Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care

Study Palliative Care at UTS

As a health professional, it’s likely that you will be called upon to engage with patients facing a life-limiting illness at some stage during your career. The UTS Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care will provide you with the capacity to support patients and families through the physical, emotional & psychosocial aspects of the end-of-life experience.

Designed for healthcare professionals interested in a meaningful career in palliative care, this interdisciplinary course equips students with the clinical performance capabilities and critical decision-making and leadership skills required to become a palliative care expert.

Part of the Faculty of Health.

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EXPLORE

Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care

CODE

UTS: C11268 (version 1)

DURATION

0.5 years full time
1 year part time

INTAKE

Autumn Session 2025
Spring Session 2025
Autumn Session 2026
Spring Session 2026

View important dates

COURSE FEES

Indicative total tuition fee for government-supported domestic students
$4,657

Indicative total tuition fee for domestic students
$11,075

LOCATION

City campus

What you’ll study

You’ll learn about current best practice in palliative care, applying those principles to optimise patient wellbeing. You’ll strengthen your communication skills, learning to collaborate with other healthcare professionals, patients and their families while prioritising inclusion and cultural safety. Adopting a public health perspective, you’ll learn how to address broader societal issues impacting palliative care access and delivery.

As a graduate, you’ll be well equipped to provide evidence based, person-centered palliative care, and ready to use your expertise to push for policy reform at a local, national and international level.

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

See all subjects and majors in the UTS Handbook

Typical course program

The outline below shows an example program for the Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care based on a full-time study load. Please note that your exact program may differ based on your unique circumstances.

3

core Palliative Care subjects
1

elective

First year

You’ll learn effective communication techniques essential for providing high quality palliative care in various settings. You’ll explore evidence-based practices and advanced techniques for managing complex symptoms in patients, both physical and psychological, and choose an elective subject tailored to your interests.

First year

You’ll learn effective communication techniques essential for providing high quality palliative care in various settings. You’ll explore evidence-based practices and advanced techniques for managing complex symptoms in patients, both physical and psychological, and choose an elective subject tailored to your interests.

See typical course program in the UTS Handbook

Course highlights

This course will equip you with the knowledge and skills to provide person-centred palliative care to patients and families, as well as giving you the expertise to inform palliative care policy at various levels. Graduates are practice-ready, able to work in dynamic healthcare environments and prepared to make significant contributions to positive patient outcomes.

Admissions information

This course is tailored for experienced registered health professionals seeking to specialise in palliative care. You will deepen your expertise through sustainable, interdisciplinary education in collaboration with leading experts. The course integrates theory with evidence-based clinical practice, covering complex communication, social justice, law, ethics, and public health to enhance person-centred care.

You will acquire advanced clinical performance capabilities, critical decision-making, and leadership skills. Learning combines theory with practice, featuring guest industry practitioners and employing interactive online activities, communities of practice, media resources, and case-based scenarios to ensure you are practice-ready for dynamic healthcare settings.
The course has strong links to industry and is firmly grounded in contemporary and best evidence-based, person-centred health care 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: $11,075
- Indicative total tuition fee: $11,075
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. 

Information for Masters by Research students: Government-funded scholarship places available

As a recipient of the Australian Government’s Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset Scholarship, you do not have to pay tuition fees for up to the maximum period of candidature. However, even with this scholarship, you should expect ongoing costs that aren’t covered, like travel, training, and professional development. These costs can vary for each person, so it’s important to plan accordingly. Additionally, scholarships are available to help with your living expenses.

Important details: The RTP Fees Offset Scholarship covers your tuition fees, but please note that it doesn’t include additional costs related to studying or conducting research. Additional fees for domestic students. For more information visit Research student fees.

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Jumbunna Admission Program

If you're Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, Jumbunna is an alternative application process for our courses that emphasises diverse pathways to success.

Changing from another postgraduate course

You can apply for our courses using your previous study. You may even be eligible for recognition of prior learning, so you won’t need to repeat subjects.

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Careers

Your future career

This course aims to prepare future leaders in palliative care to drive reforms to improve end-of-life care experiences for patients and families. Designed for nursing, medical and allied health professionals, the course emphasises interdisciplinary care and aims to prepare students for an advanced level of healthcare delivery across a range of settings.

Career options

Where you’ll study

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Why UTS?

Why study Health at UTS

Health is a dynamic and multidisciplinary field dedicated to improving the health of individuals and populations. With a degree from UTS, you'll develop transdisciplinary skills and a solid understanding of health and health systems.

Our degrees combine theoretical knowledge with hands-on learning and practical placements. You’ll study in world-class learning spaces that mimic professional health environments and get the latest information from experts connected to industry, sporting and healthcare organisations, preparing you for a lifelong career.