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Tuberculosis Online PGCert

Part of: Medicine

Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading infectious disease killer and a global health priority. Study this comprehensive online-learning postgraduate certificate and know more about this challenging disease. The programme offers an emphasis on the prevention, diagnosis, and management of drug-susceptible and drug resistant Tuberculosis, as well as an opportunity to acquire skills in R&D, public health and more.

  • The programme has been developed for trainees and consultants in infection specialities and respiratory medicine.
  • Ideal for TB nurses, public health workers or practitioners with experience in Tuberculosis.
  • Work at your own pace and in your own time via distance learning.
  • Study at a university and hospital trust with a large burden of TB and an active research and teaching programme.
  • Large group of internationally renowned expert faculty and collaborations.
  • Currently the only standalone postgraduate certificate course on Tuberculosis.

Study options

Starting in
September 2025
Location
Distance Learning
Fees
Home: £3,000
Overseas: £3,000
EU/EEA/Swiss students

What you'll study

This course aims to improve the knowledge of TB amongst healthcare professionals, assist them with tools and insights to improve their understanding and their work, and pave the way for a new generation of TB specialists. With a growing pipeline of new drugs in development, new technologies and more investment, this is a very good time to join the fight against TB.

You will gain a comprehensive overview of the public health aspects of Tuberculosis with an emphasis on the theory, guidelines and exercises used to practising the taught concepts. You will also be provided with a more in-depth review of specific and challenging aspects surrounding the clinical management of Tuberculosis and will be given the skills to perform research in Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is in a core subject for respiratory medicine and infectious diseases, microbiology and public health specialities, this course will give a more in-depth focus for those wishing to pursue TB as a subspecialty or a career.

The course is all distance learning allowing you to study at your own pace and in your own time over the course of two semesters. It will provide an excellent structured learning platform for trainees and specialists to develop their skills in this area. Lectures are delivered by leading international experts in the field with the same lecturer offering interactive tutorials. Each week the student will receive around three lectures to view and study in their own time and join a weekly live seminar (recorded and made available), where students can interact, ask questions and take part in exercises.

Structure

  • Four compulsory modules
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Compulsory/Core modules

In this module students will develop a comprehensive overview of Tuberculosis (TB), with an emphasis on prevention, diagnosis and management of drug-susceptible TB. Students will review the history of TB, as well as disease pathogenesis and epidermiology. Students also will be introduced to WHO recommended strategies, various treatment options and their effects, and current diagnostic technologies such as genome sequencing. Students will learn via a series of online lectures delivered by experts in the field and will participate in discussion groups.

In this module students will develop a comprehensive overview of multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Students will review epidemiology, as well as diagnostics for MDR-TB. In addition, students will learn to design and evaluate treatment regimens, with particular focus on new and re-purposed drugs, side effects, and therapeutic drug monitoring. Students will learn via a series of online lectures delivered by experts in the field and will participate in discussion groups.

In this module students will develop a more in-depth review of specific and challenging aspects surrounding the clinical management of Tuberculosis (TB), including rehabilitation, palliative, and holistic care. Students will review the effects of smoking, alcohol, diabetes and HIV, as well as evaluate the specific impact of TB in children and the elderly. In addition, students will evaluate extrapulmonary TB, post TB infections, as well as renal and hepatic failure. Students will learn via a series of online lectures delivered by experts in the field and will participate in discussion groups.

This module will give students a comprehensive overview of the public health aspects of Tuberculosis (TB) with an emphasis on the theory, guidelines, and exercises used to practice the taught concepts. Students will examine the national TB programme, and develop knowledge related to strategic planning and managing TB outbreaks. Students will learn via a series of online lectures delivered by experts in the field and will participate in discussion groups.

Assessment

You will be assessed using a combination of coursework and structured, written and multiple-choice examinations.

Teaching

You will study this online learning course using a variety of methods including: online lectures, videos and literature for each module, online seminars and tutorials (via Zoom), interactive reading lists and journal papers, case studies, and self-directed learning. The online learning platform also promotes engagement in online discussion forums.

Blizard Institute distance learning (online) students* gave their experience a score of 99% for overall satisfaction.

