About

Overview

Equip yourself with evidence-based best practice to confidently respond to disaster and terror events — online with in-person intensives.

The Graduate Diploma in Disaster and Terror Medicine is designed to equip clinicians, first responders, health service managers, relevant agency staff and policy makers with an overview of the principles of disaster management, the skills required to prepare their health service to respond and recover from disasters and terror events, leadership skills for crisis situations and more advanced management of complex disasters such as chemical or biological events.

Studying Disaster and Terror Medicine at the University of Melbourne will develop your problem-solving skills and expertise in this specialist area, including logistics, prevention, planning, responses, recovery and policy development through a clinical and health care management framework. Disaster and Terror Medicine is a system orientated specialty that is inclusive of unique aspects of clinical care and health management and, relevant to a diverse group of responding agencies. Health practitioners and service managers are dealing with natural and man-made disaster and terror events with increasing frequency and our communities expect our leaders to be prepared to respond quickly, decisively and effectively.

Please note this course has been approved for CPD hours by the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM CPD hours) and the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM CPD Accreditation Category 1B: Active or Interactive Self Learning). The course can also be claimed towards CPD for the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA).

International students are welcome to study this course. However, please note that this course is not available to international students who require a student visa to study in Australia as it does not meet the onshore study requirements and it is not registered with CRICOS.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Admission criteria

In order to be considered for entry into this course, you must have:

A medical degree, OR
An undergraduate degree in any discipline AND at least three years of documented relevant work experience

AND

Demonstrated evidence of written and analytical skills appropriate for postgraduate study as evidenced by a 500 word expression of interest detailing your motivations for undertaking this course.

Relevant work experience includes roles in health management, paramedicine, nursing or equivalent.

Meeting the published entry requirements for this course does not guarantee selection.

English language requirements

All applicants to the University of Melbourne must satisfy the English language requirements. This may be achieved in a number of ways, including recognised previous study taught and assessed entirely in English or an approved English language test. If you are from a non-English speaking background, the required standard of English for this degree is one of the following English proficiency test scores:

English language test score requirements
If you need to undertake an English language test, you must meet one of the scores* below:

IELTS

7.0

with no band less than 7.0
TOEFL

79+

with writing 21; speaking 18; reading 13; listening 13
PEARSON

64+

with no communicative skill below 60
CAMBRIDGE

176+

with no skill less than 169
*Accepted tests: IELTS (Academic English Only); TOEFL Internet-based test; Pearson Test of English Academic; Cambridge English: Advanced/Certificate of Advanced English (CAE). If a test displays N/A, it means it is not accepted for this course.

About selection

When assessing applications, the Selection Committee will consider your previous studies and academic performance.

The Selection Committee may request additional information to clarify any aspect of an application, according to the University’s Academic Board rules regarding selection instruments.

Meeting the published entry requirements for this course does not guarantee selection.

The Selection Committee will also consider your expression of interest, and if relevant to your application, your work experience.

English Program Requirements

All applicants to the University of Melbourne must satisfy the English language requirements. This may be achieved in a number of ways, including recognised previous study taught and assessed entirely in English or an approved English language test. If you are from a non-English speaking background, the required standard of English for this degree is one of the following English proficiency test scores:

English language test score requirements

If you need to undertake an English language test, you must meet one of the scores* below:

IELTS

7.0

with no band less than 7.0

TOEFL

79+

with writing 21; speaking 18; reading 13; listening 13

PEARSON

64+

with no communicative skill below 60

CAMBRIDGE

176+

with no skill less than 169

*Accepted tests: IELTS (Academic English Only); TOEFL Internet-based test; Pearson Test of English Academic; Cambridge English: Advanced/Certificate of Advanced English (CAE). If a test displays N/A, it means it is not accepted for this course.

Career

Who is this course for?

Disaster and Terror Medicine is a system-orientated specialty that intersects clinical medicine and a diverse group of responding agencies. The course is relevant to critical care clinicians (including doctors, nurses, clinical leaders); emergency services (including paramedics, emergency responders); hospital administrators; government and policy makers; social workers; and the military.

Career Outcomes

On completion of this course, you will have the ability to recognise, assess, and respond to complex disaster and terror management situations. You will be able to confidently implement health programs for different types of disasters during all the phases of the disaster management cycle, including prevention, response and recovery, and gain a unique understanding of the typology of terror from a health perspective.

Further study

Credit earned in some of these subjects can be used towards completion of the Master of Advanced Nursing Practice, Master of Public Health and Graduate Certificate in Climate Change and Health.

Related courses

If you are interested in building your knowledge in this discipline but not yet ready to commit to studying a Graduate Diploma you may also wish to explore the following related courses:

Physician Assistant

Fee Information

Application Fee 154