Graduate Certificate in Positive Psychology

What you will study

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Positive Psychology, you must successfully complete units totalling 24 credit points as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 6 credit points.

Core unit

• Introduction to Positive Psychology: Perspectives on Wellbeing

Elective units

You must also study one of the following units:

• Coaching Individuals for Positive Change
• Applied Positive Psychology

You then have the option to study two of the following units:

• Group Facilitation Skills
• Building Wellbeing and Resilience: Interconnected Factors
• Inter-disciplinary and Cross-cultural Approaches to Well-being
• Positive Psychology: Research Methods
• Wellbeing Initiatives: Local and Global Scales

Entry requirements

Applicants for this course must meet all of the following:

• Successful completion of an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) equivalent Bachelor's degree or higher equivalent qualification.
• Successful completion of an AQF Diploma with two years of relevant employment experience.
• Five years of relevant employment experience.

Relevant employment experience can include work in health care, teaching and education, coaching, social work, counselling or community services.

Employment experience must be shown in a letter of employment presented on company letterhead and signed and dated by a delegated authority. Just so you know, the letter must have your full name, position title, duties performed and length of service.

English Language Proficiency Requirements:

Suppose you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or the United States of America. In that case, you must meet the English Language Proficiency requirements set by the University. Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion of:

• A secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent).
• An Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) diploma-level qualification.
• Bachelor-level qualification study for at least 2 years full-time with a minimum overall GPA of 4.0

Completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, or the United States of America, which will meet the English proficiency.

If you do not satisfy any of the above, you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores below:

• An International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) overall band score of at least 6.0 with a minimum of 5.5 in each subset.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Requires 550 or better overall & minimum TWE score of 4.5 (Paper-Based Test) or 75 or better overall and no score less than 17 (Internet-Based Test).
• Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) - Requires an overall score of 54 with no sub-score less than 46.
• An Occupational English Test with Grades A or B only in the four components.

English test results remain valid for no more than two years between the final examination date and the commencement date of study. They must appear on a single result certificate.

International Students should visit http://www.cqu.edu.au/international for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Career outcomes

Graduates of this course are expected to have access to a range of career options. Graduates will be equipped to develop and implement positive interventions aimed at improving the mental health of the population in a range of settings, including:

• Clinical Settings
• Teaching and Education
• Coaching and Consulting
• Health Care Settings
• Communities and Organisations.

Fees and CSP

Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $8,696 (Commonwealth Supported Place).

Estimated first-year tuition fee in 2026: $15,100 (Commonwealth Supported Place).

All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 24 credit points (normally four units) per year.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• The number of units studied per term.
• The choice of major or specialisation.
• Choice of units.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

Commonwealth Supported Places

The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.

If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you only need to pay some of your tuition fees. The student contribution amount is the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.

Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.

Your student contribution amount is:

• Calculated per unit you're enrolled in.
• Depending on the study areas they relate to.
• Reviewed and adjusted each year.

HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.