*Students who completed the Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES) 2024

Dominik Zenner course finder thumbnailDr Dominik Zenner is the course co-lead for the PGCert in Tuberculosis.  He is Clinical Reader in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Queen Mary and course co-lead for the PGCert in Tuberculosis. He has previously worked as Senior Migration Health Advisor for the Regional Office for the EEA, the EU and NATO of the International Organization for Migration (the UN Migration Agency), and as Consultant Epidemiologist and Head of TB screening in the national TB section in Public Health England where he helped to develop and implement the TB strategy for England, including leading the roll out of the national latent TB screening programme, the health aspects of the UK refugee programme and the UK pre-entry TB screening programme. He has a demonstrated academic and strategic interest in infectious disease epidemiology and migration health, including several high impact publications and several prizes. His work has informed national and international policy, including ECDC and WHO guidelines. 

Simon Tiberi course finder thumbnailDr Simon Tiberi is the course co-lead for the PGCert in Tuberculosis. He works in three east London hospitals working in Infection and TB clinics. Furthermore, he contributes to the British Thoracic Society Multidrug Resistant Tuberculosis Clinical advisory service. He is also TB secretary for the European Respiratory Society and Vice Chair of the Global TB Network Consilium. His research interests focus on mycobacteria, and respiratory infections. He is currently involved in a number of clinical trials, translational and health service research programmes. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters.

I have found the PGCert in Tuberculosis a most informative and rewarding course. The standard of lecturers was excellent and the wealth of knowledge and expertise that was available to us was outstanding. The course more than met my expectations. I feel I have been able to transfer this knowledge into my everyday practice. The course was well organised and the lecturers were approachable and available for extra support when needed. I would highly recommend this course to other nurses in public health or a TB role.

Fran Guyatt, Tuberculosis Online PGCert, 2020

Where you'll learn

Facilities

  • Access to Queen Mary’s dedicated online portal, QMplus.
  • Access to video and audio recordings of all lectures and other online resources (journals, books and databases).
  • Video tutorials for lab-based work.
  • Access to our campus facilities if you decide to visit at any point during your course.
  • Watch our video to discover online study at Queen Mary

About the Institute

Blizard Institute

The Blizard Institute is the largest institute of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. Our research and education span broad areas of modern biomedicine, with particular expertise in cell biology, genomics, immunology, neuroscience, primary care, population health and trauma sciences.

Our research puts Queen Mary joint seventh in the UK (REF 2021). We work closely with linked NHS hospital trusts which means that the School’s research and teaching is informed by an exceptionally wide-ranging and stimulating clinical environment.

 Barts Health NHS Trust is home to:

  • One of the capital's leading trauma and emergency care centres in the UK (approaching 1,000 attendances daily)   
  • Europe’s largest Trauma Centre
  • Europe’s busiest Heart Centre.

Queen Mary University is also part of the prestigious Russell Group - a body of leading UK universities dedicated to research and teaching excellence.

Career paths

  • 96% of Blizard postgraduate-taught students are in employment or further study (2020/21)
  • 98% of Blizard postgraduate-taught students are in highly skilled work or study (2020/21)
  • £47k is the median UK salary of Blizard Institute postgraduate-taught graduates (2020/21). 87% earn above this.

Fees and funding

Part-time study

September 2025 | 9 months

Part-time study

January 2026 | 9 months

Funding

There are a number of ways you can fund your postgraduate degree.

Our Advice and Counselling service offers specialist support on financial issues, which you can access as soon as you apply for a place at Queen Mary. Before you apply, you can access our funding guides and advice on managing your money:

Entry requirements

UK

Degree requirements

A medical degree OR a nursing degree with at least a 2:2 at undergraduate level.

Additional information

Nursing applicants must have at least 2 years experience working with Tuberculosis.

Find out more about how to apply for our postgraduate taught courses.

International

English language requirements

The English language requirements for our programmes are indicated by English bands, and therefore the specific test and score acceptable is based on the band assigned to the academic department within which your chosen course of study is administered. Note that for some academic departments there are programmes with non-standard English language requirements.

The English Language requirements for entry to postgraduate taught and research programmes in the Blizard Institute falls within the following English band:

Band 4: IELTS (Academic) minimum score 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each of Writing, Listening, Reading and Speaking

Please note, there are some postgraduate programmes with non-standard English language requirements in this Institute.

We accept a range of English tests and qualifications categorised in our English bands for you to demonstrate your level of English Language proficiency. See all accepted English tests that we deem equivalent to these IELTS scores.

Visas and immigration

Find out how to apply for a student visa.

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