Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education
Course information for
2026 entry
- 2025 entry
- 2026 entry
- 2025 entry
- 2026 entry
- Duration
- 0.5 year full-time or equivalent part-time
- Fees (first year)*
- Start dates
- ACU Term 1, ACU Term 3
- Commonwealth Supported Places are available for this course. See the course costs section below, under Fees.
- This course is available to international students not seeking to study on a Student Visa.
Overview
ACU's Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education is designed to empower students to become effective and adaptable educators in the healthcare field. It provides a foundation in learning theories, teaching models, and educational perspectives, with a focus on developing leadership skills and delivering health professional education.
Students will explore the principles of constructive alignment in curriculum development, assessment strategies, and program evaluation. The course emphasises evidence-based teaching methods, interdisciplinary collaboration, and high-quality learning experiences, all aimed at enhancing patient care through improved education.
The Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education is an online, flexible program designed to accommodate the busy schedules of healthcare professionals. There are four core units covering the fundamentals of quality and safety in health care settings; contemporary and foundational health professional education theories and models; diverse learning styes for individuals and small group settings; and curriculum design, assessment and evaluation.
This highly practical qualification supports all healthcare professionals whether in academic or healthcare settings. It equips graduates with advanced skills to enhance education delivery, improve learning outcomes and lead educational initiatives across all healthcare settings.
The Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education is a stepping stone toward the Graduate Diploma and Master of Health Professional Education.
Commonwealth Supported Places are available for this course. See the course costs section below, under Fees.
Careers
Our graduates have pursued careers in:
- government or private health care education facilities
- higher education
- healthcare simulation education
- health education promotion
Course details
Course structure
To complete the Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education, a student must complete 40 credit points (cp).
Course map
Graduate statement
AQF framework
Overseas study available
- Available to international students not seeking to study on a Student Visa.
- This course is available to offshore international students.
Entry requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education, an applicant must:
a. have completed a bachelor degree in a health or allied health discipline; OR have completed post graduate studies in a health or allied health discipline;
AND
b. have completed at least one year of health or allied health professional clinical or work experience prior to admission.
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
Disclaimer: The course entry requirements above are for 2026 Admission.
Applicants with higher education study
To be eligible for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Health Professional Education, an applicant must:
- have completed either a bachelor degree in a health discipline or equivalent; AND
- have completed at least one year of clinical or work experience prior to admission.
An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.
You will need to meet the minimum entry requirements and subject prerequisites for your chosen course.
If you have completed at least two units of AQF-recognised study at bachelor level or above, we’ll assign you with a new selection rank that reflects your study level, duration, and grade point average.
If your prior study or relevant work experience has provided you with knowledge, skills or experience aligned with the learning outcomes of units in your new course, you may be eligible to gain credit for study or have your prior learning recognised. This means you may be able to complete your ACU course in a shorter timeframe.
You can use our credit search tool to see what you might be eligible for. For more information about credit and recognition of prior learning at ACU, follow the link below.
English language requirements
Applicants require an academic IELTS minimum overall score of 6.5 (with a minimum score of 6.0 in all bands), or an equivalent acceptable test score as outlined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy (see English Language Proficiency).
Inherent requirement
There are essential components of a course or unit that demonstrate the capabilities, knowledge and skills to achieve the core learning outcomes of that course or unit. You will need to be able to meet these inherent requirements to complete your course.
Learn more about inherent requirements for your course and how they affect you
Pathways
Further study
Graduates may be eligible to apply for enrolment into the Graduate Diploma in Health Professional Education, Master of Health Professional Education, or other postgraduate courses offered at ACU.
Fees
Course costs
*This is an indicative first-year fee based on the tuition fee rates for a full-time student, using unit enrolment data from domestic students who studied the course in the previous year.
A student’s annual fee will vary depending on factors including:
- Number of units studied per year
- Choice of major or specialisation
- Elective units
The University reviews fees annually.
You can view current course costs and domestic tuition fee rates by unit.
Payment options
You should be able to concentrate on getting good marks instead of worrying about how you’ll pay your fees. We have a number of options that can help you ease the financial burden, including government assistance, scholarships and income support.
Scholarships
You could be eligible for one of the hundreds of scholarships we award each year to help students from across the university with the cost of studying, accommodation or overseas study opportunities. Some of our scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, but these aren’t just for the academically gifted; ACU also recognises excellence in community engagement and leadership. We also offer a range of scholarships for those who may be struggling financially or who have faced other barriers to accessing education.
Staff Profile
Dr Flora He
Course Coordinator, Master of Clinical Education, Master of Health Professional Education. Lecturer, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine ACT/NSW
Dr Flora He is a lecturer and the course coordinator of Master of Health Professional Education of the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine at Australian Catholic University (ACU). Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Nursing and a Master of Clinical Education from ACU, a Graduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning from Charles Darwin University (CDU) and a Doctor of Philosophy from Australian National University (ANU).
Dr He has been teaching undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) students full time since 2012. Her UG teaching involves Primary Health Care, Fundamentals of Nursing, Psychosocial Nursing, Medical-Surgical Nursing, and Palliative and Aged-care. The PG units Dr He has taught include Theoretical Foundations of Clinical Education and Curriculum Development and Instructional Design.
Dr He has a strong interest in research. Her PhD studies used a mixed-methods approach to investigate factors contributing to acculturative stress among international nursing students in Australia. Dr He’s four publications have focused on issues associated with university student psychological well-being. She has also participated in supervising higher degree by research students at ACU and CDU.