Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education

Upon successful completion of the Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education, students should be able to:

1. Critically review and articulate principles of evidence-based, best-practice in contemporary healthcare education including culturally safe and inclusive knowledge translation, that respects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ways of Knowing.
2. Implement a range of advanced evidence-based educational knowledge and skills in critical inquiry, research and evaluation, and leadership that focuses on driving change for the improvement of quality and safety in health care.
3. Analyse and evaluate different sources and forms of information to initiate and lead practice change through education activities and programs.
4. Demonstrate expertise in generating and evaluating innovative, evidence-based educational strategies tailored to diverse healthcare settings.

The ACU Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education is designed for all healthcare professionals to advance their teaching and leadership skills in health professional education, who are looking to influence health education through best-practice teaching strategies. This course builds on the foundational knowledge gained in the Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and equipping educators with the knowledge and strategies needed to enhance learning experiences in their workplaces.

Graduates of this program will be equipped to design, implement and evaluate curriculum, assessment, and effective teaching strategies in healthcare settings. Graduates will also be prepared to foster ethical considerations in health professional education design and delivery; understand research methodologies; and embed evidence-based, contemporary health professional education that informs best practice and supports the future of healthcare.

The course is offered under 2 streams – an Independent Project stream or Research stream – both housing eight core units of study. Delivered online (one-year full time or equivalent part -time), the program accommodates the busy schedules of healthcare professionals.

This Graduate Diploma serves as a pathway to the Master of Health Professional Education, providing a solid foundation for leadership in both clinical and academic environments.

Recommended study pattern

To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education degree, a student must complete 80 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings, consisting of:

For Project Stream:

• 70 cp from Specified Health Professional Education Units
• 10 cp from Project Stream Units (Part B).

OR

For Research Stream:

• 70 cp from Specified Health Professional Education Units (Part A)
• 10 cp from Research Stream Units (Part C).

Specified Health Professional Education Units

• HLSC604 Quality and Safety in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC608 Theoretical Foundations of Health Professional Education (10cp)
• HLSC609 Facilitating Learning in Helath Professional Settings (10cp)
• HLSC640 Interpreting Health Research (10cp)
• HLSC664 Curriculum Design, Assessment and Evaluation in Health Professional Education (10cp)
• HLSC665 Contemporary Teaching for Health Professional Education
• PHIL623 Healthcare Ethics: Principle in Practice.

Project Stream Units

• HLSC605 Leadership in Health Care (10cp).

Research Stream Units

• HLSC642 Biostatistics for Health Science (10cp)

OR

• HLSC646 Qualitative Research Methods (10cp).

Award requirements

To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education, a student must complete 80 credit points from the schedule of subject offerings.

Exit points

A student who has completed the requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education may exit with the relevant award.

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Indicative total fee $8,410

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.

Australian Catholic University – So much more

An Australian Catholic University (ACU) education is grounded in the Catholic understanding of faith and reason working together in the pursuit of knowledge, promotion of human dignity, and advancement of the common good.

ACU aims to transform lives and communities. Students are challenged to look beyond the classroom, solve real-world problems, develop their own search for meaning and cultivate strong professional ethics. They are invited to stand up for people in need and causes that matter.

Opportunities for personal and professional growth are critical to ACU. It is a university of service – so much so that it is built into the curricula. All ACU courses offer work placements, internships or volunteering opportunities.

Learn more about Australian Catholic University

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QS World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

33

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

27

To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education, an application must:

• Have completed either a bachelor degree in a health discipline or equivalent OR Have completed the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Education or the Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education; AND
• Have completed at least one year of clinical or work experience prior to admission.

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

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

• Academic IELTS with an overall score of 6.5: with minimum scores of 6.0 in all tests.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) 58: with a minimum of 50 in all four communicative skills.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language - Academic TOEFL Internet based total of 79: with a minimum 21 in writing, 18 in speaking, 13 in reading and 12 in listening.
• ACU English Language Test - B(65-74%).
• Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) Overall CAE of 176: with a minimum individual score of 169 in all tests.

If your prior study or relevant work experience has provided you with knowledge, skills or experience aligned with the learning outcomes of units in your new course, you may be eligible to gain credit for study or have your prior learning recognised. This means you may be able to complete your ACU course in a shorter timeframe.