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Course code L54

Graduate Certificate in Mental Health

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About this Course

Provides students from a range of health related disciplines with an overview of contemporary and evidence-based approaches to the delivery of mental health care.

Students will gain an appreciation of the historical context of mental health care and develop a range of assessment and intervention skills that can be applied in a range of mental health settings. The choice of an elective unit offers students the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in a range of specialised mental health care contexts.

The course also enables students to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various management strategies for supporting clients with a mental illness in the community.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level

This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 8 Graduate Certificate Award.

Course code L54

Entry requirements

ECU admission and English language requirements apply.

See Course Entry for further information.

Fees

Commonwealth supported - estimated 1st year indicative fee AUD $2,250

See Fees and Scholarships for further information.

Duration

0.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent

See Course Details for further information.

Availability & Campus

Location Semester 1 Semester 2
Joondalup
Mount Lawley
South West
Online FT PT FT PT
*FT = Full-time study PT = Part-time study

About this Course

Provides students from a range of health related disciplines with an overview of contemporary and evidence-based approaches to the delivery of mental health care.

Students will gain an appreciation of the historical context of mental health care and develop a range of assessment and intervention skills that can be applied in a range of mental health settings. The choice of an elective unit offers students the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in a range of specialised mental health care contexts.

The course also enables students to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various management strategies for supporting clients with a mental illness in the community.

Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level

This course has been accredited by ECU as an AQF Level 8 Graduate Certificate Award.

Course code L54

Entry requirements

ECU admission and English language requirements apply.

See Course Entry for further information.

Fees

International students - estimated 1st year indicative fee AUD $19,800

See Fees and Scholarships for further information.

Duration

0.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent

See Course Details for further information.

Availability & Campus

Location Semester 1 Semester 2
Joondalup
Mount Lawley
South West
Online FT PT FT PT
*FT = Full-time study PT = Part-time study

Course Entry

Admission requirements you'll need to meet for this course.

  • The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

    All applicants are required to have a Bachelor degree in a health, counselling, social work, occupational therapy, nursing, midwifery or psychology related subject; or equivalent prior learning including at least five years relevant professional experience in a mental health setting.

    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 Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0);
    • Bachelor degree from a country specified on the English Proficiency Bands page;
    • Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
    • Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience; or
    • Other tests, courses or programs defined on the English Proficiency Bands page.

Course Entry

Admission requirements you'll need to meet for this course.

  • The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic admission requirements band section below.

    All applicants are required to have a Bachelor degree in a health, counselling, social work, occupational therapy, nursing, midwifery or psychology related subject; or equivalent prior learning including at least five years relevant professional experience in a mental health setting.

    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 Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0);
    • Bachelor degree from a country specified on the English Proficiency Bands page;
    • Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent);
    • Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years relevant professional experience; or
    • Other tests, courses or programs defined on the English Proficiency Bands page.

Course Details

Semester availability

Semester 1: Study full-time Online

Semester 1: Study part-time Online

Semester 2: Study full-time Online

Semester 2: Study part-time Online

Course Structure

Unit Code Unit Title Credit Points
CMH5109Contemporary Issues in Mental Health20
CMH5110Assessment in Mental Health20
and select one unit from the following five units:
CMH5215 ^Child and Adolescent Mental Health20
CMH5216 ^Community Mental Health20
CMH5217 ^Forensic Mental Health20
HST6350 ^Drug Use and Addictive Behaviours20
CMH5218 ^Perinatal Mental Health 20

^ Core Option

L54|9

For more detailed unit information for this course take a look at our Handbook. To organise your life for next semester visit the Teaching timetable.

Student handbook

Course notes

Course learning outcomes

  1. Communicate and apply specialised knowledge, concepts and skills to a variety of audiences in the field of mental health practice.
  2. Apply independent judgement when reviewing, analysing and evaluating complex problems to generate creative solutions.
  3. Demonstrate professional clinical management skills by initiating, planning, implementing and evaluating tasks within a Mental Health Nursing context.

Course Details

Semester availability

Semester 1: Study full-time Online

Semester 1: Study part-time Online

Semester 2: Study full-time Online

Semester 2: Study part-time Online

This course is not offered for study on-campus to international students with a student visa.

