Graduate Diploma in Health Leadership and Management
- Commencing Terms
- Term 1, 2 & 3
- Duration
- 0.8 - 1 Year(s)
- Delivery Mode
- Face-to-face (includes blended), Online
- Campus
-
Kensington
- Codes
- CSP UAC code 910823
- Full Fee Paying UAC Code 910824
- Program code 5509
- CRICOS code 061249C
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Commonwealth Supported Places are available for this program2024 Indicative CSP first year fee
- $7,000*
-
2024 Indicative CSP fee to complete degree
- $7,000*
-
2024 Indicative first year full fee
- $40,500*
-
2024 Indicative full fee to complete degree
- $41,500*
Fees
Fees
-
Further study pathways
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Industry relevant
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Flexible delivery
International application pause for 2025 intakes
Applications for international students to study at UNSW in 2025 are currently paused. Please submit your expression of interest to join our application waitlist so we can contact you.
- Overview
- Entry requirements
- What will I study?
- Future careers
- How to apply
- Fees & Scholarships
Overview
The Graduate Diploma in Health Leadership and Management provides students with the theoretical and technical capacities for leadership roles in health service management in Australia or internationally.
The program provides the opportunity for health professionals to upskill, push their career forward, and improve their employability.
You will develop your professional judgement, and graduate with the essential knowledge and skills required to improve health services across a range of settings. The program fosters essential skills required for health management and leadership roles including strategic leadership, change management, workforce management, quality enhancement and decision making.
Through the graduate diploma, you can continue on to study the Master of Health Leadership and Management and associated dual and extension programs.
Key features
- Pathway to further study
Students can articulate from the graduate diploma to the Master of Health Leadership and Management. You can elect to further your studies by adding an extension to gain research experience through additional research methodology courses and/or an advanced research project. You can also combine your master’s degree withÌýpublic health, global health or infectious diseases intelligence through our dual or dual extension options. Studying two programs concurrently enhances your career prospects and gives you the opportunity to combine knowledge and skills from two related disciplines. Opportunities are also available to progress from a coursework master’s degree that includes a research component to enrolment in a PhD.
- Industry relevant program
This program is designed to be relevant to the workplace, with many opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge to practice. One such opportunity is our internship program, where you’ll gain practical experience in relevant health organisations. We offer a range of domestic and international internship placements in Australia, Asia and the Pacific.
- Flexible delivery
Complete your study from anywhere in the world. This program provides flexible learning options so you can complete the degree according to your needs and commitments. Courses can be taken online or face-to-face, full-time or part-time. Our online learning spaces facilitate collaborative learning so you can connect with fellow students and course convenors in real-time.
Why study at UNSW?
Study Australasia’s first health leadership and management program
For more than 60 years, this program has equipped students with the knowledge and skills required to respond to the challenges faced by health managers and leaders.
Gain international connections through the PLuS Alliance
The PLuS Alliance combines the strengths of three leading research universities – Arizona State University, King’s College London and UNSW – to solve global challenges. You’ll have the opportunity to take online courses with Arizona State University to bring a global perspective to your education. Moving away from the traditional classroom, this program will immerse you in a global learning environment, where you’ll study alongside students from Australia, the United States and around the world.Ìý
Join a sector-leading population health community
Join a community that’s playing a key role in enhancing population health and healthcare systems. This program is delivered by the School of Population Health – a dynamic, international community of staff, alumni, practitioners and students. Our multi-disciplinary teaching and research staff have research and practitioner experience in local, national and international settings. Research and collaboration opportunities are available for students in our internationally recognisedÌý. You will be part of a community involved in translating ground-breaking research into disease prevention and response strategies and informing health policy.
Build your professional network
Join an engaged cohort of like-minded students and a successful alumni community. Our graduates currently hold leadership roles in public and private services spanning ministries/departments of health, local health districts, public service roles relevant to social determinants of health, non-government organisations across Australia and around the world, in addition to graduates who bring population health expertise to their clinical work.Ìý
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Want to see more from UNSW Medicine and Health?
Entry requirements
For entry into this program, you must have one of the following:
- A three-year undergraduate degree, plus, an honours or postgraduate degree, in a field relevant to public health or health management.
OR
- A three-year undergraduate degree in a field relevant to public health or health management, plus, two years full-time professional or volunteer experience. This may also include equivalent professional experience acquired as part of a degree of four or more years duration (e.g., MBBS, BMed, MD).
In exceptional circumstances, applicants with extensive relevant professional work experience (e.g., hospital-trained nurses, paramedics, Aboriginal health workers) may be considered. A minimum of five years full-time relevant professional experience is required and an interview with the School of Population Health may be conducted.
Relevant fields
Examples of relevant fields include, but are not restricted to:
- medicine
- nursingÌý
- allied health
- health sciences
- biomedical sciences
- dentistry
- sociology
- behavioural and social sciences
- psychology
- marketing
- human services
- emergency services
- environmental health
- veterinary science
- health administration
- business
- management
- engineeringÌý
- lawÌý
- scienceÌý
- mathematics and statistics
- economics
- policy studies
- development studies.
