Graduate Certificate in Autism and Neurodivergent Studies

In this subject, students will analyse a variety of examples of innovative educational practice (including, for example, practices relating to the support of students with additional educational needs), critically examine the meaning of innovation and debate whether innovation can be quantified and measured. Students will be supported to identify problems/issues within education practice and will utilise tools and thinking processes designed to assist in the generation of innovative solutions. Finally, students will explore evaluation methodology as a means of analysing innovation outcomes in a systematic way.

Assessment Tasks: Poster, Mental Models

Delivery Mode: Online

On completion of the subject, students will be able to apply interoception and communication strategies to support self-regulation and facilitate supportive learning environments. Students will learn how to support individuals with neurodivergent dispositions such as those resulting from; trauma, mental health difficulties and/or an autism spectrum diagnosis, within their home or educational context.

Using co-constructed content and individualised learning perspectives, students will be required to reflect deeply on the important voice of lived experience and to see the individual as a person with interoceptive, mental health and/or communication support needs rather than with challenging behaviour.

Through experiential learning embedded in the course, including problem solving and scenario-based pedagogy, students will explore a range of perspectives on atypical interoception.

An examination of the neuroscience and biological aspects of interoception and twenty-first century teaching and learning prepares students to create supportive learning environments to shift away from traditional views of behaviour to contemporary practice and authentic inclusive practices.

Design Thinking is an approach to innovation that involves identifying ‘problems’ or issues in a particular context, empathising with those who have a stake in these problems/issues and designing a range of possible solutions that are then prototyped, tested and refined in practice. In this subject, you will explore the concepts and processes of design thinking, including the origins of Design Thinking and its use across a range of disciplines and contexts. Following these general processes, you will then engage in a design thinking process to identify and address an issue within your own professional context. Through this Design Thinking process, you will engage in reflection, analysis and development of your professional skills, knowledge and judgement, and ultimately arrive at an advanced understanding of your roles as both an innovator and a leader in your professional context.

Assessment Tasks: Report, prototyping project

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online, Intensive

In this subject, you will explore the concept of mental health, its contributing factors and how you can support people going through mental health issues as a non-mental health professional. To begin, you will encounter a range of perspectives, and definitions of mental health and mental health concerns as well as stories of people’s lived experience of mental health difficulties across the lifespan. This will enable you to examine both your own and community biases, prejudices and assumptions and the role.

From there, you will learn the skills to recognise and support people experiencing mental health issues using a person-centred approach. 

This includes practising active listening, empathy, asking helpful questions and when and how to direct people to other supports and resources. You will also collect useful resources and supports from national and local organisations and learn how to make mental health adjustments for individuals. Finally, as a supporter of others, it is crucial you also know how to look after yourself; therefore we will cover signs of empathy fatigue and how to care for your wellbeing, enact healthy boundaries and set up your own supports.

Assessment Tasks: Report, Presentation  

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online, Intensive

This subject consolidates the student’s understanding and implementation of psychological action, emotional release techniques and detailed character embodiment. Investigation will also continue into defining a process of transferring an observed character into performance. Activities will include locating, observing and creating a challenging character from the real world and bringing that transformation onto the stage with physical and vocal precision and clarity. Students will also embark on research into Shakespearean text, beginning their investigation of its linguistic characteristics and using the full range of the emotional potential of these heightened texts. Students will also develop a methodology for reading and contextualizing a performance text, examining the theatrical conventions and cultural assumptions contained within it, as well as devising a performance that incorporates an exploration of the period and text in question.

Assessment Tasks: Journal, Report, Presentation, Attendance

Delivery Mode: On Campus

This subject introduces you to the practice of contemporary project management and its relevance in industry. You will be introduced to fundamental concepts of project management, project definition and project delivery methods. Contemporary project management methodologies will be examined in the context of industry best practice. An overview of industry standard tools and techniques required to manage projects successfully throughout a project life cycle will be provided. This includes industry terminology and the rationale behind the commencement of a project.

