Graduate Certificate in Health Sciences
PostgraduateUND-HSC-GCE2025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Explore how the world affects human health
For students seeking the basics of health and the Australian healthcare system. If your role calls for health science communication, or you’re seeking a pathway to medicine, this postgrad course imparts health knowledge in a professional context.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Applications close
- 2 Feb 2025,
- 6 July 2025
- Credit available
- Yes
- Duration
- 6 months full time or part time equivalent
- Total subjects
- 4
- Available loans
- Australian Higher Education Loan Program (HELP)
Graduate Certificate in Health Sciences
About this degree
On completion of this program students should be able to achieve the following learning outcomes:
- Apply knowledge of health and health care in professional contexts.
- Integrate knowledge of health sciences with other fields of endeavour, for professional development and lifelong learning.
- Critically analyse and apply ethical principles related to health care and health sciences.
- Apply research and problem-solving skills to analyse, and critically appraise health and scientific information.
- Communicate health science information effectively to a range of audiences.
- Apply an understanding of the organization of the Australian health care in professional contexts.
- Critically analyse the impact of biological, social and environmental determinants of health on the well-being of individuals and populations.
The Graduate Certificate in Health Sciences is a postgraduate degree that aims to impart health knowledge and skills to students from a range of non-science backgrounds. The program offers courses that enhance students' ability to communicate health issues effectively at population level. Students will develop an understanding of the social determinants of health and ways in which environmental and other changes affect human health, and how the Australian health care system is organised, financed and delivered. The program also assists students to appreciate the ethical issues relevant to health care and clinical research.
Recommended study pattern
To complete this program students must complete the following core subjects:
- MEDI5001 Scientific Literacy and Communication
- MEDI5002 Environment, Society and Health
- PHIL6020 Ethical Issues in Professional Life
- MEDI5004 The Australian Health Care System
Award requirements
To be eligible for the Graduate Certificate in Health Sciences award, students must complete four (4) compulsory courses, of 25 Units of credit each.
Degrees are usually made up of core subjects and electives. Some degrees include a choice of majors, so you can focus your studies on a specialisation.
This list is a general overview. Download the full Degree Guide for more information.
Transition arrangements are changes that occur when courses are updated or phased out. This happens regularly as part of continuous improvement. It may affect you if you are currently enrolled in this course, or if you plan to use credit from previous study towards it.
MEDI5003 Bioethics in Professional Life course has been discontinued . Please note, students who have previously completed MEDI5003 should not enrol into PHIL6020 Ethical Issues in Professional Life , as this subject has been added as a replacement.
Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.
Indicative total fee $13,965
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.
The University of Notre Dame Australia is committed to delivering an excellent student experience, alongside a high standard of teaching, research, and training. As a leader in ethical education, Notre Dame aims to develop students’ critical reasoning and their ability to make ethical decisions—crucial skills to progressing their careers and leading purposeful lives. At Notre Dame, students navigate their future with an ethical education online.
Learn more about UNDA.
Explore UNDA courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 37
Entry requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Health Sciences applicants must hold a recognised Bachelor degree.
English as primary language.
All primary and secondary education was taught and assessed solely in English in a recognised country, Australia, the United Kingdom, the USA, Ireland, Canada (except Quebec), and New Zealand, or;
You have Completed 2+ years or full time equivalent tertiary study in English only at an institution in Australia, the United Kingdom, the USA, Ireland, Canada (except Quebec), and New Zealand, or;
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assessment, or an equivalent English language proficiency assessment, with an overall IELTS (or equivalent) score of 7.0, with no individual band score below 7.0.
All English language tests are valid for two years from the date of completion.
Applications for Advanced Standing and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) will be considered and reviewed on a case by case basis by UNDA's Student Administration.
Study method requirements
The program will be delivered using a combination of self-directed and on-line learning. Learning activities will be delivered via 3-hour long evening classes starting at 5:30pm or 6pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time) Mondays through Thursdays.
Career opportunities
This program supports university graduates from both science and non-science fields looking to work in roles requiring health sciences knowledge and skills. Also provides an opportunity for a pathway to Medicine.
Australian job snapshots
Data sourced from Australian Jobs 2023.