Indigenous Alternative Entry Scheme
Aimed at redressing the imbalance of access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to population health programs, this scheme provides entry to our postgraduate coursework degrees based on your interest in public health and relevant educational and/or professional experience.
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English language requirements
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You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you’re completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- English language tests and university English courses
- Prior study in the medium of English
- Other qualifications
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
For entry into this program, you must have one of the following:
- A three-year undergraduate degree, plus, an honours or postgraduate degree, in a field relevant to public health or health management.
OR
- A three-year undergraduate degree in a field relevant to public health or health management, plus, two years full-time professional or volunteer experience. This may also include equivalent professional experience acquired as part of a degree of four or more years duration (e.g., MBBS, BMed, MD).
In exceptional circumstances, applicants with extensive relevant professional work experience (e.g., hospital-trained nurses, paramedics, Aboriginal health workers) may be considered. A minimum of five years full-time relevant professional experience is required and an interview with the School of Population Health may be conducted.
Relevant fields
Examples of relevant fields include, but are not restricted to:
- medicine
- nursingÌý
- allied health
- health sciences
- biomedical sciences
- dentistry
- sociology
- behavioural and social sciences
- psychology
- marketing
- human services
- emergency services
- environmental health
- veterinary science
- health administration
- business
- management
- engineeringÌý
- lawÌý
- scienceÌý
- mathematics and statistics
- economics
- policy studies
- development studies.
English language requirements
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you’ll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
- English language tests and university English courses
- Prior study in the medium of English
- Other qualifications
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
Check the specific English language requirements for this program
Program structure
The Graduate Diploma in Health Leadership and Management can be completed in one year of full-time study or 1.7 years part-time. The program is made up of six courses total, including:
- three core courses
- three elective courses
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Please visit the program handbook to view the elective courses on offer.Ìý
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The graduate diploma provides an articulation pathway into the master's program.Ìý
Future careers
There’s strong demand for health management professionals in the public and private health sectors, both within Australia and globally. You’ll develop transferable leadership skills that can be applied throughout your career into senior management positions at health service and health system levels. Many of our graduates occupy senior executive, general management, health ministry and other health leadership roles in Australia and across the world.
This program is ideal if you’re looking for a career in:
- health services general management
- health services c-suite roles
- government and non-government policy
- medical communications
- medical insurance management
- non-government health service management
- health economics
- health program management
- health care consultancy.
How to apply
Applications for domestic students (Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents, Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders and New Zealand citizens) are processed through the .
Ready to start your application?
For most international students, applications are submitted viaÌýour  service. We encourage you to submit your completed application as early as possible to ensure it will be processed in time for your preferred term.
Some high-demand programs with limited places, may have an earlier application deadline or may have an earlier commencementÌýdate. ForÌýmore information visitÌýour .
Ready to start your application?
Fees & Scholarships
Commonwealth Supported Places
$7,000*
$7,000*
All places within this degree are Commonwealth supported. This means that if you receive an offer from UNSW Sydney as a domestic student, you will have a substantial proportion of your fees subsidised by the Australian government. Start your application today with our guide on how to apply.
*The indicative Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) fees are an estimate based on the relevant student contribution band/s for a Commonwealth Supported Place undertaking a standard full-time load of 48 units of credit per year (1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load/1 EFTSL). To find out more about Commonwealth Supported Places visit Postgraduate Commonwealth Support.
Indicative fees are a guide only and have been calculated based on the typical enrolment patterns of students undertaking the degree/program. The indicative fee listed here is an estimate for tuition only and excludes non-tuition fees and charges. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year of enrolment, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (48 units of credit (UOC) per year).
You should not rely on indicative fees as fee increases are assessed when required and may exceed the indicative figures listed here. Actual fees are calculated on enrolment. More information on fees can be found at the .
*Fees are subject to annual review by the University and may increase annually, with the new fees effective from the start of each calendar year. The indicative fees listed here are based on an estimated average and are for tuition only, other fees and charges are not included. The amount you pay will vary depending on the calendar year to enrol, the courses you select and whether your study load is more or less than 1 Equivalent Full Time Student Load (8 courses per year).
Indicative fees are a guide for comparison only based on current conditions and available data. You should not rely on indicative fees. More information on fees can be found at theÌý.
Indicative fees to complete the program have been calculated based on a percentage increase for every year of the program. Fee increases are assessed annually and may exceed the indicative figures listed here.
Indicative fees to complete the program include tuition plus an estimate of study-related costs of approximately $1,000 per year. To find out more about other costs, visitÌý.
Scholarships
At UNSW, we award over $83 million in scholarships each year. We pride ourselves on rewarding excellence and making university accessible to students from all walks of life. Whether you’re a domestic or international student, our range of scholarships, prizes and awards can support your journey.
QS World University Rankings, 2025.
AFR Top 100 Future leaders Award.
#1 Australian uni attended by start-up founders.
The facultyÌýencourages you to be involved in student life and have a healthy study/life balance.
