Graduate Diploma in Chronic Condition Management

Graduate Diploma in Chronic Condition Management is a 36-unit program which is offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences. The program is normally undertaken in two semesters full-time or four semesters part-time.

The course articulates with the Graduate Certificate in Health (Self Management).

Students who have completed the Graduate Certificate in Health (Self Management) normally are awarded credit of 18 units of topics toward the Graduate Diploma.

• Admission requirements
• Course aims
• Learning outcomes
• Program of study
  
  

Admission requirements

Applicants who do not hold the Graduate Certificate in Health (Self Management) must normally hold an approved degree or equivalent in a relevant field from an approved tertiary institution. The Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Applicants must provide a resume of 300-500 words detailing previous tertiary and other qualifications, the reasons for seeking the qualification, the relevant experience they would bring to the course, and the value of the qualification to their field of work with people with chronic conditions.

Course aims

The overall aims of the program are to:

• meet the extended professional development needs of graduates involved in the development, provision and evaluation of policy, planning or delivery of services to people with chronic physical or mental health conditions or risk factors for these conditions
• offer students an advanced understanding of the principles and skills involved in the development and implementation of self management-enhancing programs in diverse practice settings for health professionals and service consumers/patients.
  

Learning outcomes

At the completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:

• understand the context for the development, management, and impact of chronic conditions as these relate to health promotion, prevention, early intervention and the social determinants of health, particularly for vulnerable or at risk populations
• demonstrate a significant understanding of core concepts of chronic conditions management (CCM) and chronic conditions self management (CCSM) and the implications of these concepts for health service consumers, service providers, professional practice, and health systems within Australia and internationally
• demonstrate a significant understanding of the concepts of CCM and CCSM and their relationship with and implications for population health, public health and primary health care approaches
• understand the rationale for the &##39;chronic care&##39; and &##39;patient-centred care&##39; perspectives and other views of CCM and the importance of promoting self management for the person and the health care wider community
• effectively assess and critique a range of CCM and CCSM research, including a critical awareness of international models of CCM and CCSM and their relationship to the Australian experience
• understand the dynamic processes associated with service delivery for CCM and CCSM, in particular, the systemic, cultural and organisational barriers and enablers to implementing these approaches within the health sector
• have knowledge and skill to evaluate services pertaining to CCM and CCSM and to prepare proposals to undertake such evaluation activities
• understand specific multicultural and indigenous issues in relation to CCM and CCSM in particular
• possess leadership-level capacity in undertaking, reflecting upon and evaluating core professional CCM and CCSM tasks such as CCSM assessment, educating others about CCM and CCSM, planning for and managing the implementation of CCM and CCSM in health organisations and in community settings.
  

Program of study

To qualify for the Graduate Diploma in Chronic Condition Management, a student must complete 36 units with a grade of P, NGP or better in each topic, according to the following program of study:

Core - Year 1 topics

31.5 units comprising

 MHSC8111  Managing Chronic Conditions - Self-Management Support Approaches  (4.5 units)
 MHSC8112  Perspectives on Chronic Diseases Management  (4.5 units)
 MHSC8114  The Persons Experience of Self Management  (4.5 units)
 MHSC8115A  Chronic Conditions Management for Specific Conditions, Contexts or Populations A  (4.5 units)
 MHSC8115B  Chronic Conditions Management for Specific Conditions, Contexts or Populations B  (4.5 units)
 PHCA8501  Social Determinants of Health and Wellbeing  (9 units)

Elective - Year 1 topic

Select one of the following:

MHSC8113  Education and Training for Chronic Conditions Self Management  (4.5 units)

or, by negotiation, a 4.5 unit topic from other existing programs (Primary Health, Health Promotion, Disability Studies, etc.) 

Except with permission of the Faculty Board:

• the program must be completed within six consecutive semesters
• no topic may be attempted more than twice.

The award of a grade Fail (F) in 12 or more units may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University&##39;s Policy and Student Progress.