CQUniversity
Graduate Diploma of Positive Psychology
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
Discover how to design, deliver and evaluate positive change interventions and programs tailored for individuals, groups, organisations and communities.
Course overview
The Graduate Diploma of Positive Psychology will allow you to work with children, teenagers and adults across various local and international contexts, focusing on enhancing wellbeing, capacities, resilience and strengths.
Positive psychology is the scientific study of well-being and resilience, focusing on the conditions that enable individuals and communities to thrive. This rapidly growing field has emerged in response to the realisation that well-being is not simply the absence of disease but is related to multiple factors that enable humans to flourish. This course teaches you how to design, deliver and evaluate positive change interventions and programs suitable for individuals, groups, organisations and communities. The course is relevant for working with adults, teenagers and children across various local and international contexts, focusing on enhancing wellbeing, capacities, resilience and strengths.
The curriculum draws on evidence-based theories, models and best practices from positive psychology, coaching psychology, health promotion, positive education, counselling, eco-psychology and social innovation.
The course is offered online and is available on a full-time or part-time enrolment basis.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
What you will study
Students must complete a total of eight core units:
- Introduction to Positive Psychology: Perspectives on Wellbeing
- Group Facilitation Skills
- Building Wellbeing and Resilience: Interconnected Factors
- Inter-disciplinary and Cross-cultural Approaches to Wellbeing
- Positive Psychology: Research Methods
- Wellbeing Initiatives: Local and Global Scales
- Coaching Individuals for Positive Change
- Applied Positive Psychology
Entry requirements
To be eligible for entry into this course, applicants must hold:
- A completed Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) equivalent Bachelor's degree or higher equivalent qualification.
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:
- 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.
Each student will be assessed individually.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you have completed prior studies relevant to units within this course, you may be eligible for credit for your past studies. Learn more about credit and recognition of prior learning.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
Upon completing the Graduate Diploma of Positive Psychology, you will have access to various career options. You will be well-equipped to develop and implement positive interventions aimed at improving the mental health of the population in a range of settings, including:
- Clinical Settings
- Communities and Organisations
- Coaching and Consulting
- Health Care Settings
- Teaching and Education
Fees and CSP
Average first-year fee in 2025: $28,992 (Commonwealth Supported Place).
The prices listed above are indicative only.
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.
