Master of Leadership and Management in Health Care

On successful completion of the Master of Leadership and Management in Health Care graduates should be able to:

LO1: Explain how relevant theory can be used as a foundation for the development of health administration strategies that can be applied across a variety of health care organisations and contexts, both national and international, to improve health outcomes; 

LO2: Critically evaluate the role of evidence-based ethical practice in responding to challenges and opportunities that arise within a variety of contemporary health care environments;

LO3: Apply a range of advanced knowledge and skills to foster culturally safe, high quality, effective health care by creating effective solutions to unique administrative and leadership challenges within a range of health care settings.

LO4: Create ethical, theoretically-based strategies designed to lead and manage culturally safe, effective service delivery across a range of health care settings.

This Masters degree will expand your knowledge and skills in administrative and management foundations, while ensuring relevance to contemporary health care provision.

Graduates of the Master of Leadership and Management in Healthcare students will be able to:

• evaluate issues and challenges that confront the industry, health care professionals and consumers of their services
• conceptualise new and creative approaches to health care administration to support service delivery in diverse health care settings
• connect theory, practice and research within healthcare
• examine the ethical aspects of personal, professional, social, cultural, environmental and institutional changes within contemporary health care delivery and respond to such changes
• reflect on options and opportunities to enhance professional practice in contemporary local, regional and global health care contexts
• contribute to values-based professional practice in dynamic and challenging environments.

The Master of Leadership and Management in Healthcare has been designed to have minimum duration of 1.5 years full-time or equivalent part-time.

Recommended study pattern

Project Stream:

Specified Leadership and Management in Healthcare units (Project Stream) (80cp)

• HLSC603 Organisational Culture and Management (10cp)
• HLSC604 Quality and Safety in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC605 Leadership in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC606 Workforce Management (10cp)
• HLSC607 Policy and Planning in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC640 Interpreting Health Research (10cp)
• HLSC661 Facilitative Leadership, Coaching and Mentoring (10cp)
• PHIL623 Healthcare Ethics: Principles in Practice (10cp)

Specified Project Units (20cp)

• HLSC617 Independent Project 2 (20cp)

Electives (20cp)

• BUSN602 Money Management (10cp)
• HLSC660 Redesign in Health Service Delivery (10cp)
• HLSC665 Leading Change in Health Services (10cp)
• HLSC679 Global Perspectives on Healtcare
• MGMT638 Ethical Leadership

Research Stream:

Specified Leadership and Management in Healthcare units (Research Stream) (60cp)

• HLSC603 Organisational Culture and Management (10cp)
• HLSC604 Quality and Safety in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC605 Leadership in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC606 Workforce Management (10cp)
• HLSC640 Interpreting Health Research (10cp)
• PHIL623 Healthcare Ethics: Principles in Practice (10cp)

Specified Research Units (60cp)

• HLSC642 Biostatistics for Health Sciences (10cp)

OR

• HLSC646 Qualitative Research Methods (10cp)
• HLSC607 Policy and Planning in Health Care (10cp)

OR

• HLSC661 Facilitative Leadership, Coaching and Mentoring (10cp)
• HLSC623 Research Dissertation Part A (20cp)
• HLSC624 Researcg DissertationPart B (20cp)

Award requirements

To qualify for the Master of Leadership and Management in Healthcare degree, a student must complete 120 cp from the Schedule of Unit Offerings, consisting of:

a. For Project Stream:

i. 80 cp from Specified Leadership and Management in Healthcare Units (Project Stream);

ii. 20 cp from Specified Project Units ;

iii.20 cp from Elective Units.

 b. For Research Stream:

i. 60 cp from Specified Leadership and Management in Healthcare Units (Research Stream);

ii. 60 cp from Specified Research Units

Exit points

A student who has completed the requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management in Healthcare or the Graduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in Healthcare may exit with the relevant award.

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.

Indicative total fee $16,604

The amounts shown here are 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.

Learn more about ACU.

Explore ACU courses.

QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

35

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

26

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Leadership and Management in Healthcare, an applicant must have completed either:

• a Bachelor degree in a health discipline or equivalent; OR
• the Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management in Healthcare;  OR
• the Graduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in Healthcare.

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) 61: with a minimum of 50 in all four communicative skills

Test of English as a Foreign Language - Academic TOEFL Internet based total of 90: with a minimum 25 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.

International students need to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements as defined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

ACU will consider requests for advanced standing based on prior studies to a maximum equivalence of 8 subjects (80cp)