Course summary
Do you want to make a difference to the way mental health services are designed, funded and delivered in Australia? This course is designed specifically for allied health and social care professionals who wish to increase their employment outcomes, particularly in mental health leadership and management roles.
This new course responds to contemporary mental health research and policy and has been designed with the input of leading clinical and academic mental health professionals.
Undertaking this course will enhance your clinical capabilities and theoretical knowledge of both current and future mental health practice, for the benefit of mental health consumers, your professional discipline and yourself.
Each unit runs for seven weeks with six study periods per year and the course is offered exclusively online.
Domestic snapshot
| Duration | Location | Study Period |
|---|---|---|
2P
Two years of accelerated part-time study. | SCU Online | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
International snapshot
| Duration | Location | Study Period |
|---|---|---|
3P | SCU Online | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
Core units focus on contemporary mental health theory and practice, physical healthcare needs, evidence-based case formulation and common interventions within acute care contexts, in primary mental health as well contemporary applications of developmental psychology and psychological therapies.
You will also choose an elective from a diverse range of subjects that include leadership, management, human resources and organisational issues in mental health settings.
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.
| Graduate Attribute | Course Learning Outcome |
|---|---|
| Intellectual rigour | Critically evaluates and integrates models of treatment relevant to the care continuum, to inform co-constructed personalized care strategies which meet the consumer’s life needs as well as health needs. Generates/translates novel information or theories, making a substantial contribution to the discipline through scholarly activities. |
| Creativity | Engages creatively in therapeutic relationships with mental health consumers their families and significant others, which are characterized by co-construction of care and collaborative engagement. Critically appraises the nature and extent of influences (social, political, economic and organizational) to overcome constraints in negotiation of options for clinical interventions. |
| Ethical practice | Advocates for mental health consumers, challenging discrimination and public discourse, minimising stigma through the use of positive portrayal and working toward social inclusion and independence. Interrogates and challenges the concepts of risk and safety from the basis of consumer centred care considering social protection, legal, moral and ethical principles to balance risk in recovery. |
| Knowledge of a discipline | Exercises expert/enhanced clinical judgement and decision-making and insight in novel situations in specialist mental health disciplines in pursuit of optimal consumer outcomes. Negotiates and executes the role of chosen mental health discipline in a multidisciplinary and multi-professional approach. |
| Lifelong learning | Consistently demonstrates a high level of autonomy, accountability, adaptability and responsibility in self-directed work and learning. Engages in and leads others in collaborative critical reflection on clinical practice and achievement of lifelong learning outcomes. |
| Communication and social skills | Develops and maintains partnerships in care (individually and with groups) with mental health consumers and their families which focuses on the recipient of care, the person’s right to choice and self-determination, and the person’s inherent capacity for recovery. Consistently and judiciously uses information technology, compelling and authoritative written and verbal communications. |
| Cultural competence | Respects individual worldviews and enhances their own critical thinking to lead others in challenging assumptions underpinning worldviews. Adjusts clinical practices to incorporate consumer’s cultural perspectives into mental health planning and interventions. |
Assessments in this course include written essays, shorter critical reflections and developing holistic consumer focussed care plans based on evidenced based practice. Weekly activities, readings and case studies are laid out with step-by-step instructions that are specifically designed to support you toward the successful completion of the assessment tasks.
This course is offered one unit at a time, with each unit running for seven weeks. The course is completely online and hence offers flexibility for you to fit your study within other life commitments. Each adult student brings with them valuable knowledge and experience. Consequently, the online platform and course design encourages you to read or view learning materials and then collaborate, discuss and debate ideas with fellow students and lecturers. Our multi-modal approach delivers content including video, audio and written materials are deigned to extend your mental health practice capabilities.
This course offers the opportunity to expand and refresh your current health or social care careers or more easily enter a career in the field of mental health.