Please note, some locations may not have all intake periods available. See the full availability details for further information.
Nursing, sport and exercise science, occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychology, biomedical science, osteopathic studies, podiatry and pedorthics …there are so many career paths in health.
If you're uncertain about which one is right for you, our Diploma of Health can provide the clarity you need for your future as a health professional. You can even tailor your learning by choosing a specialisation from a range of health disciplines.
Graduates can seek professional outcomes in several areas, including as allied health assistants, personal care assistants, lab assistants, and case workers. This Diploma is also an ideal pathway towards further study at Southern Cross University and provides guaranteed entry to a range of Bachelor degrees.
This course is offered through SCU College. Additional support through workshops to develop academic and study skills is available to all SCU College students.
If you are interested in studying online, please see important information below under major areas of study.
Nursing, sport and exercise science, occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychology, biomedical science, osteopathic studies, podiatry and pedorthics …there are so many career paths in health.
If you're uncertain about which one is right for you, our Diploma of Health can provide the clarity you need for your future as a health professional. You can even tailor your learning by choosing a specialisation from a range of health disciplines.
Graduates can seek professional outcomes in several areas, including as allied health assistants, personal care assistants, lab assistants, and case workers. This Diploma is also an ideal pathway towards further study at Southern Cross University and provides guaranteed entry to a range of Bachelor degrees.
This course is offered through SCU College. Additional support through workshops to develop academic and study skills is available to all SCU College students.
If you are interested in studying online, please see important information below under major areas of study.
Current Southern Cross students – to access your official course details for the year you started your degree, please visit the handbook.
See the University’s Rules Relating to Awards, in conjunction with the Specific Award Rules listed below.
Speech Pathology Specialisation:
*comparable scores include SCU College Placement Test scores, CPE, CAE and TOEFL PBT (see www.scu.edu.au/englishskills)
English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this course are as follows
Category | Score |
---|---|
Overall Score | 5.5 |
Reading | 5.0 |
Writing | 5.5 |
Listening | 5.0 |
Speaking | 5.0 |
Students select a specialisation of study to prepare them for further study in one of the following disciplines: nursing, sport and exercise science, occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychological science, biomedical science, osteopathic studies, podiatry or pedorthics.
If you are interested in studying online, please note:
In addition:
Domestic students
Location | Session |
---|---|
Coffs Harbour | 1, 3 |
Gold Coast | 1, 3 |
Lismore | 1, 3 |
Online | 1, 3 |
If you are interested in studying online, please note:
In addition:
International students
Location | Session | Annual Fees | CRICOS |
---|---|---|---|
Gold Coast | 1, 3 | $27,600 ($3,450 per unit) | 0101136 |
Applications for this course are made directly to Southern Cross University via our online application service.
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5-Star Student Support across undergraduate and postgraduate studies
Good Universities Guide 2021
Course Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a course. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes.
Course Learning Outcome |
---|
Exercise critical judgment and creative thinking to identify problems and contribute to their solutions in defined health settings |
Exercise critical judgment and creative thinking to identify problems and contribute to their solutions in defined health settings |
Apply ethical and sustainable values and practices within defined health settings |
Apply theoretical and technical knowledge and skills within defined contexts within the field of health. |
Demonstrate responsibility and accountability for own learning and work in defined health contexts. |
Communicate information, concepts and solutions, individually and/or in a team, with an awareness of diverse cultural perspective's within defined health contexts. |
Communicate information, concepts and solutions, individually and/or in a team, with an awareness of diverse cultural perspective's within defined health contexts. |
Assessment tasks vary from unit to unit and can include essays, reports, audio or video presentations, class participation, individual and group work, online quizzes, case analyses, and examinations. Assessment items are in accordance with learning outcomes and designed to ensure that all the graduate attributes are assessed throughout the course. The performance criteria, grading standards and due dates for assessment tasks are included in each Unit Information Guide. Students receive timely feedback on their assessment submissions.
On-campus students experience a variety of teaching approaches including lectures, tutorials, online activities and video-linked or podcast virtual classes. The method of teaching may vary from unit to unit.
Our online study option is highly interactive and strives to promote collaboration and a sense of community. Students may receive a combination of podcast or video-linked lectures, electronic study materials, workshops, online discussion forums and virtual classes. The method of teaching may vary from unit to unit.
Please note that online study in this course may require some units to be completed on campus.
Graduates of the Diploma of Health can seek professional work in a range of health professions including as allied health assistants, personal care assistants, disability support workers, case workers, and lab assistants.
The Diploma is also a pathway into a range of Bachelor degrees. Successful completion of the Diploma of Health guarantees entry and up to 8 units of credit (depending on the specialisation taken) towards a linked Southern Cross degree in Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Pedorthics, Bachelor of Podiatry, Bachelor of Speech Pathology, Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science, Bachelor of Clinical Sciences (Osteopathic Studies), Bachelor of Psychological Science.
Please note that not all units are offered online in health sciences. Please check the specialisation you are interested in for more details about where the units are offered. Psychological Science is the only specialisation offered entirely online. If you are interested in continuing onto a Bachelor degree, check the individual courses for details about where they are offered.
Graduates who proceed to one of the pathway degrees will have a range of career opportunities in their chosen fields.
Call 1800 626 481 during business hours.
Call +61 2 6620 3876 during business hours.
Email: enquiry@scu.edu.au
Call 1800 005 687 during business hours.
To be eligible to receive the Diploma of Health, students must complete the equivalent of 8 units (96 credit points), comprising:
Requirements following completion of the Diploma:
Nursing Specialisation:
Graduates of the course in this specialisation who have an Academic IELTS 7.0, with no band less than 7.0, qualify for direct entry into the Bachelor of Nursing (BN) at Southern Cross University. To be accepted into the BN, applicants need to meet the English Language standards specified by NMBA registration standards at: https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards.aspx in order to meet the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) accreditation standards.
