Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care

What you will study

This course comprises 24 credit points, including 18 credit points of core study and six credit points of electives. Elective subjects are worth either three or six credit points, depending on the subject selected.

Core subjects

Complete all of the following subjects:

• Communicating and Collaborating for Optimal Person Centred Care
• Delivering Best Palliative Care Any Place Every Time
• Complex Symptom Management

Electives

Select one of the following subjects:

• Clinical Assessment in Palliative Care
• Ethical Dimensions of Palliative Care
• Immersive Palliative Care Futures
• Legal Dimensions of Palliative Care
• Optimising End-of-Life Communication
• Optimising End-of-life Communication within Complex and Diverse Situations
• Optimising Well-being for People Living with Advanced Disease
• Pharmacology in Palliative Care
• Translating Evidence into Change

Entry requirements

Applicants must have one of the following:

• Completed Australian bachelor's degree or higher qualification, or overseas equivalent AND Current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as a health professional in Australia AND concurrent employment in or access to the clinical area of study AND a minimum of 1 year full-time, or equivalent part-time, post registration clinical experience within the last 5 years
• Current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as a health professional in Australia; and concurrent employment in or access to the clinical area of study; a minimum of one year full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant post registration clinical experience within the last five years; and A general capacity to undertake tertiary education, demonstrated by successful completion of hospital or college certificates and professional or staff development.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) confirms the applicant's current registration. Applicants should ensure that the details of their registration are up to date on this register.

Supporting documentation to be submitted with the application

Curriculum Vitae and Statement of Service in one of the following formats:

• A 'Statement of Service' provided by the employer.
• A completed 'UTS statement of service’ signed by the employer.
• A statutory declaration confirming professional work experience (for Australian Residents only).
• An official letter from the applicant’s accountant or solicitor on their company letterhead confirming the applicant’s work experience or engagement with the business, duration of operations and the nature of the business.
• A business certificate of registration in the original language and English (e.g. provision of ASIC documentation, ABN or similar documentation for Australian Businesses).

English language requirements

IELTS Academic: overall 6.5, writing 6.0 TOEFL iBT: overall 79, writing 21 UTS College AE5: Pass Pearson PTE: overall 58, writing 50 Cambridge C1A/C2P: overall 176, writing 169.

Recognition of Prior Learning

UTS may recognise previous formal study, as well as relevant knowledge and skills gained through work or other experience, through Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL).

Previous education or employment must be assessed as equivalent to a UTS subject in accordance with the university's Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and Procedures. The assessment considers:

• Currency of knowledge
• Relevance of previous learning
• Learning outcomes
• Volume of learning
• Course content
• Learning and assessment approaches

Prior learning can only be recognised once within an individual UTS course and cannot be used again for another subject or component within the same course.

UTS may alternatively offer subject substitution, where an alternative subject of equivalent credit point value is added to the student's study plan.

UTS assesses RPL applications only after an offer of enrolment has been accepted.

Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this course, graduates will be able to:

• Select appropriate approaches to providing person-centred care, facilitating the participation of patients and their families.
• Demonstrate practical communication approaches to provide palliative care to patients and families.
• Demonstrate understanding of principles of collaboration, openness, respect, empowerment and shared decision-making in palliative care.
• Recognise their professional role and demonstrate how they can promote optimal palliative care.
• Critically analyse and apply principles of cultural safety, including professional communication and relationship building, to work effectively with and for Indigenous Australians.

Career outcomes

This course aims to prepare future leaders in palliative care to drive reforms to improve end-of-life care experiences for patients and families. Designed for nursing, medical, and allied health professionals, it emphasises interdisciplinary care and aims to prepare students for an advanced level of healthcare delivery across a range of settings.  

• Palliative care specialist
• Community care assistant
• Residential support officer
• Emergency care officer
• Policy advisor
• Aged care worker
• Palliative care consultant
• Mental health support officer
• Clinic manager

Fees and FEE-HELP

Indicative first-year and total tuition fee in 2026: $12,095 (domestic full-fee paying place)

Your tuition fees do not include:

• The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) supports student services and activities.
• Textbooks, materials and other course-related costs.
• Any applicable payment processing fees (e.g., credit card surcharges).

Your actual fees depend on the year you enrol, your study load and the subjects you choose. Some subjects fall into different student contribution bands.

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

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee paying domestic students.