Graduate Diploma in Health Data Science

Help us shape the future of health

International

You have reached the maximum of 6 degrees.

Drive data-driven solutions to real-world health problems facing Australian and global communities. With the UNSW Graduate Diploma in Health Data Science, you’ll learn to find relevant data, unlock hidden insights and use this information to better support clinical care, inform health policy and improve population health.

Commencing Terms: Term 1 & 3
Duration: 1 Year(s)
Delivery Mode: Face-to-face (includes blended), Online
Campus: Kensington
Codes: Program code 5372; CRICOS code 096226k


2025 Indicative first year full fee: $37,000*
2025 Indicative full fee to complete degree: $37,000*
2025 Indicative first year full fee: $48,500*
2025 Indicative CSP fee to complete degree: $49,500*

Further study pathways
Industry relevant
Flexible delivery

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Overview

Today, health data is measured in the trillions of gigabytes. It doubles every 75 days. Big data is a term used to describe data sets that are so large and complex, they can’t be managed or analysed using traditional methods.

In health, big data includes the:

millions of records generated routinely by health services
real-time clinical data captured at the point-of-care
genomic and imaging data produced in research and clinical settings
health-related data generated by the population at large through wearable devices and social media.

The Graduate Diploma in Health Data Science will prepare you to find the right data, unlock hidden insights and use this information to better support clinical care, inform health policy and improve population health. This program covers the entire pipeline from comprehension of complex health issues through to data wrangling and management, machine learning and data mining, data analytics, data modelling and data communication. ��

Key features

Industry relevant program
We designed this program in response to a significant and growing gap in the global health workforce: skilled data scientists who understand the context of health and can apply data analytics to drive health improvement. In this program, you’ll be exposed to real-world problems and learn the latest analytical methodologies to derive solutions.
Suited to a wide range of backgrounds
This program is suitable for students who are starting out in the field and those already working within it who want to upskill. Whether you’re a statistician who wants to build on your current skills, a clinician or nurse who wants to improve the quality of care received by your patients, or a keen programmer looking to convert your on-the-job experience into a formal qualification, this program welcomes students from a wide range of backgrounds.
Flexible delivery
This program can be completed full-time or part-time, on-campus or fully online. Content is delivered through a combination of online readings, expert guest lectures and practical hands-on tutorials. Lectures are followed by exercises, which reinforce the learning and programming skills covered in the tutorials.

Why study at UNSW?

Study the first postgraduate program in health data science
Our master’s degree, graduate diploma and graduate certificate in health data science are pioneering programs that examine data-driven solutions to complex health problems. At UNSW, we’re leading this new approach to healthcare.

Learn within a world-leading research and teaching institute
This program is delivered by the��– the leading Australian and international hub for health research using big data. The CBDRH brings together an interdisciplinary team of staff, who have world-leading expertise in managing, manipulating, analysing and visualising health big data. Using large-scale electronic data than spans the biomedical, clinical and health services domains, the CBDRH is transforming knowledge from data into practical applications within health.

Connect with staff and students in a dynamic learning environment
In some courses, a flipped classroom approach is used, where you’ll learn theory from short online videos and use face-to-face or online sessions to apply knowledge, practice skills and engage in peer-to-peer learning. A major feature of our student-centric learning experience is the online community, where you can interact with your peers and instructors from diverse backgrounds and workplaces.��

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Program Code

5372

CRICOS Code

096226k

Campus

Kensington

Total Units of Credit (UOC)

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Entry requirements

For entry into this program, you must have one of the following:

an undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline
an undergraduate degree in a non-cognate discipline at honours level
successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Health Data Science (7372)
qualifications equivalent to or higher than the Graduate Certificate in Health Data Science (7372) on a case-by-case basis.

Cognate disciplines

medicine
nursing
dentistry
physiotherapy
optometry
biomedical/biological science
pharmacy
public health
veterinary science
biology
biochemistry
statistics
mathematical sciences
computer science
psychology
(health) economics
data science
other (case-by-case basis).

English language requirements

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You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.

If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.

