The Master of Palliative Care is a 54-unit coursework program which is offered by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.
The course articulates with the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care; Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care; Graduate Diploma: Palliative Care in Aged Care; Master of Palliative Care in Aged 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
Applicants who do not hold the Graduate Certificate in Palliative 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' 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 teaching 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' 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.
Students undertake one of the following streams:
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Stream A - Master of Palliative Care by coursework and practicum comprising: 31.5 units of core topics and 22.5 units of option topics.
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Stream B - Master of Palliative Care by course work and research project comprising: 40.5 units of core topics and 13.5 units of option topics.
Stream A
Core topics
AGES8026 Design and Ethics in Research with Vulnerable Populations (4.5 units)
MMED8904 Health Sciences Research Methods (4.5 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)
PALL8443 Practicum (9 units)
plus 22.5 units of option topics selected from the list below.
Stream B
Core topics
AGES8026 Design and Ethics in Research with Vulnerable Populations (4.5 units)
MMED8904 Health Sciences Research Methods (4.5 units)*
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 13.5 units of option topics selected from the list below.
Streams A & B - Option 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)
PALL8442 Adolescent and Young Adult Palliative Care (4.5 units)
PALL8443 Practicum (9 units) Stream B only
* Should the student’s research project require their understanding and use of a research methodology not covered by MMED8904, the student may select an alternative topic with the approval of their Course Coordinator.
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.
