The Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program is tailored to meet the needs of those working in public health, healthcare, social services, business, as well as early-career professionals interested in expanding their understanding of the foundations of public and community health, epidemiology, research methods, knowledge translation, and program planning and evaluation.

The Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program provides students with an introductory, yet comprehensive, understanding of the foundations of public and community health, epidemiology, research methods, knowledge translation, and program planning and evaluation.

The Master of Public Health program, on the other hand, is an advanced degree, providing students with in-depth learning experiences and the option of a thesis or practicum learning pathway.

You are welcome to apply to both the Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program and the Master of Public Health program. If you decide to apply to both programs, you will need to submit two separate applications, in addition to paying the associated application fees. It is important to note that applications for the Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program and the Master of Public Health program are reviewed separately.

Students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program are welcome to apply to the Master of Public Health program. If a student is granted admission to the Masters program before they complete the diploma, they may be eligible to transfer up to two credits as electives. However, permission to transfer credits is at the discretion of the School of Graduate Studies, and will require approval from the Master of Public Health Program Director.

It is important to note that students who complete the diploma will not be able to transfer credits to the Master of Public Health program.

The Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program provides graduates with the necessary knowledge and skills to become program analysts, knowledge mobilization coordinators, outreach coordinators, program officers, health educators, community service workers, and executives within the not-for-profit sector.

Completion of the diploma also provides graduates with a sought-after credential they can leverage to transition into public health-focused roles within their respective organizations and fields.

Delivered entirely online, the Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program was designed with flexibility in mind. It comprises four compulsory courses, which include asynchronous lectures and synchronous tutorial sessions. The fourth and final course – Public Health 720 – will culminate in the completion of a planning and evaluation project, providing students with a unique opportunity to apply what they have learned throughout the program.

No. The Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program does not accept transfer credits from previous academic work.

While completion of the Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program will increase an applicant’s relevant public health knowledge and experience, it does not necessarily guarantee entry into the Master of Public Health program.

The Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program is a 16-month, part-time online program comprised of four courses. Students take one course per term starting in the Fall, completing the program in December of the following Fall term. Since all four courses are delivered online, in-person attendance is not required.

Delivered in an exclusively online format to both domestic and international students, the Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program provides students with the opportunity to learn from world-class faculty whose research helps inform public health policy and practice locally, nationally and internationally.

Also, throughout the duration of the program, students will engage in authentic experiential learning that emulates the real world. Specifically, during the fourth and final course – Public Health 720 – students will collaborate with external partners to develop a program and evaluation plan that addresses a real-world public health problem.

We offer September and January admission.

Application for January 2025 enrollment will be from October 1, 2024, until November 14, 2024.

Application for September 2025 enrollment will be from January 15, 2025, to May 14, 2025.

Canadian work permits are applied for and granted by the Government of Canada, not by McMaster University. Enrollment in, or completion of, the Graduate Diploma in Community and Public Health program does not guarantee a work permit in Canada. Those interested in working in Canada should visit the official website of the Government of Canada.