Fast Facts
Location
This course may require some on-campus attendance
Commencing
- Online: February, July
Fees
$30,750.00^
^estimated annual tuition fee for a full-time study load
Plus Student Services and Amenities fee
Fee deferral and scholarships available if eligible
Currently displaying fees for 2025, which are indicative only of the upcoming year's.
Duration
1 year full-time
Entry Requirements
AQF Level 7 bachelor degree in a relevant health discipline completed more than two years prior to admission
Course Code
117506
Course detail
Students can undertake a range of subjects that allow them to deliver rural and remote health services effectively and confidently in low resource settings. You will gain leadership, research and patient management skills in rural generalist professional practice to respond to diverse healthcare needs.
For entry to this course, Australian practitioners need to have achieved a health-related Bachelor degree and have at least two years’ professional experience in one of the following Allied Health practice fields: Nutrition/Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Psychology, Radiography, Social Work or Speech Pathology.
View the Handbook for a detailed overview of available subjects. The study planner also provides more information to assist in planning your enrolment in the Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice.
Inherent requirements
Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University’s learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please review the inherent requirements for the Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice.
JCU’s Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice provides Allied Health professionals with a pathway for advancing their academic and clinical expertise in a wide range of community and clinical settings.
JCU Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice graduates are equipped with specialist, sought-after skills that allow them to work effectively in rural and remote communities.
You could find employment in the allied health industry, particularly in rural, remote and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Graduates advance their careers as nutritionists/dieticians, occupational therapists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists, radiographers, social workers or speech pathologists.
Handbook year | Information valid for students commencing in 2025 |
Course code | 117506 |
Course type | Graduate Diploma (AQF Level 8) |
Owner | Academy |
College | Healthcare Sciences |
Award Requirements
Admission Requirements
Course pre-requisites | Completion of an AQF level 7 bachelor degree in a relevant health discipline, from this or another university, more than two years prior to admission. |
Minimum English language proficiency requirements | Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 3a – Schedule II of the ºÚÁÏÍø Admissions Policy. |
Additional selection requirements | Information published by JCU or otherwise made available to students when applying, may specify additional criteria to be considered in ranking applicants in order of merit if the number of applications exceeds a quota or other limit on the places made available for the course. Information provided by applicants during the application process and any other information obtained by JCU in the application process may be used by JCU to rank applicants in order of merit by reference to those additional criteria. |
Academic Requirements for Course Completion
Credit points | 24 credit points as per course structure |
Course learning outcomes | On successful completion of Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice, graduates will be able to:
|
Inherent Requirements
Inherent Requirements | Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please visit: Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice. |
Reasonable adjustments | All JCU students have the opportunity to demonstrate, with reasonable adjustments where applicable, the inherent requirements for their course. For more information please visit: Student Disability Policy and Procedure. |
Course Structure
CORE SUBJECTS
:03 Advanced Practice Within the Rural and Remote Context
:03 Teaching for Learning in the Health Professions
Plus
Select 3 credit points from List 1
Plus
Select 3 credit points from List 2
Plus
Select one of the Options listed below
List 1
:03 Qualitative Research Methods for Health Professional
:03 Rehabilitation Research and Evidence Based Practice
:03 Biostatistics for Public Health
List 2
:03 Effective Clinical Governance
:03 Public Health Management, Leadership, Planning and Policy or :03 Leading and Managing in Health
:03 Managing Effective Health Programs
Options
Option A – Credentialed Diabetes Educator
:03 Health Education and Self Management
:03 Foundations of Clinical Diabetes
:03 Applied Clinical Diabetes Education
:03 Diabetes Education Professional Practice
Option B – Dietetics
Select 9 credit points from List 4, and
Select 3 credit points from List 1, List 2, List 3, or List 4
Option C – Occupational Therapy
Select 9 credit points from List 5, and
Select 3 credit points from List 1, List 2, List 3, or List 5
Option D – Pharmacy
Select 9 credit points from List 6 or outbound cross-institutional study subject/s as approved by the Course Coordinator, and
Select 3 credit points from List 1, List 2, List 3, or List 6
Option E – Physiotherapy
Select 9 credit points from List 7, and
Select 3 credit points from List 1, List 2, List 3, or List 7
Option F – Podiatry
Select 9 credit points from List 8, and
Select 3 credit points from List 1, List 2, List 3, or List 8
Option G – Speech Pathology
Select 9 credit points from List 9, and
Select 3 credit points from List 1, List 2, List 3, or List 9
Option H – Psychology
Select 9 credit points from List 10, and
Select 3 credit points from List 1, List 2, List 3, or List 10
