Master of Palliative Care

The Master of Palliative Care is a 54-unit coursework program which is offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences.

The course articulates with Graduate Certificate in Health (Palliative Care); Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Palliative Care; Graduate Certificate: Palliative Care in Aged Care; Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care; Graduate Diploma: Palliative Care in Aged Care; Master of Palliative Care in Aged Care; Master of Science (Palliative Care); and the sequentially developed topics allow progression through the awards.

Students who hold the graduate certificate or graduate diploma receive credit for topics already taken.

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

Admission requirements

Applicants who do not hold the Graduate Certificate in Health (Palliative Care); the Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Palliative Care, the Graduate Certificate: Palliative Care in Aged Care, or the Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care or the Graduate Diploma: Palliative Care in Aged Care, must normally hold an approved degree or an equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution and have not less than two years&##39; work experience in palliative care. However, the Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.

Credit may be granted, on application, for comparable prior studies.

Course aims

The Master of Palliative Care is a coursework degree designed for professionals who are working in the area of palliative and supportive care. It aims to deepen and extend the knowledge and skills that are required in the area of palliative and supportive care. In addition, the course aims to provide an opportunity for students to critically reflect on their practice in the light of current evidence and of the experience of other students and faculty within a global context. 

Learning outcomes

At the completion of this course, students should be able to:

• critically appraise palliative care theory, research and the professional literature, further extending the students&##39; knowledge and skills in this area
• demonstrate skills in critical reflection and self evaluate their own professional practice
• critically discuss issues related to the person with a life limiting illness
• write a piece of independent intellectual work which adds to existing knowledge in the area of palliative care
• demonstrate the skills to publish within the peer reviewed literature
• apply skills for a deep and life long approach to learning within the context of palliative and supportive care.
  

Program of study

To qualify for the Master of Palliative Care, a student must complete 54 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below.

Except with permission of the Faculty Board the program must be completed full-time within four consecutive semesters or part-time within ten consecutive semesters. A lesser period may be set for students granted credit for previous studies.

Students undertake one of the following streams:

• Stream A - Master of Palliative Care by coursework and practicum comprising: 22.5 units of core topics; 22.5 units of electives; and 9 units of Practicum.
• Stream B - Master of Palliative Care by course work and research project comprising: 22.5 units of core topics; 13.5 units of electives; and 18 units of Research Project.

Stream A

Core topics

 PALL8430  Communication at the End of Life A  (4.5 units)
 PALL8431  Communication at the End of Life B  (4.5 units)
 PALL8432  Understanding Literature for Evidence-Based Practice  (4.5 units)
 PALL8443  Practicum  (9 units)

plus 9 units of research methods topics. 

plus 22.5 units of elective topics selected from the list below.

Stream B

Core topics
 
 PALL8417  Research Project  (18 units)
 PALL8430  Communication at the End of Life A  (4.5 units)
 PALL8431  Communication at the End of Life B  (4.5 units)
 PALL8432  Understanding Literature for Evidence-Based Practice  (4.5 units)

plus 9 units of research methods topics.

plus 13.5 units of elective topics selected from the list below.

Stream A & B - Elective topics

 PALL8433  Paediatric Palliative Care  (4.5 units)
 PALL8434  Oncology for Palliative Care  (4.5 units)
 PALL8435  Issues in Care of the Spirit in Palliative Care  (4.5 units)
 PALL8436  Palliative Care in Aged Care Settings  (4.5 units)
 PALL8437  Palliative Clinical Management A  (4.5 units)
 PALL8438  Palliative Clinical Management B  (4.5 units)
 PALL8439  Suffering, Futility and Ethics in Palliative Care  (4.5 units)
 PALL8440  Palliative Care for Indigenous Populations  (4.5 units)
 PALL8441  Understanding Cancer  (4.5 units)
 PALL8443  Practicum  (9 units)

Stream A & B - Research Methods topics

Students are requested to consult with their course coordinator to select topics appropriate to their area of research interest. Available topics include:

 MMED8903  Clinical Research Methods  (4.5 units)
 MMED8904  Health Sciences Research Methods  (4.5 units)
 PHCA8502  Qualitative Research Methods  (9 units)