Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation

Successful graduates of this degree should be able to:

1. Demonstrate enhanced knowledge of rehabilitation clinical practice and skills required in interprofessional settings
2. Integrate principles of evidence based practice clinical decision making in relation to care planning, implementation, assessment and evaluation for effective rehabilitation care delivery which reflects cultural perspectives and issues and person centred care
3. Apply evidence based clinical knowledge and skills, within an interprofessional team to analyse, generate, communicate and evaluate solutions to complex clinical issues within rehabilitation settings

Rehabilitation is a growing area of need not only in Australia but worldwide due to the ageing population and increasing prevalence of chronic disease. The demand for a workforce supporting older adults and those requiring rehabilitation and restorative care, is similarly expected to increase along with the need for health care professionals with postgraduate qualifications. ACU understands the importance of working with the health care industry and has developed this revised program in consultation with industry partners.

The Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation is the initial program nested within the Master of Rehabilitation. The degree has been purposefully developed to provide evidence-based studies for registered health professionals who are seeking to extend knowledge and skills in the provision of rehabilitation or restorative care, for promotion and professional recognition, or their return to the workforce.

The Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation prepares clinicians to be an enhanced evidence-based clinician within an interprofessional team. The course has four units, two units focussing on enhancing rehabilitation knowledge and skills within an interprofessional team and two elective units enabling practitioners/clinicians to customise their learning to their relevant context and learning needs

Recommended study pattern

Students are required to follow the pattern of unit enrolment set out in the relevant Course Enrolment Guide, unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator. In all aspects of progress through the course, students will be advised by the Course Coordinator.

To qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation, a student must complete 40 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings consisting of:

 (a) 10 cp from Specified Units;

 (b) 10 cp from Health Units; AND

 (c) 20 cp from Elective Units

Specified Units

• Holistic Rehabilitation and Restoration 1

Health Units

• Optimising Interprofessional Collaborative Practice for Healthcare Professionals

Elective Units

• Interpreting Health Research

OR Introduction to Health Sciences research

• Healthcare Ethics: Principles in Practice
• Enhancing Clinical Reasoning in Rehabilitation for Healthcare Professionals
• In addition, students may select from postgraduate units offered by ACU via OUA, in consultation with the course coordinator

Award requirements

To qualify for the Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation, a student must complete 40 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings consisting of:

 (a) 10 cp from Specified Units;

 (b) 10 cp from Health Units; AND

 (c) 20 cp from Elective Units

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.

• Rehabilitation Core Subjects

• Rehabilitation Elective Subjects

Submission of application form and appropriate supporting documents

Submission of Application to Course Complete form to ACU

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Indicative total fee $12,400

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.

Established in 1991 after amalgamating four eastern Australian Catholic tertiary institutes, Australian Catholic University now has seven campuses, from Brisbane to Melbourne and welcomes students of all beliefs. Specialising in arts, business, education, health sciences, law, theology and philosophy, ACU encourages its students to think critically and ethically and bring change to their communities and offer this online through Open Universities Australia.

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To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must:

a. Have completed either:

i) a Bachelor Degree from an accredited 3-year program in a Health Discipline or equivalent with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 4.6 on the ACU 7 point scale;

OR

ii) a Bachelor Degree from an accredited 4-year program in Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy or Speech Pathology or equivalent, with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 4.6 on the ACU 7 point scale

b.  Have a minimum of one year clinical experience in the appropriate discipline

c.  Be employed in the field unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator.

d.  Demonstrate suitability to undertake the course:

i) For the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy disciplines, applicants must hold current registration with the discipline specific National Allied Health Registration Board or required Authority in Australia, or Registration Authority in country of current practice;

ii) For the Speech Pathology discipline, applicants must have obtained and maintain eligibility to practice and membership with Speech Pathology Australia, or Registration Authority in country of current practice.

Have a minimum of one year clinical experience in the appropriate discipline.

Be employed in the field unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator.

An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy. 

Students must meet English Language requirements as follows:

Demonstrated completion of an English Language Test with a minimum accepted result as set out in the tables below. Any such English language proficiency test must have been completed no earlier than two years prior to the commencement of the course of study to which the student seeks admission:

• IELTS: Overall score 7.0, Individual score of 6.5 in all test
• PTE: 65 with a minimum of 58 in all four communicative skills
• TOEFL: Internet based total of 94, minimum 24 in writing, 20 in speaking, 20 in listening and 19 in reading
• ACU English Language Test: A (75-100%)
• CAE: N/A

Or

Demonstrated current registration with an accredited body that has an English language requirement equivalent to, or higher than, the standards required by the University. Recognised registrations include:

• Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration other than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Health Practice registration;

ACU will consider requests for recognition of prior learning based on prior studies to a maximum equivalence of 20cp

For further information see https://www.acu.edu.au/study-at-acu/credit-and-prior-learning