University of Southern Queensland
Graduate Certificate of First Nations Culturally Safe Health Leadership Online
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
- Course Type: Graduate Certificate
Empowers health professionals to lead transformative change by embedding cultural safety and Indigenous perspectives at the heart of healthcare delivery.
Course overview
- Be empowered as a healthcare professional by building the confidence, skills and expertise to lead and deliver culturally safe healthcare to First Nations peoples across diverse settings with this graduate certificate.
- Gain the skills to improve health outcomes for First Nations peoples with studies that focus on increasing leadership skills and a community development approach.
- Learn from globally recognised academics and practitioners in First Nations health and cultural safety and benefit from strong partnerships with the tertiary healthcare sector, Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHO) and healthcare leaders for practical, real‑world learning.
- Explore critical topic areas including clinical leadership across diverse clinical settings, cultural safety for healthcare professionals, historical and contemporary Indigenous health policies and First Nation community‑controlled health leadership, and the impact of climate change on First Nation health.
- Gain a strong understanding of cultural safety and health equity. Be equipped with the knowledge to influence policy, drive community health initiatives and contribute to the sustainable development of First Nations communities.
The Graduate Certificate in First Nations Culturally Safe Healthcare Leadership is designed to equip healthcare professionals with the specialised knowledge and skills to lead and deliver appropriate healthcare to First Nations peoples effectively. The university’s leadership focus is tied to a community development approach that builds individuals’ confidence, skills and knowledge to empower them to succeed as healthcare professionals. Leadership entails serving others while leading with influence, moral purpose and community building. The program is concerned with developing a community of culturally safe healthcare professionals to improve the health of First Nations peoples.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
What you will study
To earn this degree, students must complete four units, comprising seven core courses. Unless otherwise indicated, each course is worth 0.5 units.
Core courses
- Clinical Leadership in First Nations Health
- First Nations Health Policy
- The Origins of Methodologies
- First Nations Health Education Leadership
- Climate Impact on First Nations' Health
- Cultural Safety for Healthcare Professionals
- First Nations Health Research Ethics and Design (1 unit)
Entry requirements
Applicants must have registration with a professionally accredited health organisation, such as (but not limited to) the Australian Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) or Speech Pathology Australia. Alternatively, applicants must be recognised as a self-registered health professional.
English language requirements
You must meet the applicable English language requirements. This degree requires a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each subscore. UniSQ also accepts other English language proficiency tests.
If you don't meet the English language requirements, you can apply to study with our English language partner, the Union Institute of Language (UIL).
Contact the university for more information.
Recognition of Prior Learning
If you have previously studied or have relevant work experience, you may be eligible for recognition of prior learning. This will help reduce the number of courses you must take to finish your program. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate advanced theoretical and practical understanding of cultural safety and its importance in various healthcare leadership contexts.
- Apply advanced communication, leadership and advocacy strategies to promote health equity within First Nations communities.
- Critically evaluate research methodologies relevant to the practitioner’s context of practice in First Nations health.
- Identify and develop culturally safe, responsive education designed to address health policies.
- Provide leadership in health services provision that is designed to meet the specific needs of First Nations peoples, such as those delivered by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHOs).
- Identify and address the impacts of emerging health issues and trends on the health of First Nations communities, such as climate impacts.
- Engage in lifelong learning and critical self-reflection to continuously improve culturally safe, ethical healthcare practices.
Fees and CSP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $4,768 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of four units per year.
Student annual fees may vary in accordance with:
- The number of courses studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
Commonwealth Supported Places
The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.
If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you'll only need to pay a portion of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.
Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate programs.
Your student contribution amount is:
- Calculated per the course you're enrolled in.
- Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.