that supports it, Public health: health promotion and health security (K310) is mapped against the United Kingdom Public Health Register Standards, and completion of module/graduate certificate provides all of the underpinning knowledge of the UKPHR Standards to support your application.
This graduate certificate is focused on providing underpinning knowledge for public health practice but is also applicable to a wide range of health and social care careers in the statutory, voluntary, or private sectors, though some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your qualification.
Some of our students include:
This graduate certificate provides underpinning knowledge for UKPHR registration. It doesn't include a practice opportunity in public health. Applications for UKPHR registration must demonstrate how the applicant had met UKPHR standards through their own practice.
Many graduate-level jobs are open to graduates of any discipline, particularly in business, finance, management consultancy and the public and voluntary sectors. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your qualification.
Once you register with us (and for up to three years after you finish your studies), you'll have full access to our careers service for a wide range of information and advice. This includes online forums, website, interview simulation, vacancy service, as well as the option to email or speak to a careers adviser. Some areas of the careers service website are available for you to see now, including help with looking for and applying for jobs. You can also read more general information about how OU study enhances your career.
In the meantime, if you want to do some research around this qualification and where it might take you, we've put together a list of relevant job titles as a starting point. Some careers may require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your qualification:
This course will next start in the 2026/27 academic year and will open for registration on the 25th of March. If you’d like us to keep you updated, register your interest.
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Our prospectus will help you explore your course options, get a feel for life as an OU student, and register for study.
Request a prospectus
This course will next start in the 2026/27 academic year and will open for registration on the 25th of March. If you’d like us to keep you updated, register your interest.
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