ACU Short Courses

Skill up. Stand out.

Whether you’re a busy professional looking to keep up with the current needs of your sector, or a new starter seeking development opportunities, our short courses have you covered. Our fully online learning allows you to complete a course at a time that suits your busy life.

Our courses combine industry expertise, cutting-edge design and the latest research from a trusted Australian university. Each course is written in accessible, approachable language, features up to 20 hours of learning, and is designed to be standalone or can be used as an entry into further study.

Two hands hold a plate showing off an intricate dessert.

Course of the month - A Taste of Culinary Nutrition

Enter the exciting world of culinary nutrition, where seaweed, salt, umami and expertise combine to create dishes you’ll be proud to share. Taste test a free sample course that will leave you hungry for more.

Enjoy a taster

Our courses

Living with Dyslexia

This course offers a comprehensive look at dyslexia, from diagnosis and management within the Australian education system to the practical implications for student support and funding. It concludes with powerful first-hand accounts from individuals with dyslexia, providing insight into their lived experiences beyond clinical definitions.

Explicit Instruction and Differentiation

This course begins by unpacking the meaning and practice of explicit instruction and exploring how it works in real classrooms. You’ll then learn how to apply these strategies to better meet the diverse needs of your students.

Mental Health Matters for Teachers

This short course supports educators by focusing on mental health, wellbeing, and emotional self-care as essential foundations for a sustainable teaching career. Through reflective vignettes and practical strategies, you'll build the skills needed to manage classroom challenges, nurture meaningful relationships with your students and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

A Taste of Culinary Nutrition (free course)

This free sample course provides an overview of the culinary nutrition series, covering theory and practical courses. Start your culinary journey here.

Culinary Nutrition Science Research and Advanced Cooking

In this course, you'll learn about the field of culinary nutrition science and discover how you can apply research to create nutritious meals and enhance health outcomes.

Practical Culinary Nutrition Science with Temperature and Time

This practical short course combines food science with culinary skills by exploring the themes of temperature and time. You'll learn the scientific principles behind cooking while developing techniques to create nutritionally optimised dishes that look and taste exceptional.

Practical Culinary Nutrition Science with Salt and Umami

Discover the art and science of flavour through salt and umami, as you explore hands-on techniques from salt-baked fish to umami-rich broths and dumplings. This short course blends culinary nutrition with kitchen know-how, empowering you to create balanced, satisfying dishes that honour both tradition and innovation.

All ACU short courses can be accessed and paid for online. Enrolment in the short course is immediate upon payment and the course can be accessed anytime, anywhere and on any device, with no mandated start or completion dates.

These courses are self-paced, self-directed and delivered fully online. On completion of a course, you can take an online quiz to be awarded a shareable digital badge and/or certificate.

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View our courses

FAQs

Most short courses are open to everyone, regardless of prior study or professional background. Some specialised courses may have prerequisites or be designed for people working in particular industries such as education, health or business.

Simply visit our Canvas Catalog Storefront to learn more about our short courses. When you find one that suits, click the button, pay your enrolment fee over our secure connection and gain access immediately.

We have sample courses you can 'try before you buy'. Check our Canvas Catalog Storefront to see what we currently have on offer.

Courses feature between one and 20 hours of learning and include a short auto-marked quiz at the end that can provide you with formal recognition of your learning.

While our short courses aren’t formally accredited, some are recognised for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) by peak industry bodies and can be stacked to lead to a formal qualification at ACU.

All ACU Short Courses have an optional online auto-marked quiz. When you successfully complete the quiz you’ll be awarded a verifiable digital badge and certificate that will allow you to display your professional achievement through online platforms such as LinkedIn. They can also be used as proof of completion for CPD for your professional body.

ACU Short Courses are built in the Canvas learning management system and are fully responsive on all devices, such as laptops, desktops, mobile phones and tablets. Currently the Canvas app is not supported. A current laptop or desktop computer running the latest browser will provide the best learning experience.

Send us an email at short.courses@acu.edu.au to arrange a time to speak to us. Discounts may be available for larger cohort enrolments.

If you are an ACU Alumni, a partner organisation, or an institution looking to bulk enrol your members or employees, we’d like to give you a discount on your selected course/s. Email us on short.courses@acu.edu.au to speak to us about how this can happen.

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