Graduate Diploma in Health Services Management

at University of South Australia - City East Campus Australia

Designed for students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree and meet entry requirements, this intensive master’s degree will qualify you to practise as a registered occupational therapist with two extra years of study.

Occupational therapists empower people to live full and rewarding lives. They help people of all ages achieve their goals, optimise their lifestyles and actively participate in society irrespective of limitations.

At UniSA, you’ll learn from registered occupational therapists and accomplished researchers at the top of their field. With a strong focus on practical skills, you’ll complete 1,000 hours of field placements across health, rehabilitation and community agencies, children’s centres, kindergartens, schools and aged care facilities. This prepares you for professional practice and a seamless transition from study to work.

Occupational therapists empower people to live full and rewarding lives, every day. With UniSA, you'll learn how to help people overcome constraints caused by injury or illness, as well as emotional, developmental, environmental, societal, age-related and psychological limitations.

What you'll learn

The first year will focus on core health subjects including anatomy, physiology, and an introduction to occupational therapy practice and evidence.

From second and third year, you‘ll focus on the application of your skills in mental health, occupation rehabilitation, chronic conditions, community focus, primary health care and participatory community practice.

In addition to field placements, you‘ll attend workshops in a range of industry settings. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit regional settings in your third year, on the annual Country Road Trip.

Throughout your degree you’ll be exposed to many different hands-on activities, such as:

• Splint making
• Dressing adaptation for people with self-care impairments
• Wheelchair measurement tutorials
• Home modification and assistive technology plans
• Adult neurological rehabilitation techniques
• Completing skill demonstrations to become familiar with real-life occupational therapy scenarios

Communication is critical for building human connections and living a fulfilling life. Speech Pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speech, language, fluency, and voice.

As a Speech Pathologist, you’ll support and empower people who have difficulty communicating because of developmental delays, stroke , brain injuries, learning disability, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, dementia and hearing loss, as well as other problems that can affect speech and language.

What you'll learn

Speech Pathologists work with a wide range of people across different settings and manage complex and difficult issues. You’ll acquire theoretical and clinical knowledge; as well as hands-on skills to assess, diagnose and provide intervention for children and adults affected by communication difficulties. For example, brain injuries can result in difficulties understanding or producing language, slurred and imprecise speech; and changes to cognition such as attention, memory, and personality.

In your studies, you’ll learn about the role of technology in speech pathology practice. For example, technology for understanding acoustic signals of speech and parameters of voice production, as well as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.

In the new Bachelor of Biomedical Science, you’ll explore the complex world of human health and disease under the guidance of industry experts.

In this three-year program, immerse yourself in biomedical research and gain skills to be used in clinical trials. Develop advanced knowledge in physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics. You’ll get to learn alongside internationally-recognised researchers in cancer biology, vaccine development, genetics and neuroscience.

What you'll learn
Along with fundamental knowledge in biomedical sciences, you can choose pathways into further study in biomedical research and other health professions. Throughout your degree, you’ll:

• Explore the complex world of human health and disease.
• Learn advanced skills in biochemistry, immunology, genetics, pharmacology, cancer biology.
• Learn skills which can be applied to clinical trials research.
• Study core courses in chemistry, biology and anatomy, and develop advanced knowledge in physiology, biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology, molecular biology, genomics and bioinformatics.
• Benefit from a flexible learning environment with face-to-face and online courses.
• Gain research experience, which forms a great foundation for pathways in bioinformatics, genomics, and clinical trials.

What you'll learn

The Bachelor of Human Movement offers an exciting combination of theoretical, conceptual and hands on learning. From your first year, you can select from primary streams in either Exercise and Sport Science or Health and Physical Education. If you choose to study the Exercise and Sport Science stream, you can also study a secondary stream in Advanced Exercise and Sport Science, Rehabilitation Sciences, Sports Coaching, Health Promotion or Nutrition. If you pursue the Health and Physical Education Stream, you can study a second learning area chosen from a wide range of options including Outdoor Education, Mathematics, Science, English and Nutrition. Visit the Health and Physical Education (H&PE) teacher page to find out more.

During your first year of study, you'll develop a strong foundation in:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Human movement
• Health and physical activity
• Motor development and ageing
• Group and team psychology

Second year studies will focus on:

• Motor learning and control
• Human nutrition
• Exercise physiology
• Biomechanics

This degree teaches you practical skills and effective communication techniques to interact confidently with clients and peers, complete client screenings, conduct laboratory and field testing, interpret scientific research, and design and implement exercise and training programs.

Radiation Therapists work alongside Radiation Oncologists and Medical Physicists to plan and deliver radiation treatment, primarily to cancer patients. Using dedicated radiotherapy treatment planning software, Radiation Therapists model radiation dose and operate radiation equipment to accurately deliver high energy ionising radiation treatments.

