Course overview

Description

This course is designed for clinicians (doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, paramedics and other health professionals). It teaches the skills necessary for successful students to undertake clinical research and apply research evidence to clinical practice. It is taught by experienced clinicians and researchers. The course trains students to become critical consumers of the clinical research literature, to apply research evidence to clinical practice and to develop the skills necessary to undertake clinical research.

Course title
Graduate Certificate in Clinical Science
Award abbreviation
GCertCSc
Course code
90250
Course type
Postgraduate certificate
Status
Current / 2024
Administered by
Medical School

Course details

Intake periods
Beginning of year and mid-year
Attendance type
Part-time only
Credit points required
24
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester.
Standard course duration
1 year part-time
Time limit
2 years
Delivery mode
Multi-mode
Locations offered
UWA (Perth)
Domestic fee type
Postgraduate fee-paying/FEE-HELP
Available to international students
No
Course Coordinator(s)
Associate Professor Sunalene Devadason
Fees
Visit the fees calculator.

Enquiries and course advice

Note

Due to the high proportion of this course being on-line it is not available to International students with a Student Visa, however it is available to International students with non-student visas, or those outside Australia, as well as domestic students. Note that not all the optional units are available on-line. While the final exam can be invigilated at a distance, prospective students are advised to contact the course coordinator to ensure that this will be possible. All students require good internet facilities.

Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.

No study plans found for this course. See study plans for more information.

Course structure

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
N/A
not available in 2024 – may be available in 2025 or 2026
NS
non-standard teaching period

All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.

Take all units (12 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S1, S2MEDC5805Principles of Research Methods in MedicineNonePredominantly online course, approximately 8 hours per week
S1, S2MEDC5806Principles of Evidence-Based PracticeNonePredominantly online course, approximately 8 hours per week

Take unit(s) to the value of 12 points:

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirementsContact hours
S2AHEA5801Aboriginal Health Research and EthicsNonelectures/seminars: 3 hours per week
S2PAED4401Research Conduct and Ethics
Prerequisites
enrolment in
a relevant honours
or postgraduate course
online modules only
S1, S2PUBH4401Biostatistics I
Prerequisites
enrolment in
honours
or postgraduate courses
lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1.5 hours per week
S1, S2PUBH4403Epidemiology INonelectures: 60-70 minutes recorded lectures per week; online tutorial worksheets: ~ 2-3 hours per week
S2PUBH5752Health Systems and EconomicsNonelectures/tutorials: 3 hours per week
N/APUBH5757Clinical EpidemiologyNoneoffered intensively
S2PUBH5769Biostatistics II
Prerequisites
PUBH4401 Biostatistics I or equivalent training/experience
lectures: 2 hours per week; tutorials: 1.5 hours per week
NSPUBH5785Analysis of Linked Health DataNoneoffered intensively (1 week full-time)
S2PUBH5805Qualitative Research Methods in HealthNoneseminar: 3 hours per week

See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.

Rules

Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures

1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.

(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules

2.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).

(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.

English Language competency requirements

3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.

Admission requirements

4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

(a) a bachelor's degree in a relevant clinical or biomedical discipline, or a clinical professional postgraduate degree from this University, or equivalent as recognised by the School ;

AND

(b) a course weighted average mark of at least 65 per cent;

OR

(c) a minimum of two years of relevant postgraduate professional experience.

Admission ranking and selection

5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.

Articulations and exit awards

6.(1) The following courses form part of an articulated sequence:

  • 90250 Graduate Certificate in Clinical Science (24 points)
  • 90740 Master of Clinical Science (48 points)

(2) Units completed in the Graduate Certificate will only be credited towards a 48 point Masters course if the Graduate Certificate is not conferred.

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 24 points which must include course core units and specialisation units. The course comprises the following specialisations:

(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.

Satisfactory progress

8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.

9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.

Progress status

10.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.

(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances—

(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';

(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';

(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.

11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.

Award with distinction

12. This rule is not applicable to this course.

Deferrals

13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).