Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care

What you will study

Students must complete 48 credit points, comprising 36 credit points of core subjects and 12 credit points of electives offered by UTS: Health. Unless otherwise indicated, each subject is worth six credit points.

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
• Immersive Palliative Care Futures
• Translating Evidence into Change
• Ethical Dimensions of Palliative Care (3 credit points)
• Legal Dimensions of Palliative Care (3 credit points)

Electives

Select 12 credit points from the following subjects:

• Clinical Assessment in Palliative Care (3 credit points)
• Optimising End-of-Life Communication (3 credit points)
• Optimising End-of-life Communication within Complex and Diverse Situations (3 credit points)
• Optimising well-being for people living with advanced disease
• Pharmacology in Palliative Care (3 credit points)

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 one year full-time, or equivalent part-time, post-registration clinical experience.
• 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 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 acknowledge your formal qualifications and the wealth of informal learning you've accumulated. This personalised RPL process not only recognises your hard work but also streamlines the duration and cost of your course, ensuring you reach your future goals faster.

Your previous education or employment must be evaluated to be equivalent to a UTS subject as per the Admissions and Recognition of Prior Learning Policy and Procedures. This assessment considers:

• Currency of knowledge
• Relevance of your previous learning
• Learning outcomes
• Volume of learning
• Content of the study
• Learning and assessment approaches

Prior learning can be recognised only once within any individual UTS course. It cannot be recognised again for another subject or component in that course.

Alternatively, subject substitution might be offered. This is where an alternative subject(s) of equivalent credit point value is added to your study plan.

It’s important to note that UTS assesses RPL only after an enrolment offer is 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 participation of patients and their families within enabling health and policy environments.
• Demonstrate practical communication approaches to provide palliative care to patients, families and interprofessional teams in complex situations.
• Demonstrate understanding of principles and current best practices of collaboration, openness, respect, empowerment and shared decision-making in palliative care in complex situations.
• Demonstrate understanding of their professional role using evidence and health service frameworks to influence the provision of optimal palliative care.

Career outcomes

Designed for nursing, medical and allied health professionals looking to take their career to the next level, this course aims to prepare future leaders in palliative care to drive reforms to improve end-of-life care experiences for patients and families. You’ll graduate ready to address the needs of an ageing population and provide high-quality care to those who need it most.

Career options:

• 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: $23,150 (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.