The Graduate Diploma in Remote Health Management is a 36-unit program offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and 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 Remote Health Management and the Master of Remote Health Management, and the sequentially developed topics allow progression through the three awards.

Students who have completed the graduate certificate are normally awarded credit for 18 units of topics towards the graduate diploma.

Admission requirements

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

Course aims

This course aims to prepare people as managers to work with the people and professionals of remote areas to keep remote and Indigenous people well and manage ill-health. It aims to provide education across three major content areas that underpin practice within the discipline of Remote Health locally, nationally and internationally.

These content areas are:

  • the remote context – an inseparable work and living environment characterised by unique cultural, linguistic, social, economic, geographical, and climatic conditions
  • public health – a population based framework for planning, developing, managing and evaluating initiatives and programs to promote health and prevent disease
  • application to practice – the inter-professional and profession specific skills, knowledge and attributes required for competent, confident, accountable remote and Indigenous health management within a primary health care framework.

Learning outcomes

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

  • have a comprehensive knowledge of social determinants and public health principles to apply to managing Primary Health Care services in remote and isolated practice contexts locally, nationally and internationally
  • incorporate this knowledge to effectively lead the delivery of remote health services within a framework of cultural safety and Primary Health Care
  • use a range of technologies to communicate information; retrieve data, make evidence based decisions; and disseminate knowledge between individuals and groups over long distances
  • design, manage and evaluate organisational structures and processes
  • be problem-solvers who use their knowledge to analyse strategic organisational structures and processes, manage risks, develop inter-sectoral, partnerships, and foster community participation
  • have an understanding of, and be able to analyse national/international policies and legislation that impact on remote health services
  • respect the linguistic and cultural diversity of the remote health practice setting and develop strategies that decolonise the privileging of English language and western discourses
  • practice autonomously within their own scope of expertise, contributing unique skills and knowledge to the multi-disciplinary health care team
  • adopt a life-long learning approach to professional education that is transferable across remote and isolated Primary Health Care contexts globally
  • acknowledge their own professional, social, economic and cultural background, which locates them in specific positions of privilege, authority and power locally, nationally and internationally.

Program of study

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

Core - Year 1 topics


31.5 units comprising:

 REMH8001  Context of Remote & Indigenous Health  (4.5 units)
 REMH8002  Remote & Indigenous Primary Health Care  (4.5 units)
 REMH8012  Project Management  (4.5 units)
 REMH8016  Foundations of Remote Health Management; People, Planning and Money  (4.5 units)
 REMH8017  Remote Health Services: Organisation, Resources and Workforce  (4.5 units)
 REMH8018  Remote Health Management; Policy and Leadership  (4.5 units)
 REMH8024  Remote Primary Health Care Governance, Quality and Safety  (4.5 units)

Elective - Year 1 topics


Select 4.5 units from the following

 REMH8010  Remote & Indigenous Individual Practice  (4.5 units)
 REMH8013  Public Health Principles for Remote & Indigenous Practice  (4.5 units)
 REMH8020  Remote & Indigenous Health Promotion  (4.5 units)
 REMH8021  Chronic Disease in Remote and Indigenous Primary Health Care  (4.5 units)
 REMH8022  Research and Evaluation for Remote & Indigenous Health  (4.5 units)
 REMH8023A  Remote & Indigenous Research Dissertation  (4.5 units)

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 of Fail (F) in 9 or more units may constitute prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory progress for the purposes of the University's Policy on Student Progress.