Leading the way in global public health nursing: expert-led, 100% online

The Professional Diploma in Tropical Nursing (PTDN) is one of the UK’s leading course in global public health nursing. It equips nurses and other health professionals to address inequalities, deliver care in under-resourced systems, and strengthen practice in diverse communities.

This fully online course is designed to be highly flexible, so you can study from anywhere in the world alongside your professional and personal commitments. Experts in their field lead high quality teaching. The insights and connections you gain will not only enhance your practice locally but also open doors to careers and collaborations across the globe.

An internationally recognised qualification

Held up as the industry standard, the PTDN is an established professional qualification and a requirement for many international agencies including Médecins Sans Frontières. By joining this course, you will gain an academic qualification, enhance your professional development, and become part of a dedicated international alumni community.

From March, the PDTN becomes a credit-bearing qualification, with students awarded 45 UK postgraduate-level credits. Many universities in the UK and around the world may recognise these credits towards a master’s degree through a process known as accreditation of prior learning (APL). This could give you a valuable head start in further study - particularly in advanced practice and public health programmes. However, as each institution sets its own rules, you will need to check with your university about transfer options.

A lasting legacy in global nursing

First established at LSHTM in 1996, the PDTN was a pioneering programme as the first course of its kind designed specifically with nurses in mind, recognising their vital role in health system strengthening and global health. Thousands of graduates now contribute to health improvement and leadership worldwide.

Student Nursing Times Awards 2026 Winner

LSHTM was announced as the winner in the Student Nursing Times Awards 2026 for ‘Nurse Education Provider of the Year (post-registration)’ in recognition of the Professional Diploma in Tropical Nursing (PDTN) course along with Course Organiser, Katie Beck, who was shortlisted for ‘University Educator of the Year’. 

What you will learn

Tackling inequalities and infectious disease

Wherever you are in the world, as a nurse you will have seen inequalities in healthcare. This course gives you the tools and perspectives to recognise, understand, and address barriers to equitable care, with a particular focus on diseases of poverty and health issues that disproportionately affect marginalised communities. You will explore topics such as women’s and children’s health and reflect on how unconscious bias shapes healthcare delivery. The course also places strong emphasis on infectious diseases, reinforced through innovative online laboratory training. This ensures you gain both the theoretical insight and practical skills needed to make a real difference.

Navigating low-resource settings

The majority of nurses around the globe work in underfunded systems and challenging conditions, where demand often outstrips supply. From providing “corridor care” in an overstretched UK hospital to triaging community health visits in rural Tanzania, the ability to prioritise and make the best use of what is available is essential. By studying on the PTDN  you will develop the knowledge and skills to deliver safe, effective care in any setting where resources are limited and need to be optimised.

A distinctive feature of this course is the highly popular virtual laboratory, which allows you to practise core laboratory techniques from anywhere in the world. Guided videos and lectures bring microscopy directly to your screen, while demonstrations cover practical skills such as blood grouping, cross-matching, and haemoglobin estimation. Alongside this, you will explore approaches to operational management in low-resource contexts, including systems for mass triage and needs assessment, preparing you to manage health challenges at scale.

Collaborating across borders

Around the world, most nursing education is designed to prepare graduates for practice within their own country’s health system. As a result, many nurses feel underprepared for cross-cultural, international, or cross-border roles. This course helps bridge that gap, equipping you with the confidence, skills, and perspectives to work effectively across diverse contexts. And whether or not you plan to work internationally, the knowledge and skills you will gain are highly relevant; nurses everywhere increasingly work with diverse populations and within interconnected health systems. You will explore approaches such as effective partnership working, decolonisation, and cultural humility, building the insight needed to collaborate ethically and deliver equitable care.

Accreditation

The course is Level 7 within the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ). Successful candidates will be awarded the 'Professional Diploma in Tropical Nursing'.

From September 2026, the PDTN becomes a credit-bearing qualification, with students awarded 45 UK postgraduate-level credits. Many universities in the UK and around the world may recognise these credits towards a master’s degree through a process known as accreditation of prior learning (APL). This could give you a valuable head start in further study - particularly in advanced practice and public health programmes. However, as each institution sets its own rules, you will need to check with your university about transfer options.

Who should apply?

This course will benefit:

• Nurses and other health professionals in any setting who want to address health inequalities and remove barriers to equitable care in their workplace.
• Nurses working with vulnerable groups- such as refugee populations, homeless people, or survivors of armed conflict -in any country.
• Those working with or interested in diseases of poverty (for example, infectious diseases) and their disproportionate impact on marginalised communities.
• Those interested in humanitarian or disaster response, preparing for or already engaged in emergency and crisis settings.
• Those seeking global nursing partnerships, mutual learning, and engagement with an international nursing community.
• Professionals working or learning across borders, whether through clinical practice, education, or research.

The PDTN is available to candidates with a degree who are currently registered as nurses, midwives, paramedics or allied health professionals.

We recommend you have two years of post-registration experience by the start of the course applied for. Any student who does not meet the above minimum entry requirements but who has relevant professional experience may still be eligible for admission.

The PDTN scholarship fund helps train, encourage and support the next generation of nurses from low- and middle-income countries.

How you will learn?

The September 2026 intake starts on 16 September 2026 and ends on 24 March 2027. The course comprises 19 online taught days (delivered on Wednesdays), followed by a four-week assessment period. The final taught day takes place on 3rd February 2027. The MCQ exam will be on 10th February with the final essay submission being on 3rd March 2027 which will also be the last day.

This programme comprises 450 learning hours over the course of 23 weeks.

This is an intensive and rewarding course, and you will get the most benefit by engaging with the live online lectures. These run between 09:00 and 17:00 UK time, and are also recorded and made available on our e-learning platform, Moodle. Wherever possible, we encourage you to attend live sessions so you can take part in academic exercises, interact with fellow students, ask questions, and receive immediate feedback.

Assessment

Assessment for the Professional Diploma in Tropical Nursing for the September 2026 intake takes place on the following dates. Please note: some of the assessments take place after scheduled teaching has concluded.
 

Additional information 

• Programme specification