Assessment Tasks: Discussion Forum, Report

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

Students will explore the application of entrepreneurship business strategies and apply this knowledge in a philanthropic context and come up with solution to a real world problem they can execute to the pitch ready stage for investment. The project will entail some type of ‘design for good’ aspect in either a profit or non- for-profit business model.

The course will also cover the latest neuro-leadership principles and why EQ is just as important as IQ in both design and business. Students will be expected to think critically as they evaluate complex ideas and learn the patterns, frameworks and mechanics or storytelling, behaviour design, game design and platform design.

Students will be expected to:

• Identify and analyse a social problem that needs to be solved.

• Plan and progress an idea through a business development lifecycle.

• Conduct face to face user interviews utilising a self-constructed questionnaire.

• Synthesize and visualize quantitative and qualitative data in order to communicate the patterns they discover in the data collected.

• Learning the basics of using a business model and value proposition canvas as tools for design.

• Create, present, and communicate a professional-level business deck along with a functional prototype in order to demonstrate their understanding of theoretical and practical concepts.

• Learn and practice lean start-up and design thinking principles in the validation of their business idea along with validation of the prototype for the product or service they create.

In this subject you will build upon your current self-understanding to develop your strategic and ethical leadership capability. You will explore your key formative experiences and self-image using the techniques of reflective research, psychometric assessment and support from a mentoring partner. Develop your emotional competency to be authentic, confident and resilient in your leadership practices. Built on a foundation of self-reflection, topics covered include scenario thinking, influencing and motivating others, developing cultural sensitivity, and becoming resilient and tolerant of ambiguity. At the conclusion of the subject you will bring together the knowledge and skills you have acquired through the preparation of a personal leadership development plan.

Assessment Tasks: Report, Leadership Plan;

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

This subject introduces you to how organisational behaviour, politics, dynamics and environments impact on the role and legitimacy of management. Constraints that managers and emerging leaders face in developing strategies to leverage advantages and overcome barriers in organisations and projects will be explored. You will identify, analyse and make effective decisions to resolve people-related issues, lead and manage change, facilitate employee development, performance and sustain effective teams in complex and diverse global operating environments

Assessment Tasks: Critical Discussion, Presentation, Report, Team Performance Evaluation

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

This subject focuses on the competencies required of the public health professional in planning for the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of community health promotion and disease prevention initiatives. Attention is given to needs assessment, the role of program theory in the planning and implementation of programs and how to write a program and evaluation plan. Implementation of programs including stakeholder engagement and program management processes is also explored. Students learn about evaluation of programs, including process, impact and outcome evaluation, along with the principles and resources required to make evaluation successful. Reporting and dissemination of evaluation findings are also discussed.

Pre-requisite: PUBH6206: Health Promotion and Community Health  

Assessment Tasks: Report, Public Health Program Plan, Presentation  

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

Begin your journey into the public health industry with an introduction to the principles of public health and fundamentals of public health practice. You will consider the way major social determinants of health affect a population’s health outcomes, while examining the role of public health stakeholders in addressing health inequality and inequity.

Learn about the theoretical and conceptual health intervention frameworks and apply these to different populations, including Indigenous and disadvantaged populations. The integration of digital health into public health practice will also be covered.

Assessment Tasks: Presentation, Report

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online

In this subject, the usefulness, relevance and relationship of coaching and positive psychology to counselling will be explored. Positive psychology emphasises the importance of finding meaning, purpose and a sense of accomplishment and moves away from focusing in what is clinically wrong. Students will review positive psychology’s contribution as an approach to the ‘helping relationship’, including exploration of conflicting viewpoints and their respective empirical support. As part of their exploration of the key positive psychology theorists, students will begin to develop an understanding of how they can synthesise coaching work into their potential coaching practice. They will learn a range of particular coaching skills, including solution‐focused and strengths‐based approaches, explore goal setting for personal and professional use. This subject will balance theory and practice in its delivery and students will be encouraged to engage in interactive learning through discussion and experiential practice.

Assessment Tasks: Online Test, Essay, Audio Demonstration 

Delivery Mode: On Campus, Online, Intensive