Graduate Certificate in Clinical Epidemiology
The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Epidemiology is a part-time coursework degree for medical and non-medical graduates. It is for the 'users' of clinical research, those who want to know how best to incorporate valid research findings into their clinical decision-making.
The Clinical Epidemiology courses have been designed for clinicians - doctors, nurses, and other health professionals - who want their decision making to be based on the best available evidence. Students entering the Clinical Epidemiology program are expected to have some clinical experience.
Participants in the Graduate Certificate program will have the opportunity to learn the following:
- how to construct answerable clinical questions and effectively search computerised medical literature
- core knowledge and skills in epidemiology
- basic knowledge of biostatistics
- key issues in quality and safety in health care
- an introduction to the best evidence on diagnostic and screening tests, controlled trials and systematic reviews
- a framework for understanding key components of clinical practice guidelines
- a framework for understanding key components of clinical economics
The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Epidemiology is offered on a part-time basis, and is usually conducted over one year. Students have the option of completing the Graduate Certificate in distance mode.
Enrolling students are required to complete a total of 24 credit points by the end of the coursework program in order to satisfy the GradCert degree regulations. See Graduate Certificate course structure table below.
All core units of study are offered in Semester 1 (Literature Searching also offered in Semester 2), and must be completed in the first year of your degree. Units of study are generally conducted on Tuesday and Thursday evenings after 5pm. However, some units are available during the daytime and some may be taught in workshop or online format - please see the individual units of study descriptions to see how each unit is offered.
The table below summarises the course structure and requirements for the GradCert program. NOTE - this table is based on enrolment as a part-time student.
|
Unit of study code |
Unit of study name |
Credit point (CP) value |
Total credit points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 - Core units of study | |||
| CEPI5102 | Literature Searching |
2CP |
|
| PUBH5018 | Introductory Biostatistics |
6CP |
|
| PUBH5010 | Epidemiology Methods and Uses |
6CP |
|
|
14 |
|||
| Semester 2 - Elective units of study | |||
| A choice of elective units of study* |
10CP** |
||
|
10** |
|||
|
Total credit points: |
24 |
||
* - Prerequisites and timetable constraints may limit your choice of elective options.
** - The exact number of elective credit points completed in Semester 2 may vary if you choose to enrol in any of the elective units of study that are offered in Semester 1. In this case, you will complete both core and elective units in Semester 1, and the remainder of your elective credit points in Semester 2.
Students are able to complete 24 credit points of Clinical Epidemiology units entirely online (thereby meeting the requirement of a graduate certificate). Note that this option is not available for international students studying online (i.e. on campus).
See the Clinical Epidemiology Course Guide for recommended units of study for each semester.
*Distance Learning in Clinical Epidemiology*
It is now feasible to complete all levels of degree from graduate certificate through to masters by distance learning (via online and project based study). There is limited choice in the subjects that can be studied at distance but this will improve as more and more units develop online or other distance learning options. The units of study that can currently be studied by distance at the School of Public Health are outlined in Table 3 in the Clinical Epidemiology course guide, Clin Epi course guide. Note some students might opt to travel to Sydney for weekend workshops - the units of study currently offered by the School as workshops are also listed in Table 3. Distance Learning study programs in Clinical Epidemiology need to consider non-clinical epidemiology elective unit limits i.e. a maximum of 2 credit points in non-clinical epidemiology electives for Graduate Certificate students (for more information about non-clinical epidemiology online electives, see the Clinical Epidemiology course guide).
Students enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Epidemiology course may upgrade their candidature to a Masters degree, provided:
- Semester 1 core units of study have been successfully completed, and
- the Clinical Epidemiology course coordinator gives approval
Your application to convert from a Graduate Certificate to a Masters must be made in writing to the Clinical Epidemiology Course Coordinator - Assoc Prof Jonathan Craig.
Applications for conversion should be made towards the end of Semester 1, and must be made before 31 August. NOTE - students may decide to convert courses in Semester 2, although it is important to remember there are prerequisites for some subjects in the Masters course which may have not been completed as part of the Graduate Certificate.
It is also important to note that conversion to a Masters must be done before you are awarded the Certificate, and so you must notify Postgraduate Administration as early as possible.