Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care

Study Palliative Care at UTS

If you’re a registered healthcare professional with a passion for connection and care, the Graduate Diploma of Palliative Care at UTS is the perfect course for you. This flexible course combines theory with practical learning, preparing you to provide palliative care that supports patients and families through the physical, emotional & psychosocial aspects of living with advanced progressive disease and through end-of-life.

Guided by industry experts, this course isn’t just about developing your clinical skills, but developing a holistic approach to palliative care that extends beyond the individual patient. You’ll graduate equipped with advanced communication capabilities, clear decision-making ability, and leadership and expertise essential for driving change within the healthcare system.

Part of the Faculty of Health.

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EXPLORE

Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care

CODE

UTS: C07131 (version 1)

DURATION

1 year full time
2 years part time

INTAKE

Autumn Session - Distance 2025
Spring Session - Distance 2025
Autumn Session - Distance - Part time 2025
Spring Session - Distance - Part time 2025
Autumn Session - Distance 2026
Autumn Session - Distance - Part time 2026
Spring Session - Distance 2026
Spring Session - Distance - Part time 2026

View important dates

COURSE FEES

Indicative total tuition fee for government-supported domestic students
$9,314.00

Indicative total tuition fee for domestic students
$22,150.00

LOCATION

City campus

What you’ll study

Through a blend of theory and hands-on clinical experience, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of person-centred care and the ability to navigate dynamic healthcare settings. With a focus on current palliative care practices and translating evidence into practice, this course will give you the knowledge and skills to customise care plans to meet the unique needs and preferences of each patient, fostering dignity and comfort while living with advanced progressive disease and at end of life.

Subjects at a glance

Core subjects

Subject Code	Subject Name
96801	Communicating and Collaborating for Optimal Person Centred Care
96802	Delivering Best Palliative Care Any Place Every Time
96803	Complex Symptom Management
96804	Immersive Palliative Care Futures
96806	Translating Evidence into Change
96828	Ethical Dimensions of Palliative Care
96829	Legal Dimensions of Palliative Care

See all subjects and majors in the UTS Handbook

Typical course program

The outline below shows an example program for the Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care based on a full-time study load. Please note that your exact program may differ based on your unique circumstances, such as part time study and recognition of prior learning.

7

core palliative care subjects
2

electives

First year

You’ll learn effective communication techniques and collaboration strategies essential for providing person-centred palliative care in various settings. You’ll explore evidence-based practices, complex symptom management, and relationship building with patients and families, as well as interdisciplinary team communication.
Second year

In your final year, you’ll develop forward-thinking leadership skills, addressing emerging challenges in palliative care. You’ll analyse factors like an aging population and technological impact, while honing your ethical decision-making and research skills for optimal delivery of care.

First year

You’ll learn effective communication techniques and collaboration strategies essential for providing person-centred palliative care in various settings. You’ll explore evidence-based practices, complex symptom management, and relationship building with patients and families, as well as interdisciplinary team communication.

Second year

In your final year, you’ll develop forward-thinking leadership skills, addressing emerging challenges in palliative care. You’ll analyse factors like an aging population and technological impact, while honing your ethical decision-making and research skills for optimal delivery of care.

See typical course program in the UTS Handbook

Course highlights

During this two-year, part-time course, you’ll learn to communicate and collaborate effectively to provide high quality palliative care. Learning from industry experts, you’ll build upon your ability to assess symptoms, make ethical and culturally sensitive decisions and use evidence to create individualised management plans for patients.

Looking toward the future, this program will prepare you for the impact technology will have on palliative care and guide you towards becoming an innovative leader in the field.

Admissions information

This course is tailored for experienced health professionals seeking to extend their palliative care capabilities to become future palliative care experts in their field. The interdisciplinary course will elevate your expertise, allowing you to become a leader in providing compassionate end-of-life care. Its uniqueness lies in the collaboration with industry leaders, ensuring a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application in diverse healthcare settings.

You will acquire advanced clinical skills, critical thinking, and leadership abilities, enabling you to deliver exceptional person-centred care and improve patient outcomes. Learning combines theory with real-world practice, facilitated by industry practitioners and employing interactive methods like online activities, media resources, and case studies.

By the end of this course, you will be equipped to excel as a clinical leader in palliative care, able to navigate the complexities of modern healthcare environments.
This diploma has strong links to industry and is firmly grounded in contemporary and best evidence-based, person-centred healthcare practices. The course closely integrates theory and practice-based learning and assessment in a combination of online learning, classroom, state-of-the-art simulation laboratories and authentic clinical settings. Guest presenters include industry-based health practitioners and other experts from a range of clinical settings to ensure that knowledge and skills are evidence-based and clearly reflect advanced practice as it is today. Presenters adopt a range of teaching and learning strategies to enhance the student experience, such as participatory online and real-time learning activities, communities of practice, media resources, podcasts and case-based scenarios. These course features ensure that graduates are practice-ready, able to work in dynamic and changeable healthcare environments, and prepared to make significant contributions to positive patient outcomes.
To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must meet the following criteria.

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
OR
- 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, relevant post registration clinical experience within the last 5 years AND A general capacity to undertake tertiary education, demonstrated by successful completion of hospital or college certificates and professional or staff development.
Applicants’ current registration is confirmed via the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). Applicants should ensure that 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 original language and English (e.g. provision of ASIC documentation or ABN or similar documentation for Australian Businesses)
Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.
2025 Indicative tuition fees for domestic students

As a postgraduate student, you'll be responsible for covering your own tuition fees.

2025 Tuition Fee
- Indicative first-year tuition fee: $22,150.00
- Indicative total tuition fee: $22,150.00
You can choose to pay your fees upfront per session, or if you’re eligible, you can defer them using a government FEE-HELP loan. This loan helps you cover all or part of your tuition fees. Keep in mind that applications for this loan are specific to each course.

Additional Costs

Your tuition fees do not include:
- The Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), which supports student services and activities. If eligible, you can defer this fee using SA-HELP.
- Textbooks, materials, and other course-related costs.
- Any applicable payment processing fees (e.g., credit card surcharges).
Important Information
- Fees are shown in Australian Dollars (AUD).
- The indicative tuition fees above are based on full-time study (1 year = 48 credit points).
- 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.
- You can calculate your student contribution based on the amounts listed in the student contribution table
Alumni Advantage Program

As a UTS graduate, you can enjoy a 10% discount on your course fees. Just apply for the course you're interested in, and if you're accepted, the discount will automatically be applied to your enrolment invoice. Learn more about the Alumni Advantage Program.

If you have any questions about course fees, please feel free to make an enquiry.

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Careers

Your future career

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 aging population, provide high quality care to those who need it most.

Career options

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