If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:

English language tests and university English courses
Prior study in the medium of English
Other qualifications

If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.

For entry into this program, you must have one of the following:

an undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline
an undergraduate degree in a non-cognate discipline at honours level
successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Health Data Science (7372)
qualifications equivalent to or higher than the Graduate Certificate in Health Data Science (7372) on a case-by-case basis.

Cognate disciplines

medicine
nursing
dentistry
physiotherapy
optometry
biomedical/biological science
pharmacy
public health
veterinary science
biology
biochemistry
statistics
mathematical sciences
computer science
psychology
(health) economics
data science
other (case-by-case basis).

English language requirements

You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.

If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:

Check the specific English language requirements for this program

Select from the options below

Which applies to you?

Program structure

From the context of health and data curation through to analytics, computation and communication, this degree will guide you through the entire health data science pipeline.��

Health Data Science Pipeline

Health Delivery Systems

Data Sources

Evidence-Based Medicine

Health Outcomes

Health Equity and Genes��
Data Quality

Wrangling

Data Linkage

File Management /Storage

IT Security
Pattern Analysis

Pre-Processing

Outlier Detection

Prediction
Algorithms��

Models��

Decision Making
Collaborative Coding

Visualisation

Written and Oral Presentation

Full program structure

The Graduate Diploma in Health Data Science can be completed in one year of full-time study or two years part-time. The program is made up of eight core courses.��

or
The graduate certificate and graduate diploma provide an articulation pathway into the Master of Science in Health Data Science. ��

Future careers

The role of a health data scientist is dynamic and always evolving as their work spans across any of the multiple stages of the health data pipeline. From designing and leading research studies and analysing data, through to building machine learning processes to understand complex health issues, a health data scientist’s work draws on a multiplicity of skills.

Because it’s a profession in its early development stages, new roles and opportunities in this sector are being created all the time. The health data scientist may, for example, manage a team of data analysts to work out processes to gather data, assess how to model the data or devise ways to implement health policy change based on the outcomes of their studies and findings.

There is growing demand within the public and private health sector, both in Australia and globally, for professionals with specialised interdisciplinary skills in health data science. This program could lead to a career in:

government departments of health (national, state or local)
hospitals
universities and research institutes
pharmaceutical companies
health insurance companies 
private data analytics consultancies.

Our alumni

"We learnt industry-leading coding practices such as GitHub and Version Control and had regular assignments, which were useful as they were in a health context.”

Phillip Hungerford

Analytics Consultant

How to apply

Applications must be submitted through our��portal. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term. Some high-demand programs and Faculties with limited places may have an earlier application deadline or commencement date.��.

Ready to start your application?

For most international students, applications are submitted via��our  service. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term.

Some high-demand programs with limited places, may have an earlier application deadline or may have an earlier commencement��date. For��more information visit��our .

Ready to start your application?

Fees & Scholarships

2025 Indicative First Year Full Fee

$37,000*

2025 Indicative Full Fee to Complete Degree

$37,000*

*Fees are subject to annual review (or when required) by the University and may vary accordingly.

Indicative fees are a guide only and have been calculated based on the typical enrolment patterns of students undertaking the program. The indicative fees listed here is an estimate for tuition only and excludes non-tuition fees and charges. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year of enrolment, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (48 units of credit (UOC) per year).

You should not rely on indicative fees as fee increases are assessed when required and may exceed the indicative figures listed here. Actual fees are calculated on enrolment. More information on fees can be found at the .

2025 Indicative First Year Fee

$48,500*

2025 Indicative Fee to Complete Degree

$49,500*

*Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually, with the new fees effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only, other fees and charges are not included. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year to enrol, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (8 courses per year).

Indicative fees are a guide for comparison only based on current conditions and available data. You should not rely on indicative fees. More information on fees can be found at the��.

Indicative fees to complete the program have been calculated based on a percentage increase for every year of the program. Fee increases are assessed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed here.

Indicative fees to complete the program include tuition plus an estimate of study-related costs of approximately $1,000 per year. To find out more about other costs, visit��.

Scholarships

At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes and awards can support your journey.