Course Structure

Unit Code Unit Title Credit Points
CMH5109Contemporary Issues in Mental Health20
CMH5110Assessment in Mental Health20
and select one unit from the following five units:
CMH5215 ^Child and Adolescent Mental Health20
CMH5216 ^Community Mental Health20
CMH5217 ^Forensic Mental Health20
HST6350 ^Drug Use and Addictive Behaviours20
CMH5218 ^Perinatal Mental Health 20

^ Core Option

L54|9

For more detailed unit information for this course take a look at our Handbook. To organise your life for next semester visit the Teaching timetable.

Student handbook

Course notes

Course learning outcomes

  1. Communicate and apply specialised knowledge, concepts and skills to a variety of audiences in the field of mental health practice.
  2. Apply independent judgement when reviewing, analysing and evaluating complex problems to generate creative solutions.
  3. Demonstrate professional clinical management skills by initiating, planning, implementing and evaluating tasks within a Mental Health Nursing context.

Fees and Scholarships

Fees

  • AUD $2,250 - Commonwealth supported estimated 1st year indicative fee 1

Note

1 The 'estimated 1st year indicative fee' is provided as a guide only, based on a typical enrolment of students undertaking the first year of this course. At ECU, you pay for the individual units you enrol in, not an overall course fee, so the total cost of your course will vary, depending on what units you choose. An indicative fee will be provided with your course offer, however you can use our Course Fee Calculator to estimate the actual amount you'll need to pay. ECU fees are adjusted annually.

Some units require the payment of a fee for incidental goods or services required to complete those units. For more information and the full list of incidental fees for courses and units, visit What are Incidental Fees.

Scholarships

ECU has a scholarship program that provides many opportunities each year to students undertaking studies here.

Find a scholarship

Career Opportunities

Registered nurse/midwife within a range of mental health settings, clinical nurse, staff development nurse, clinical educator.

Possible future job titles

Mental Health Nurse, Mental Health Clinician, Mental Health Practitioner, Mental Health Educator, Mental Health Nurse Manager, Case Manager

Courses you can consider if you are interested in progressing further in this area.

Fees and Scholarships

Fees

  • AUD $19,800 - International students estimated 1st year indicative fee 1

Note

1 The 'estimated 1st year indicative fee' is provided as a guide only, and has been calculated based on a typical enrolment of students undertaking the first year of this course. At ECU, you pay for each individual unit you enrol in, not an overall course fee, so the total cost of your course will vary, depending on what units you choose. An indicative fee will be provided with your course offer, however you can use our Course Fee Calculator to estimate the actual amount you'll need to pay. ECU fees are adjusted annually.

Some units require the payment of a fee for incidental goods or services required to complete those units. For more information and the full list of incidental fees for courses and units, visit What are Incidental Fees.

Scholarships

ECU has a scholarship program that provides many opportunities each year to students undertaking studies here.

Find a scholarship

Career Opportunities

Registered nurse/midwife within a range of mental health settings, clinical nurse, staff development nurse, clinical educator.

Possible future job titles

Mental Health Nurse, Mental Health Clinician, Mental Health Practitioner, Mental Health Educator, Mental Health Nurse Manager, Case Manager

Courses you can consider if you are interested in progressing further in this area.

Need some help deciding what to study?

Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.

Experiences

Experiences

Quick guide to uni-speak

    • The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national regulator of qualifications in the Australian education and training system. The AQF defines the essential characteristics, including the required learning outcomes, of the different types of qualifications issued across the higher education systems in Australia.

    • ATAR is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate university courses in Australia. The ATAR is a percentile score which denotes a student's ranking relative to their state-wide peers upon completion of their secondary education.

    • CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. A CRICOS code is allocated to education institutions (like ECU) who are approved to recruit, enrol and deliver education to overseas students. Courses with a CRICOS code are available to international students who meet the entry requirements.

    • A major, or unit set, is your chosen area of in-depth study in an undergraduate course. It usually involves 8 units of study, or one-third of the units in a 3-year degree. Talk to your Student Information Office if you need help choosing a major subject.

    • Minors include between 4 and 6 study units in a specific discipline. Not all courses require you to complete a minor. Your minor subject doesn't appear on your printed degree (parchment), but is part of your academic transcript.