Option I –Social Work
Select 9 credit points from List 10, and
Select 3 credit points from List 1, List 2, List 3, or List 10
List 3
:03 Introduction to Lifestyle Medicine
:03 Health Coaching and Behaviour Change
:03 Models of Care and Innovation in Lifestyle Medicine
:03 Lifestyle Medicine Assessment and Prescription
:03 Business and Finance for the Health Manager
:03 Ergonomics
:03 Health Promotion
List 4
:03 Health Education and Self Management
:03 Advanced Topics in Dietetics Practice
:03 Foundations of Clinical Diabetes
:03 Rehabilitation for Chronic Conditions
:03 Palliative Care for Health Professionals
List 5
:03 Alcohol and Other Drugs
:03 Trauma and Crisis Management
:03 Advanced Topics in Clinical Practice
:03 Advanced Mental Health Practice
:03 Cultural Competency Principles in Australian Healthcare Practice
:03 Rehabilitation for Disability Across the Lifespan
:03 Rehabilitation for Chronic Conditions
:03 Palliative Care for Health Professionals
:03 Assistive Technology Strategies to Enable Personal Autonomy
List 6
:03 Foundations of Clinical Diabetes
:03 Rehabilitation for Chronic Conditions
:03 Palliative Care for Health Professionals
List 7
:03 Clinical Expert Updates for Physiotherapy
:03 Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice
:03 Rehabilitation for Disability Across the Lifespan
:03 Rehabilitation for Chronic Conditions
:03 Palliative Care for Health Professionals
List 8
:03 Health Education and Self Management
:03 Foundations of Clinical Diabetes
:03 Rehabilitation for Chronic Conditions
:03 Palliative Care for Health Professionals
:03 Advanced Topics in Podiatric Practice
List 9
:03 Rehabilitation for Disability Across the Lifespan
:03 Rehabilitation for Chronic Conditions
:03 Palliative Care for Health Professionals
:03 Advanced Practice in Dysphagia
:03 Advanced Practice in Adult Speech Pathology
:03 Advanced Practice in Paediatric Speech Pathology
List 10
:03 Alcohol and Other Drugs
:03 Trauma and Crisis Management
:03 Advanced Mental Health Practice
:03 Rehabilitation for Disability Across the Lifespan
:03 Rehabilitation for Chronic Conditions
:03 Palliative Care for Health Professionals
Location
COURSE AVAILABLE AT | NOTES |
JCU Townsville (Mixed) | Some subjects may require face-to-face attendance at JCU Townsville |
Candidature
Expected time to complete | 1 year full-time or part-time equivalent |
Maximum time to complete | 3 years |
Maximum leave of absence | 1 year |
Progression
Course progression | Nil |
Course includes mandatory professional placement(s) | No |
Special assessment | Nil |
Professional accreditation | Nil |
Supplementary exam for | A student who has failed the final subject towards the award and who gained 40% or more of the marks for that subject, may be granted a supplementary examination in that subject. However if that subject is required for accreditation, then the criteria specified by that accreditation will apply. |
Credit
Eligibility | Students may apply for a credit transfer for previous tertiary study or informal and non-formal learning in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure |
Maximum allowed | 9 credit points |
Currency | Credit will be granted only for subjects completed in the 5 years prior to the commencement of this course |
Expiry | Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 8 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the student has not completed this course. |
Other restrictions | Not applicable |
Award Details
Award title | GRADUATE DIPLOMA OF RURAL GENERALIST PRACTICE |
Approved abbreviation | GDipRurGenPrac |
Inclusion of majors on | Not applicable |
Exit with lesser award | Graduate Certificate of Rural Generalist Practice |
Course articulation | Not applicable |
Special Awards | Students may receive an Award of Recognition in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure |
Estimated annual tuition fee: $AUD30,750.00
A Student Services and Amenities fee is payable per subject up to a maximum amount per year.
A variety of Scholarships are available to suit different student types.
JCU offers multiple Pathways to University. If you do not meet the entry requirements for this course, consider exploring our available Pathways options.
Contact our friendly team today to discover which pathway is right for you.
Complete an online application through our
Real stories
-
Alumni
Andric Lu
Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice
I studied a Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice through JCU, which allowed me to advance my clinical skills and develop leadership styles. Currently, I am developing a workplace-based project to improve access and service delivery through an inpatient telehealth Physiotherapy model of care.
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Alumni
Emma Rewald
Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice
I chose to study a Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice at JCU as I saw it as an excellent opportunity to develop my clinical and non-clinical capabilities. JCU’s online learning allowed me to progress through the course content in my own time, juggling commitments with working fulltime.
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Lecturer
Dr Anne Jones
Course Coordinator, Graduate Diploma of Rural Generalist Practice
It can be difficult to access ongoing training and support when you work and live outside the major centres so this program is fully online. Allied Health Rural Generalist training is practical, work integrated development relevant to the needs of rural and remote communities.
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Employer
Helen Weisemann
Midwifery Unit Manager, Mater Health Services NQ
I hire JCU graduates because they’re very resilient and resourceful, and they understand the requirements of working in rural and remote environments. They’re real assets to the team.