ObjectivesThe Master of Palliative Care is a coursework degree designed for professionals who are working in the area of palliative and supportive care. It aims to deepen and extend the knowledge and skills that are required and to provide an opportunity for students to reflect critically on their practice in the light of current evidence and of the experience of other students and faculty.This broad aim is achieved through the following: * catering primarily for professionals, the course provides the opportunity to build a knowledge base to improve their care for people living with a life limiting illness; * encouraging professional carers from a wide variety of backgrounds to enter the course and study together, to improve the communication between and understanding of one another's skills and knowledge; * utilising a range of lecturers and discipline backgrounds, to challenge students to be more creative in their practice; * providing opportunities for students to critique their own and others' practice, to develop practitioners who will have the skills and knowledge to change palliative care in line with changes in society and medicine; and * providing further education to students who have completed the graduate certificate and who intend to continue to develop in palliative care. Learning outcomesAt the completion of this course, students will have: * further developed their knowledge and skills in palliative care theory and practice; * critically reflected on their own practice; * applied theory to practice; * critically appraised theory, research and professional literature; * written a piece of independent intellectual work which adds to existing knowledge; and * published within the professional palliative care literature.
Entry requirementsApplicants who do not hold the Graduate Certificate in Health (Palliative Care); the Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Palliative Care, the Graduate Certificate: Palliative Care in Aged Care, or the Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care or the Graduate Diploma: Palliative Care in Aged Care, must normally hold an approved degree or an equivalent qualification from an approved tertiary institution and have not less than two years' work experience in palliative care. However, the Faculty Board may, under certain circumstances and subject to specific conditions, admit others who can show evidence of fitness for candidature.Credit may be granted, on application, for comparable prior studies.
Academic titleMaster of Palliative Care
Course descriptionThe Master of Palliative Care is a 54-unit coursework program which is offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences on a Commonwealth Supported basis.
The course articulates with Graduate Certificate in Health (Palliative Care); Graduate Certificate in Paediatric Palliative Care; Graduate Certificate: Palliative Care in Aged Care; Graduate Diploma in Palliative Care; Graduate Diploma: Palliative Care in Aged Care; Master of Palliative Care in Aged Care; Master of Science (Palliative Care); and the sequentially developed topics allow progression through the awards.
Students who hold the graduate certificate or graduate diploma receive credit for topics already taken.
The course comprises three streams:
* Stream A - Master of Palliative Care by coursework and practicum
* Stream B - Master of Palliative Care by coursework and research project
* Stream C - Master of Palliative Care by research thesis
The research methods topic component of each stream increases incrementally: 6 units in Stream A; 12 units in Stream B; and 18 units in Stream C.
PROGRAM OF STUDY [November, 2008]
To qualify for the Master of Palliative Care, a student must complete 54 units with a grade of P or NGP or better in each topic, according to the program of study below.
Except with permission of the Faculty Board the program must be completed full-time within four consecutive semesters or part-time within ten consecutive semesters.
A lesser period may be set for students granted credit for previous studies.
STREAM A
All students must complete 54 units of study comprising: 18 units of core topics; 24-30 units of electives; and 6 units of PALL8405 Practicum plus optional additional 3 or 6 units of PALL8420 Extended Practicum.
Core topics
Students must study the following core topics:
PALL8411
Palliative Clinical Management A
3
PALL8412
Palliative Clinical Management B
3
PALL8413
Communication at the End of Life A
3
PALL8414
Communication at the End of Life B
3
plus
MMED8901
Clinical Research Methods, OR
6
PHCA8007
Research Methods for Social Epidemiology
6
Or other appropriate research methodology topic approved by the course coordinator.