    • If you're enrolled in 3 or more units in a semester this is considered full-time study. To complete most 3-year degrees studying full-time you'll need to complete 4 units per semester, i.e. 24 units over 3 years.

    • If a course is available to study part-time you can generally expect it to take twice as long to complete as it would in full-time mode. Part-time students are enrolled in 1 or 2 units maximum per semester.

      Note: International students who hold a student visa can only choose the full-time study option for our courses. This is to ensure the course is completed within the duration of the student visa.

    • Most courses start in Semester 1 each year, usually in the last week of February. Some courses can be started in Semester 2 (we call this mid-year). There's a week of Orientation before each semester to help you get used to uni life.

    • A lot of our courses start in Semester 2 each year, usually in the last week of July. We call this mid-year. There's a week of Orientation beforehand to help you get used to uni life.

    • We use a points system to make it easier for you to understand your study progress. Most Bachelors degree study units are allocated 15 credit points. If you're studying a 3-year full-time degree you'll need to successfully complete 360 credit points - that's 24 units x 15 points per unit.

    • These are compulsory units you have to successfully complete as part of your course.

    • An elective is a unit you choose to study that counts towards your course requirements, but isn't compulsory. For some courses we recommend elective units. In some situations, a course coordinator may approve an elective unit as a replacement for a compulsory one.

Quick guide to uni-speak

    • The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is the national regulator of qualifications in the Australian education and training system. The AQF defines the essential characteristics, including the required learning outcomes, of the different types of qualifications issued across the higher education systems in Australia.

    • ATAR is the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, the primary criterion for entry into most undergraduate university courses in Australia. The ATAR is a percentile score which denotes a student's ranking relative to their state-wide peers upon completion of their secondary education.

    • CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students. A CRICOS code is allocated to education institutions (like ECU) who are approved to recruit, enrol and deliver education to overseas students. Courses with a CRICOS code are available to international students who meet the entry requirements.

    • A major, or unit set, is your chosen area of in-depth study in an undergraduate course. It usually involves 8 units of study, or one-third of the units in a 3-year degree. Talk to your Student Information Office if you need help choosing a major subject.

    • Minors include between 4 and 6 study units in a specific discipline. Not all courses require you to complete a minor. Your minor subject doesn't appear on your printed degree (parchment), but is part of your academic transcript.

    • If you're enrolled in 3 or more units in a semester this is considered full-time study. To complete most 3-year degrees studying full-time you'll need to complete 4 units per semester, i.e. 24 units over 3 years.

    • If a course is available to study part-time you can generally expect it to take twice as long to complete as it would in full-time mode. Part-time students are enrolled in 1 or 2 units maximum per semester.

      Note: International students who hold a student visa can only choose the full-time study option for our courses. This is to ensure the course is completed within the duration of the student visa.

    • Most courses start in Semester 1 each year, usually in the last week of February. Some courses can be started in Semester 2 (we call this mid-year). There's a week of Orientation before each semester to help you get used to uni life.

    • A lot of our courses start in Semester 2 each year, usually in the last week of July. We call this mid-year. There's a week of Orientation beforehand to help you get used to uni life.

    • We use a points system to make it easier for you to understand your study progress. Most Bachelors degree study units are allocated 15 credit points. If you're studying a 3-year full-time degree you'll need to successfully complete 360 credit points - that's 24 units x 15 points per unit.

    • These are compulsory units you have to successfully complete as part of your course.

    • An elective is a unit you choose to study that counts towards your course requirements, but isn't compulsory. For some courses we recommend elective units. In some situations, a course coordinator may approve an elective unit as a replacement for a compulsory one.

Do you have any questions about the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health?

The Important Things

Things you should know about if you're thinking about studying here.

Course Entry

There's more than one admission pathway into an ECU course. It depends on what you've studied already, or your work or life experience.

Fees & Scholarships

Course tuition fees can change, but we can give you an estimate of your costs. If you're eligible, a scholarship or student loan can help too.

Applying

Applying for a course is a fairly simple process, especially if you have scanned copies of qualifications, your resume or other paperwork, ready to upload.

ECU Experience

Starting a course is an exciting and sometimes daunting time, so we make a massive effort to ensure you get all the support you need to have a positive experience.