Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Care of the Older Person
Postgraduate
ECU-CCO-GCE 2025Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Specialise in caring for older adults in various settings
Open doors to roles in residential aged care, hospitals, and home care settings. You’ll learn to support older persons’ holistic well-being. Unpack the complexities of caring for the aged and working with their families. Explore current policies and standards.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 6 months full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 3
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
- CSP available
- Yes
Graduate Certificate in Contemporary Care of the Older Person
About this degree
At the completion of this program students will be able to:
- Communicate specialised knowledge, concepts and skills to a variety of audiences in the field of older adult care and service delivery.
- Apply independent decision-making skills in the analysis and evaluation of complex problems to generate innovative solutions in the context of older adult care and service delivery.
- Demonstrate leadership skills by initiating, planning, implementing and evaluating activities in the field of older adult care and service delivery.
Suited to nurses and other health professionals wanting to develop knowledge and expertise in the care of older adults in a variety of settings.
The course aims to develop excellence in leadership, innovation and contemporary care delivery to older adults in a variety of settings (including acute care, community and residential), to meet the rapidly increasing demand for highly skilled professionals.
Recommended study pattern
As a guide, you will be required to complete the following core units:
- Clinical Leadership and Management
- Contemporary Care of the Older Person 1
- Contemporary Care of the Older Person 2.
As part of your application, you’ll be guided through how to get the right degree structure in place for you.
Award requirements
Students are required to complete 60 credit points.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $2,350
The amount shown here is 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.
ECU is ranked one of the world’s best young universities and Australia’s best public university for teaching quality. That quality extends to more than 30,000 students, many studying online through Open Universities Australia. ECU offers the same quality of teaching to you, regardless of where you’re studying in the world. Their flexible study solutions include a huge range of online courses, recognising your need to juggle work, family or other commitments.
Learn more about ECU.
Explore ECU courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 28
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 25
How to apply
Edith Cowan University manages enquiries and applications for this degree.
Complete your details and we'll make sure your enquiry is sent to Edith Cowan University who will contact you to discuss this degree.
Don't worry, we're still here to help you - you'll receive a personalised follow-up from an Open Universities Australia student advisor to make sure you have found the right degree for you.
Entry requirements
All applicants are required to have a Bachelor degree; or equivalent prior learning including at least five years relevant professional experience, and all applicants must also submit a current curriculum vitae including two professional references.
Academic admission requirements (Band 6) may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:
- Bachelor degree; or
- Equivalent prior learning including at least five years relevant professional experience.
English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:
- IELTS Academic with a minimum overall score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 7.0 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking);
- Occupational English Test (OET) with a minimum score of B in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking);
- Pearson English Test (PTE) Academic with a minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking);
- TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 94 and the following minimum score in each section of the test:
- 24 for listening,
- 24 for reading,
- 27 for writing, and
- 23 for speaking.
- Bachelor degree from an approved country;
- Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent); or
- Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience.
Note:English tests must be completed within 2 years of the proposed course commencement date and additional requirements may apply in relation to acceptable number of test sittings.
If you have completed units of study in another Postgraduate course or have relevant professional experience, you may be eligible for Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning (CRPL).
To assess your eligibility for credit, we first need you to apply for and accept an offer in your course of interest with us. You can then submit an Application for Credit and Recognition of Prior Learning via your Student Portal.
Career opportunities
This course gives you the opportunity to work in residential aged care, hospitals, or home care settings. It’s also a pathway to leading specialised teams focused on caring for older people and their needs. You’ll also have opportunities to advocate for older adults' rights in government agencies or non-profit organisations and to develop and assist with social programs and community initiatives.
Possible future job titles:
Clinical Nurse, Staff Development Nurse, Clinical Nurse Educator, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Facility Manager, Carer, Case Manager, Therapy assistant, Therapy Manager.