Curtin University
Graduate Certificate in Clinical Leadership
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
Develop the leadership capabilities to guide clinical teams, navigate complex healthcare challenges and translate evidence into safer, higher-quality care.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Leadership is designed for registered health and allied health professionals seeking to strengthen their leadership capabilities within clinical healthcare environments. The course explores how leadership theory, clinical research and professional responsibilities apply across healthcare teams and organisations.
You’ll examine relevant practice codes, standards, policies and legislation while developing the critical thinking needed to respond to complex healthcare team issues. Your studies will also explore clinical management, workforce development, safety and quality and the use of evidence to support informed decision-making and improved client outcomes.
Delivered online over one year of part-time study, the course develops your ability to evaluate and synthesise information, work collaboratively across healthcare teams and consider how research can contribute to improvements in clinical practice. Completion of the graduate certificate can also provide a pathway into Curtin’s Master of Advanced Practice.
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
From $600 (CSP)
July, 2027
What you will study
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Leadership, you must successfully complete units totalling 100 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 25 credit points.
Core units
- Clinical Management
- Clinical Safety and Quality
- Clinical Workforce Development
- Leadership for the Clinical Context
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To be eligible for this course, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- Hold a bachelor's degree in a relevant clinically based health or allied health field or in a related area.
- Have a competitive course weighted average, with an indicative minimum of 70.
- A minimum of 12 months postgraduate experience with current health professional registration/accreditation.
Applicants must provide proof of current professional registration and a CV or resume with their application.
English language requirements
Curtin requires applicants to demonstrate English language proficiency. You can meet this requirement by providing evidence of one of the following:
- An IELTS Academic overall band score of 7.5, with a minimum score of 7.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
- An alternative English language test accepted by Curtin, provided you achieve the required equivalent scores.
- An eligible previous qualification or another form of English language evidence accepted by Curtin.
Contact the university or visit its website for more 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
Learning outcomes
- Apply discipline knowledge, principles and concepts in accordance with relevant practice codes, standards and legislation
- Apply critical thinking and reflective practice to clinical practice to generate innovative solutions
- Access, evaluate and synthesise information relevant to clinical leadership and the promotion of optimal outcomes for clients
- Communicate effectively and work collaboratively with clients, carers, families, communities and the interdisciplinary health care team
- Utilise technology safely and appropriately for the diagnosis and management of clients
- Participate in research and critically appraise research findings and incorporate evidence based knowledge into clinical practice
- Relate policy, practices and standards to international trends
- Demonstrate cultural competence in the care of all clients, families and communities
- Demonstrate professional, legal and ethical accountability within the scope of practice for safe health care delivery
Fees and CSP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $2,400 (Commonwealth Supported Place).
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $14,665 (Full-fee paying place)
Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.
A student’s annual fee may vary by:
- The number of units studied.
- Choice of units.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
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'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – 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 the course you're enrolled in.
- Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
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.