If you intend to enrol into the Bachelor of Nursing at Southern Cross University, you will need to study the Health Assessment unit in Session 3 and it will be necessary for you to be fully compliant for professional experience placement prior to enrolment into the degree. See the Faculty of Health professional experience page for further information.
Speech Pathology Specialisation:
Graduates of the course in this specialisation who have an Academic IELTS 8.0, with no band less than 8.0, qualify for direct entry into the Bachelor of Speech Pathology at Southern Cross University. Up to 8 units of advanced standing is included in this pathway.
Other Specialisations (except for Biomedical Science and Psychological Science):
Graduates of the course in the Allied Health specialisations who have an SCU College English Language Test score comparable to Academic IELTS 7.0, with no band less than 7.0, qualify for direct entry into the relevant Bachelor course at Southern Cross University.
Evidence of compliance for Placement must be provided prior to any professional experience placement and some compliance requirements can take up to 4 months to fulfil. Please see the Faculty of Health professional experience page for more information.
Students should use course progression information to select units specific to their course and enrol in these units using My Enrolment
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
PSYC1003 - Psychology and Sociology for Health Sciences | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
NUTR1001 - Food and Nutrition in Health OR INDG2011 - Aboriginal Social Realities | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
INDG2001 - Health and Indigenous Australian Peoples |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
NUTR1001 - Food and Nutrition in Health | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
PSYC1003 - Psychology and Sociology for Health Sciences | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
INDG2001 - Health and Indigenous Australian Peoples |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
PSYC1003 - Psychology and Sociology for Health Sciences | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
PBHL1001 - The Australian Health Care System | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
PBHL1001 - The Australian Health Care System | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
PSYC1003 - Psychology and Sociology for Health Sciences | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
PSYC1003 - Psychology and Sociology for Health Sciences | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
PBHL1001 - The Australian Health Care System | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
INDG2001 - Health and Indigenous Australian Peoples |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
PBHL1001 - The Australian Health Care System | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
PSYC1003 - Psychology and Sociology for Health Sciences | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
INDG2001 - Health and Indigenous Australian Peoples |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
PSYC1003 - Psychology and Sociology for Health Sciences | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
PBHL1002 - Health Promotion and Wellness | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
PSYC1003 - Psychology and Sociology for Health Sciences | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II | |||
PBHL1002 - Health Promotion and Wellness |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
PSYC1006 - Principles of Behaviour in Physical Activity | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
NUTR1001 - Food and Nutrition in Health | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
NUTR1001 - Food and Nutrition in Health | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
PSYC1006 - Principles of Behaviour in Physical Activity | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
STAT2001 - Introduction to Evidence for Health Science Practitioners | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II | |||
PHYS1002 - Introductory Physics and Maths for Health Sciences | |||
Session 1, Year 2 | |||
CHEM1002 - Chemistry for Health Sciences | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
Session 2, Year 2 | |||
CHEM2002 - Organic Chemistry |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy | |||
HBIO1007 - Human Physiology I | |||
CHEM1002 - Chemistry for Health Sciences | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II | |||
CHEM2002 - Organic Chemistry | |||
PHYS1002 - Introductory Physics and Maths for Health Sciences |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
PSYC1001 - Introduction to Psychology I | |||
PSYC1005 - Fundamentals of Career Success in Psychology | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
PSYC1002 - Introduction to Psychology II | |||
PSYC1004 - Introduction to Psychological Investigation | |||
PBHL1001 - The Australian Health Care System | |||
STAT2002 - Quantitative Methods in Psychology |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
PBHL1001 - The Australian Health Care System | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
PSYC1001 - Introduction to Psychology I | |||
PSYC1005 - Fundamentals of Career Success in Psychology | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
PSYC1002 - Introduction to Psychology II | |||
PSYC1004 - Introduction to Psychological Investigation | |||
STAT2002 - Quantitative Methods in Psychology |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
NURS1003 - The Discipline of Nursing | |||
NURS1002 - Essentials of Nursing and Care | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1005 - Intermediate Anatomy and Physiology | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II | |||
NURS2003 - Nursing and Lifespan Health | |||
NURS1004 - Narratives of Health and Illness |
Title | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|
Students must enrol in core College units in their first session of study: EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline and HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 3, Year 1 | |||
EDUC1001 - Language and Learning in your Discipline | |||
HLTH1001 - Introduction to Science for Health Professions | |||
Session 1, Year 1 | |||
NURS1003 - The Discipline of Nursing | |||
NURS1002 - Essentials of Nursing and Care | |||
HBIO1005 - Intermediate Anatomy and Physiology | |||
Session 2, Year 1 | |||
HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II | |||
NURS2003 - Nursing and Lifespan Health | |||
NURS1004 - Narratives of Health and Illness |
Note 1: | This Specialisation is offered at the Gold Coast and Coffs Harbour campuses and Online. |
Note 2: | This Specialisation is only offered at the Gold Coast campus. |
Note 3: | This Specialisation is only offered at the Gold Coast and Coffs Harbour campuses. Students who are planning to follow the Indigenous Health Major in the Bachelor of OT are advised to enrol in INDG2011 |
Note 4: | This Specialisation is offered at the Gold Coast, Lismore, and Coffs Harbour campuses. |
Note 5: | This Specialisation is offered at both the Gold Coast and Lismore campuses. |
Note 6: | This Specialisation is only offered at the Gold Coast campus. International students must enrol in this Specialisation in Session 3 only. |