Graduate Certificate in Adolescent Health and Wellbeing
Course code: GC-ADOLHW
March, July
AUD $12,992 (2026 indicative first year fee). Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) are not available
March, July
AUD $12,992 (2026 indicative first year fee)
IELTS 6.5: with no band less than 6.0
Course structure
Overview
Gain the skills to communicate effectively with young people from different sectors, families, cultural and community backgrounds.
Build a repertoire of professional, legal and ethical capabilities for implementing effective programs and practices in the settings where young people live, work, learn and play.
Engage with some of the world’ experts in adolescent health research and practice.
Communication and advocacy skills
Learn to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with a diverse range of audiences in a range of professional contexts (eg. when working with young people, families, agencies, other professionals and the media).
Capacity building skills
Learn to work effectively, in a non-judgmental way with young people, different sectors and families from diverse cultural backgrounds and community contexts.
Develop approaches to initiate change (eg. in one's own organisation; when working with young people; in contributing to policy development; and in continuing to develop and reflect on one's own practice).
Research and evaluation skills
You’ll learn how to use contemporary research and professional literature to inform your own learning and shape arguments to influence practices and policies. This will include evidence-based approaches to individual practices, program design, and policy analysis.
Legal and ethical skills
Gain the expertise to recognise and apply the policy, legislative and organisational rules and guidelines within which different professions practice.
Explore this course
Explore the subjects you could choose as part of this certificate.
Health Promotion Specialisation
| Accordion | |
|---|---|
| Young People in Context · 12.5 pts |
This subject introduces and critiques the concepts ‘adolescence’ and ‘health’, and examines various frameworks for understanding the phenomenon of adolescent development. The diversity of adolescent experience is explored, and the impact of various socio-environmental contexts of adolescence on young people’s health and well-being is identified. |
| Professional Practice in Context · 12.5 pts |
This subject asks students to examine the assumptions, values, experiences, skills, forms of knowledge and broader influences on your work with young people. The subject is structured into four connected modules that build on each other across the semester:
Using experiences as a starting point, and building on this with topics notes and selected reading students will explore frameworks and interventions for working with young people to improve health outcomes. These include risk and resiliency, professional role boundaries, ethical practice and collaboration. Students will draw on theoretical perspectives and ideas from contemporary literature as well as insights generated through critical reflection and sharing thoughts and experiences with their subject colleagues. Through this critical enquiry it is expected that they will further develop their understandings of their own practice and change and develop aspects of that practice. |
| Accordion | |
|---|---|
| SocioEnvironmentalContext of Adolescents · 12.5 pts |
This subject investigates how social determinants and social worlds affect the health and wellbeing of young people and examines social life from historical, global and cultural perspectives. Students will draw on a diversity of theoretical perspectives to analyse how society operates and how social changes influence the health, wellbeing and behaviours of young people. Throughout this subject, particular emphasis is placed on examining and explaining social and health inequalities. Issues of gender and popular culture and concepts related to social networks, social capital, social cohesion and social control are explored. The relationship between micro and macro views of society (micro-macro linkage), and the relationship between social structures, institutions and human agency are investigated with reference to contemporary adolescent health issues. Approaches to interventions focusing on changing social contexts will be critically examined. |
| Health Promotion and Young People · 12.5 pts |
This subject explores key practices, principles and frameworks for health promotion and community capacity building aimed at enhancing the health and wellbeing of young people. Participants will be encouraged to develop a more systematic approach to health promotion practice, particularly in identifying adolescent health needs and in planning, implementing and evaluating health promotion approaches relevant to particular communities/settings. Participants will be encouraged to draw on their experience and knowledge in the development of a health promotion project proposal. The subject considers the social and environmental context in which health promotion takes place. |
Oncology Specialisation
| Accordion | |
|---|---|
| Young People in Context · 12.5 pts |
This subject introduces and critiques the concepts ‘adolescence’ and ‘health’, and examines various frameworks for understanding the phenomenon of adolescent development. The diversity of adolescent experience is explored, and the impact of various socio-environmental contexts of adolescence on young people’s health and well-being is identified. |
| Professional Practice in Context · 12.5 pts |
This subject asks students to examine the assumptions, values, experiences, skills, forms of knowledge and broader influences on your work with young people. The subject is structured into four connected modules that build on each other across the semester:
Using experiences as a starting point, and building on this with topics notes and selected reading students will explore frameworks and interventions for working with young people to improve health outcomes. These include risk and resiliency, professional role boundaries, ethical practice and collaboration. Students will draw on theoretical perspectives and ideas from contemporary literature as well as insights generated through critical reflection and sharing thoughts and experiences with their subject colleagues. Through this critical enquiry it is expected that they will further develop their understandings of their own practice and change and develop aspects of that practice. |
| Accordion | |
|---|---|
| Mental Health and Young People · 12.5 pts |
This subject introduces multi-disciplinary conceptual frameworks for understanding mental health and illness in young people and highlights the importance of social and environmental contexts for mental health. Using a social-ecological model, this subject explores contemporary facets and experiences of youth mental health across communities and systems. With a focus on emergent research, and including interviews with young people, students will be expected to engage reflexively and critically with various foundational biological, psychological and sociological concepts, and to develop an understanding of the factors that impact young people's lives and mental health. The subject encourages students to develop an evidence-based understanding of the diversity of needs and adaptive opportunities possible in their youth-focused professional contexts, with a particular focus on health, youth justice, welfare and education systems. |
| Cancer Care in Young People · 12.5 pts |
Increasingly successful treatments and improved survival rates for adolescents and young adults with cancer have led to the need for better management of the many complex issues arising out the experience of cancer for this group. A better appreciation and understanding of the psycho-social dimension of a young person’s life and cancer experience has emerged, and with this the need for new skills and approaches to care. This subject identifies and addresses these issues, including: the impact of cancer on adolescent development, including sexual and identity development; dealing with ethical issues around consent and confidentiality; reactions to survivorship; the management of palliative care and spiritual needs; understanding the family context of treatment; liaising with schools and universities; and negotiating the interface between paediatric and adult cancer services. This subject takes a holistic approach to these issues, drawing from different multidisciplinary perspectives and insights. It will be of interest to a range of professionals engaged in the care and support of adolescents and young adults with cancer. |