Elective topics
24-30 units of electives from the following, depending on size of practicum, but excluding any topics already taken as core:
AGES8001
Introduction to Social Gerontology
3
AGES8002
Principles of Clinical Gerontology
3
AGES8003
Psychological Dimensions of Ageing
3
AGES8005
Research and Evaluation in Ageing Studies
3
AGES8006
Demography and Epidemiology of Ageing
3
AGES8010
Mental Health and Illness in Older Persons
3
AGES8011
Administration and Management of Aged Care A
3
AGES8013
Medications, Therapeutics and Ageing
3
AGES8014
Managing Dementia-Related Behaviours
3
AGES8016
Administration and Management of Aged Care B
3
MMED8901
Clinical Research Methods
6
NURS8101
Development of the Child Adolescent and Family
3
NURS9704
Politics, Problems and Pressures in Aged Care
3
PALL8406
Paediatric Palliative Care
6
PALL8407
Oncology for Palliative Care
6
PALL8409
Spiritual and Cultural Aspects of Palliative Care
6
PALL8410
Palliative Care in Aged Care Settings
3
PALL8415
Suffering, Futility and Ethics and Rehabilitation in Palliative Care
6
PALL8416
Palliative Care for Indigenous Population
6
PALL8418
Understanding Cancer
3
PHCA8005
Designing Questionnaires and Surveys
6
PHCA8006
Qualitative Research Methods
6
PHCA8007
Research Methods for Social Epidemiology
6
REHB8006
Rehabilitation of Degenerative Neuro Disorders
6
SOAD9032
Bereavement and Loss
6
or other elective topics from other departments, faculties or universities in related fields
Note: PHCA8007 and MMED8901 are not both to be undertaken as they cover comparable content.
Practicum: 6, 9 or 12 units
PALL8405
Practicum
6
PALL8420
Extended Practicum
3/6
STREAM B
All students must complete 54 units of study comprising: 24 units of core topics; 12 units of electives; and 18 units of PALL8417 Research Project.
Core topics
Students must study all the following core topics:
PALL8411
Palliative Clinical Management A
3
PALL8412
Palliative Clinical Management B
3
PALL8413
Communication at the End of Life A
3
PALL8414
Communication at the End of Life B
3
plus 12 units from the following research methodology topics:
AGES8005
Research and Evaluation in Ageing Studies
3
AGES8006
Demography and Epidemiology of Ageing
3
MMED8901
Clinical Research Methods
6
PHCA8005
Designing Questionnaires and Surveys
6
PHCA8006
Qualitative Research Methods
6
PHCA8007
Research Methods for Social Epidemiology
6
Or other appropriate research methodology topic approved by the course coordinator.
Note: PHCA8007 and MMED8901 are not both to be undertaken as they cover comparable content.
Elective topics
12 units of electives from the following, but excluding any topics already taken as core:
AGES8001
Introduction to Social Gerontology
3
AGES8002
Principles of Clinical Gerontology
3
AGES8003
Psychological Dimensions of Ageing
3
AGES8005
Research and Evaluation in Ageing Studies
3
AGES8006
Demography and Epidemiology of Ageing
3
AGES8010
Mental Health and Illness in Older Persons
3
AGES8011
Administration and Management of Aged Care A
3
AGES8013
Medications, Therapeutics and Ageing
3
AGES8014
Managing Dementia-Related Behaviours
3
AGES8016
Administration and Management of Aged Care B
3
MMED8901
Clinical Research Methods
6
NURS8101
Development of the Child Adolescent and Family
3
NURS9704
Politics, Problems and Pressures in Aged Care
3
PALL8406
Paediatric Palliative Care
6
PALL8407
Oncology for Palliative Care
6
PALL8409
Spiritual and Cultural Aspects of Palliative Care
6
PALL8410
Palliative Care in Aged Care Settings
3
PALL8415
Suffering, Futility and Ethics and Rehabilitation in Palliative Care
6
PALL8416
Palliative Care for Indigenous Population
6
PALL8418
Understanding Cancer
3
PHCA8005
Designing Questionnaires and Surveys
6
PHCA8006
Qualitative Research Methods
6
PHCA8007
Research Methods for Social Epidemiology
6
REHB8006
Rehabilitation of Degenerative Neuro Disorders
6
SOAD9032
Bereavement and Loss
6
or other elective topics from other departments, faculties or universities in related fields
Note: PHCA8007 and MMED8901 are not both to be undertaken as they cover comparable content.
Research Project
PALL8417
Research Project
18
STREAM C
All students must complete 54 units of study comprising: 18 units of research metholdogy topics; and a 36-unit thesis PALL9000.
Research methodology topics
Students must study 18 units from the following topics:
AGES8005
Research and Evaluation in Ageing Studies
3
AGES8006
Demography and Epidemiology of Ageing
3
MMED8901
Clinical Research Methods
6
PHCA8005
Designing Questionnaires and Surveys
6
PHCA8006
Qualitative Research Methods
6
PHCA8007
Research Methods for Social Epidemiology
6
Or other appropriate research methodology topic approved by the course coordinator.
Note: PHCA8007 and MMED8901 are not both to be undertaken as they cover comparable content.