Graduate Certificate in Addiction Studies for Health Professionals
PostgraduateTAS-ADS-GCE2025
Help those with addictions lead a healthier life
Take your health career to the next level with a specialisation in addiction. Understand dependency, maladaptive behaviours and epidemiological indicators. Explore intervention. Gain the sensitivity to help clients, their families and friends.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 1 year full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 4
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Graduate Certificate in Addiction Studies for Health Professionals
About this degree
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Synthesise advanced theoretical and technical knowledge to inform the provision of care in relation to addiction.
- Critically analyse social ecological factors determining experiences of addiction to help guide evidence-informed solutions.
- Evaluate strategies used to optimise health outcomes in addiction using evidence informed independent judgement.
- Communicate specialist knowledge and information to a range of audiences.
Addiction and addictive behaviours can take many forms and have serious psychological and physical effects. Addiction is most commonly associated with drugs (both illicit and prescription), alcohol and nicotine. People can also become addicted to work, shopping, eating or dieting, computer and gaming, alongside other dependent items.
Given the number of Australians experiencing a mental health disorder and knowing people with mental health conditions or high psychological distress are more likely to smoke and use illicit drugs or alcohol, the community is in need of health professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary in this field. Challenges the person experiencing addiction and dependency face takes a severe toll on their quality of life, as well as those around them and the communities in which they live.
In this fully online program, you will work with both health and non-health professionals to improve your understanding of dependency and contribute to providing effective care and guidance to help those experiencing addiction to overcome their struggles. Your studies will cover the principals underlying substance use and withdrawal, identification of co-occurring conditions, and the rationale for undertaking bio-psychosocial clinical assessments for clients. You will also learn about policy and strategies which direct appropriate client management processes, as well as gain an understanding of current legislative requirements. You will learn strategies for working with people with addictive behaviours through the application of contemporary mental health improvement therapies.
Recommended study pattern
For students undertaking part-time study the following study pattern is recommended:
The program is only available for part-time study.
Completion of 4 core subjects from the schedule below:
- TAS-CNA547 Contexts of Addiction
- TAS-CNA548 Assessment and Management of Addictive Disorders
- TAS-CNA549 Approaches to Intervention
- TAS-CNA739 Psychological Therapies in Mental Health Care
Award requirements
Satisfactory completion of 4 subjects, as required in the schedule, within 1-3 years from commencement.
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Transition arrangements are changes that occur when courses are updated or phased out. This happens regularly as part of continuous improvement. It may affect you if you are currently enrolled in this course, or if you plan to use credit from previous study towards it.
For those admitted prior to 2024 and were unable to study CNA550 Self Directed Project in Addiction Studies, should enrol into CNA739 Psychological Therapies in Mental Health Care
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $2,320
The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 subjects per year.
Fees may vary depending on:
- the subjects you choose
- credit from previous work experience
- your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.
To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.
Wherever you are, the University of Tasmania brings its island campus to you through a growing range of online programs across art and design, business, education, health, science, sustainability, technology, and more. It’s never too late to switch things up. Kickstart that career you’ve been dreaming about, or upskill for the one you’re in. You’ll also become a part of the world's leading university on climate action.
Learn more about UTAS.
Explore UTAS courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 20
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 19
Entry requirements
- Students should be working in a health care setting (including but not limited to a hospital, health clinic, aged care setting, department of community services) to be in a strong position to succeed.
- Applicants must have completed an AQF 7 (or equivalent) undergraduate degree qualification in a health-related discipline, or in social work, psychology, social sciences, or police studies.
The University of Tasmania grants credit and recognition of prior learning that may include formal and/or informal prior learning. More information is available here.
Career opportunities
The costs of addiction are vast, both on the person and our society. The latest report from the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare estimates that the social costs of tobacco use alone in Australia to be $136.9 billion. The personal cost is also high, with addiction destroying lives, affecting families, and impacting communities.
When you complete this course, you will be better equipped to provide effective and appropriate care for those experiencing dependencies, directly helping to reduce the costs of addiction for the person and society.
If you are a health professional and work with individuals experiencing dependency, the knowledge, and skills you gain can help you upskill and specialise in your current role. It is also great for those looking to move into the addiction care field, in particular registered nurses, and social workers.
For non-heath professionals such as police officers, this course will help you improve your effectiveness in responding to situations that involve people experiencing addiction, as well as supporting those they interact with and the communities in which they live.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
| Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
| Health and Welfare Services Managers | Over $120K | Up 56.6% |
| Medical Administrators | Over $120K | Up 0.01% |
| Nurse Managers | Over $120K | Up 19.9% |
| Policy and Planning Managers | Over $120K | Up 53.8% |
| Practice Managers | $75K to $93K | Up 18.7% |
| Primary Health Organisation Managers | N/A^ | N/A^ |
| Tribunal Members | N/A^ | N/A^ |
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Degree FAQs
How long does it take to finish an online degree?
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
How can I pay for my studies?
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
How does studying through Open Universities Australia work?
You might find learning through OUA a little different to how you've studied in the past. It can take time to develop the skills you need for independent online study.
We connect you with subjects and degrees that are taught by leading Australian universities. You can complete single subjects, or follow a degree structure to work towards a specific qualification. Subjects are offered in several study terms throughout the year, so you can choose to study part-time or full-time, continuously or with breaks.
We help you find the subjects or degree that's right for you, and we handle your enrolment in uni and some administration. Your uni sends you your study materials and deals with all academic matters. They're also in charge of your assessment and graduation. If you go on to complete a degree, you'll graduate from the uni offering your degree, for example, RMIT University or Griffith University.
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Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?
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You can enrol without entry requirements
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You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We'll introduce you to flexible study options you didn't even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.You'll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you'll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you'll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.We'll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
How do I enrol?
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you've made your choice, click 'Apply now' on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We'll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
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