At present Diploma is the highest qualification, but next year we plan to upgrade to the Masters of Public Health.

Sorry, we do not have a module in public health law. The closest is on policy, in the module called Public Health Concepts for Policy Makers.

You can enrol in up to two course modules at one time. A number of students in the past have had difficulty finding the time to work on two modules at the same time, so be sure that you do have enough time. We estimate 5-10 hours a week for each module, to take full advantage of the course.

You can change your choice of course module until the day the course starts, depending on the availability of places on the module. Choice of module is made at the time of application, and you can change the modules which you chose initially when you submitted an expression of interest.

After successfully completing each module, a message will be sent to you with a link to the certificate (academic record). You then download this yourself for your own records. When enough modules have been completed for a Certificate or a Diploma in Public Health, the same system will apply.

We supply the major resources as pdf files in a zip file format so that you can download to your computer once and read without needing to log on to the Internet. All discussion postings are automatically sent to you as emails, but you will need to log on to contribute to the discussion (if you prepare your message first, you will only need a short time online to post it). The discussions are to exchange experiences and explore the issues in depth with the tutor, and the student feedback is that they are very valuable. There are no exams, but the assignments for academic credit can be prepared in advance and, as with the discussions, you will only need a short time online to submit the assignment.

We do not offer a Masters at all. After passing 4 course modules you will receive a Certificate, and after 8 a Diploma. You may be able to use these as 'credit' towards a Masters degree in a traditional university.

You can do a maximum of 2 course modules per semester, so after two semesters can complete 4 course modules and be eligible for a Certificate. Once you have passed the assignments at the end of the course modules, you will be sent notification and can download your Certificate from the web site with your own password. You will also be able to download a record of each successful course module completed in the same way.

This is not a Masters degree programme. We are not an accredited University, and all we can offer is a Certificate in Public Health and a Diploma in Public Health. The UK Royal Society for Public Health has accredited the programme as a whole, but does not award the Certificate or the Diploma, which come from the Peoples-uni alone at this stage. We are negotiating with some Universities to give awards jointly with us, and others may give credit towards a Masters degree that they run. We have full quality assurance processes in place to allow this to happen.

You will be sent your username and password just before the course is due to start. Before then, you will receive an email giving approval of your application, and this will give some more detail. You can contact techsupport@peoples-uni.org at any time for technical assistance.

For Peoples-uni there are no rules about admission criteria. If you feel that you are able to study at the Masters level and have experience and work in Public Health, you are welcome to apply for admission.

For the courses starting October 2008, there is a charge of US$50 for each course module. This is payable at the end of the module, in order to receive the academic record of achievement. The fees have not been fixed yet for later enrolments, but we hope that they will be similar.

You will be sent details of how to log in to the course approximately one week before the course is due to start. Please do not forget that you will need good Internet access during the period of the course. We hope you enjoy the course.

Under the heading 'Courses offered' you will find a section called 'Courses offered and timetable'. This lists the courses available. Also, if you go to the Application form, you will see the names of the course modules from which to make a choice.

At present, we do not have a scholarship system. However, we will be encouraging a 'buy one - give one' scheme where those who can easily afford the course module fee can pay double and thus provide a free entry for someone who cannot. We will also be seeking sponsorship for scholarships from various organisations as we progress.

After successful completion of each course module, you will receive an 'academic transcript' detailing what you have achieved. You will receive a 'Certificate in Public Health' if you successfully complete 4 course modules or a 'Diploma in Public Health' if you successfully complete 8 course modules. These are each awarded from the Peoples-uni. You will also receive credits for the European Credit Transfer System, which you may be able to use as evidence of prior learning if you want to enrol on another course.