What you'll learn

Using dedicated radiotherapy treatment planning software, Radiation Therapists model radiation doses and operate radiation equipment to accurately deliver high energy ionising radiation treatments. You’ll learn these techniques and practices through this degree.

During your first year, you’ll focus on basic sciences at the core of the study and practice of medical radiation science. The curriculum covers anatomy, physiology, pathology and radiation physics. These core subjects offer an introduction to medical radiation and the scientific principles surrounding it.

Applying these concepts to professional practice occurs through clinical placements, which begin in your second year and continue through third and fourth years.

This unique program will equip you with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage projects and contracts within the Australian legal framework. The skills you learn from this specialist area pair well with the advanced knowledge and skills you will gain in project, program and portfolio management.

Project management is a highly valued discipline, with demand increasing for individuals with project management skills in the Australian workforce¹. Many industries rely on specialist project and program professionals with excellent practical skills and advanced knowledge to plan and deliver projects on time, within budget, objectives, specifications, and outcomes that ultimately deliver value to their organisation and stakeholders.

What you'll learn

Throughout the course, you will gain technical skills and professional knowledge to apply project management methodology, tools and techniques, and strategic expertise necessary for managing complex projects across various industries. The program will prepare you to take charge and lead projects from inception to commissioning, and offer knowledge-based solutions to drive a successful completion. The project management thesis provides an opportunity for students to undertake a practical research project that can focus on an issue within a specialised area or workplace.

Start your unstoppable career in the world of human health and wellbeing, with a double degree in exercise and sport science, combined with nutrition and food science.

The exercise and sport science component will equip you with expertise on the impact of exercise and physical activity on the biological, physiological, psychological and social aspects of human life. The nutrition and food sciences component will give you hands-on experience in innovating foods; promoting and managing diets and lifestyles; and conducting meaningful research for enhanced wellbeing. 

With this double degree your career opportunities are diverse. You could be at the forefront of innovation in the food and nutrition industries, with opportunities to go into scientific and advisory roles. You could also design, deliver and assess exercise and physical activity programs to improve the health and wellbeing of clients, their performance, or to prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes and arthritis. Further study opportunities may include a Master of Research (Health Sciences) or Master of Health Services Management.

What you'll learn

Through theoretical and practical learning, you’ll become an expert in all aspects of exercise and sport science, and graduate with the skills needed to design, implement and evaluate exercise and physical activity programs.

The exercise and sport science component prepares you to provide exercise advice, deliver strength and conditioning services, biomechanical analyses, and skill acquisition knowledge to enhance the physical and mental wellbeing of generally healthy individuals, ranging from children to elite athletes to older persons.

The nutrition and food sciences component will teach you to understand diets and lifestyles for optimum health and the associations between nutrient intake, energy output and obesity. You’ll also learn how to manage and improve nutrition and diet related to physical activity and lifestyle changes, and how to maximise physical performance for healthy active people.  

During the first two years you’ll learn about nutrition and study exercise and sport science courses, which will give you a solid foundation in:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Fundamental movement skills
• Skill acquisition
• Chemistry and biology

The third and fourth years have a strong practical focus. You'll develop critical thinking and practice-based skills through learning about:

• Exercise prescription and delivery
• Relationship between food bioactives, functional foods and medicines
• Developing personalised dietary and exercise plans to manage weight
• Nutrition for sports, exercise and activity

In this degree, you will get a grounding in key business disciplines through industry and business-focused courses. Your management specialisation will give you the knowledge and skills to manage resources and projects in a global business environment. You will learn to address emerging issues, and to recognise the need for innovation as you progress in your career. You will also have the valuable opportunity to embed an internship, mentoring or work integrated learning into your degree.

What you'll learn

The degree starts with core courses in business theory. These will give you a solid grasp of business fundamentals such as international business, economics, and business intelligence. You can gain valuable insight and career skills while you study with advanced career-focused electives and internships in the industry.

In your management specialization, you'll study areas such as international management ethics and values; organizational leadership, and behavior.

This course prepares you to confidently advise on exercise plans, and deliver strength and conditioning services. The curriculum teaches biomechanical analyses and skill acquisition knowledge to enhance people’s physical and mental wellbeing – from children to elite athletes to the elderly.

During your first year you’ll develop a solid understanding of:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Physical activity and health
• Fundamental movement skills
• Research methods and statistics
• Group and team psychology

In your second year you'll focus on:

• Skill acquisition
• Exercise prescription and delivery
• Exercise and health psychology
• Nutrition
• Exercise physiology
• Biomechanics

In your final year of study, you’ll focus on professional studies, the application of exercise science, and sociology of health and physical activity. Additionally, you can tailor your degree with a range of elective courses aligned with your career aspirations. The added benefit is that some of these courses will allow you to upskill, as they provide you with additional industry certificates upon successful completion in areas such as Level 1 Sports Training.