Role | Earnings | Employment change |
|---|---|---|
Health and Welfare Services Managers | Over $120K | Up 56.6% |
Health Practice Managers | N/A^ | N/A^ |
Health Promotion Officers | N/A^ | Up 44% |
Indigenous Health Workers | $75K to $93K | N/A^ |
Occupational and Environmental Health Professionals | $93K to $120K | Up 31.7% |
^ There is no data available
Degree FAQs
How long does it take to finish an online degree?
That's up to you! Because we let you choose when to study online, you can actually pick up and pause study when it suits you. Many universities have a set time you need to complete your degree within. For some this is up to 10 years, and for others there is no limit.
There are some degrees that are stricter about when you can take breaks, and about how many years you can take to complete your degree. Please always check with your uni what the limits are.
As a general guide, Commonwealth supported place students have 10 years to finish their undergraduate degree through OUA, However, if you're studying with Griffith University, there's a limit of 8 years to complete your studies. If you want to take a break that lasts more than two study terms, you'll need to apply for a leave of absence. You can apply for a leave of absence for up to 12 months, as long as you complete your studies within the maximum time allowed for your degree.
If you're studying with Macquarie University, with the exception of certain degrees, there's no limit to how long you can take. But, please check with Macquarie Student Administration to be sure.
If you're studying with the University of Adelaide, you have up to 9 years to complete your undergraduate degree and graduate.
If you're studying with La Trobe University and want to take a break of minimum 1 study term, you must apply for leave of absence to avoid being inadvertently withdrawn from your degree.
Through OUA, you can study all year round, so it's possible to fast-track and finish up sooner than studying at a traditional uni would allow. That said, you need to spend around 12 hours a week on each undergraduate subject you do, so taking on extra work to finish ahead of time can be challenging.
How can I pay for my studies?
You may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government, depending on your citizenship status and where you'll be living during your studies. You can also pay upfront with your credit card.
Payment options are explained in Fees, and you can contact a student advisor for more information.
How does studying through Open Universities Australia work?
You might find learning through OUA a little different to how you've studied in the past. It can take time to develop the skills you need for independent online study.
We connect you with subjects and degrees that are taught by leading Australian universities. You can complete single subjects, or follow a degree structure to work towards a specific qualification. Subjects are offered in several study terms throughout the year, so you can choose to study part-time or full-time, continuously or with breaks.
We help you find the subjects or degree that's right for you, and we handle your enrolment in uni and some administration. Your uni sends you your study materials and deals with all academic matters. They're also in charge of your assessment and graduation. If you go on to complete a degree, you'll graduate from the uni offering your degree, for example, RMIT University or Griffith University.
How do I know if I‘m eligible to apply for a course?
Before starting an enrolment, it's important to read the entry requirements for your chosen course to ensure that you're eligible to apply. If you don't quite meet the requirements, we can help you find a pathway into your course through open-entry subjects, which anyone can study. Contact us to find out more.
When is my cut-off date for enrolment?
Our close of enrolment times vary. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting Key dates.
Why should I study online through Open Universities Australia?
There are a lot of reasons to study your course online through us.
You can enrol without entry requirements
We have a unique open-door policy that makes it possible for everyone to enrol in university study, no matter their academic history. If you don't meet the entry requirements for a degree, we'll help you get in through single undergraduate subjects and transition into a qualification from there.
You have total control over how you study
Upskill without committing to a whole degree upfront. Or enrol in a full degree, but take it a subject at a time. We'll introduce you to flexible study options you didn't even know about, so you can fit uni around what matters to you.You'll graduate with the same qualification as an on-campus student
Once you enrol through us, you'll study online with the university that provides your degree. This means that when you complete your qualification, you'll graduate with the same degree as on-campus students.We'll help you navigate the university world
Our friendly student advisors will be your guide every step of the enrolment journey. They'll help you compare universities, choose a course, provide documentation and understand your finance options.
How do I enrol?
Here at Open Universities Australia, we make enrolling online as straightforward as possible. To get started, find the course for you by browsing the options on this page. You can also compare different qualifications using our handy comparison tool, or request help from one of our student advisors.
When you've made your choice, click 'Apply now' on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We'll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to a student advisor and we'll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.