Graduate Certificate in Diabetes Education and Management

Course summary

More than 1.2 million Australians are living with diabetes. Now in epidemic proportions, fighting this condition is one of the major challenges facing Australian and global healthcare systems.

Play your part in improving diabetes knowledge, awareness, and self-management with this specialised postgraduate program. This course is designed to qualify nurses, midwives, dietitians, pharmacists, medical practitioners, podiatrists, exercise physiologists and physiotherapists as diabetes educators. 

This important program links theory and practice, providing specialist knowledge about all aspects of diabetes, including its causes, complications, management and education strategies. A highlight is a professional placement flanked by a credentialled diabetes educator mentor.

Graduates can consider career opportunities offering diabetes-related services in private practice or other areas of the health industry.

Major areas of study

Students gain knowledge and skills within the areas of primary health, chronic disease, teaching, management and leadership, research, client self-management and counselling. They gain an in-depth understanding of the diabetes disease process and management options, including medications for therapeutic effectiveness, problem solving for high and low blood glucose levels and reducing the risks of chronic complications.

Course Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a course. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes.

Assessment methods vary from unit to unit and may include workbooks, research critiques, clinically-based case studies, presentations, reflective essays or journals, individual and group assignments.

Teaching Methods

This flexible course is designed to fit seamlessly around work, family, and other priorities. It is delivered online, and students can complete it by undertaking one, seven-week unit at a time from home or anywhere with an internet connection. Students can access course content, assignments, quizzes, and collaborate, discuss and debate ideas with fellow students and lecturers. The multi-modal approach delivers content including video, audio, hands-on, practical exercises, and other media to suit all kinds of learners.

Career Opportunities

Diabetes educators may work within a tertiary health centre, or within primary health. They can become self-employed and work in private practice, or they can work alongside other allied health providers such as dietitians, podiatrists, physiotherapists, and psychologists. Having credentialed diabetes educators working in primary health and particularly rural and remote regions is one of the current goals of the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA).

Professional Placement

You are required to undertake 40 hours of clinical placement within a recognised diabetes service with, as a minimum, a credentialled diabetes educator as a mentor. The importance of linking theory to practice is fundamental to student learning and to ensure graduates have the confidence to apply their knowledge and skills with clients in professional settings.

The 40 hours of placement is a mandatory component of the course. Clinical placement occurs following completion of three units and generally occurs in Study Period 5 for those undertaking the complete one-year course. For those students who defer, placement may occur once three units have been successfully completed. Placements are organised by the Professional Experience Unit at Southern Cross University.

Professional experience placements require students to fulfil certain prerequisites prior to attending placement (e.g. a working with children check and National Police Certificate). Prior to applying for a course offered by the School of Health and Human Sciences, please consider the important information regarding these requirements.

Professional Recognition

This course is accredited by the Australian Diabetes Educators Association (ADEA). Graduates are encouraged to pursue credentialing by the ADEA. The title Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE) is well recognised not only in Australia but overseas. Only those diabetes educators who have completed the ADEA credentialing program are awarded the title CDE.