Postgraduate Courses at Turning Point


Download the 2010 Handbook

Turning Point is accredited under the Education and Training Reform Act (2006) to offer postgraduate courses. Courses currently offered are:

• Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Other Drug Studies; and
• Graduate Diploma in Alcohol and Other Drug Studies

These courses are recognised by higher education institutions and completion will enable credit transfer into postgraduate courses at universities.

You can study part of your course online, there is more information available here.



Enrolment and information for Current Students

Enrolment and information for New Students

All students apply for entry to, and enrol in, the Graduate Diploma. After completing half of the requirements for a Graduate Diploma a student may complete their studies and apply to receive a Graduate Certificate.

Courses are offered on the basis of part time study. This means that normally the Graduate Diploma takes two years to complete, and the Graduate Certificate one year to complete.

Entry
Entry is twice a year, in first semester (March) and second semester (July). Closing dates for applications are as follows:

Note: Second round offers are not guaranteed and will only be made if there are spaces available

The Graduate Diploma consists of four compulsory subjects and a range of elective subjects.

The four compulsory subjects are:
- GP012 Perspectives in Drug Use
- GP013 AOD Assessment, Treatment and Planning
- GD104 Introduction to Mental Health
- GD105 AOD Counselling: Exploring Interventions in Context

The electives allow for specialisation in particular streams: AOD counselling and clinical work; mental health and clinical work; community and policy; and AOD research and evaluation. Electives may be selected from any pathway specialisation.

Subject details for core subjects and electives can be found in the subject summaries in the course handbook

Graduate Diploma course objectives
On completion of the course, students are expected to be able to:

• Critically analyse drug policy and the impact policy has on workers and drug users in the AOD sector.
• Display an advanced understanding of the prevalence, context and consequences of drug use in the community.
• Demonstrate well-developed skills to communicate effectively with a range of individuals, including people who use drugs.
• Appreciate the special needs of a range of specific groups in the community, such as young people and those with mental health issues.

• Demonstrate advanced skills in the assessment and planning of appropriate interventions in conjunction with clients who use drugs.
• Utilise a range of skills and effective therapeutic strategies in meeting the needs of those who use drugs.
• Critically analyse research, modes of therapies and practices in the AOD sector.

Entrance criteria
The normal entry requirement is an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.

Special entry

The criteria to grant admission under special entry are:

• Nurses who completed their RN (nurse) training prior to the introduction of degree courses for nursing.
• Others with training and experience in relevant areas, but without a degree or whose degree is not in a relevant discipline and who possess appropriate professional experience and meet such other requirements as are perceived appropriate by Turning Point. Applicants may be required to attend an interview and would need to demonstrate to an academic panel adequate preparation to undertake studies at a higher level by providing written work on a specific topic.

Credit points
Students need to accumulate 120 credit points to be awarded the Graduate Diploma.

Graduate Diploma subject streams

* denotes compulsory subject

Subject details can be found in the subject summaries in the course handbook. Note that some subjects have pre-requisites that must be completed before the subject can be commenced. In some cases, concurrent study may be allowed. Some electives are only available in alternate years.

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A Graduate Certificate can be completed in one year; students may take up to three years to complete the requirements.

Requirements for a Graduate Certificate are two compulsory subjects and a range of elective subjects. The two compulsory subjects are GP102 Perspectives in Drug Use and GP103 AOD Treatment, Assessment and Planning.

The electives allow for specialisation in particular streams: AOD counselling and clinical work; mental health and clinical work; community and policy; and AOD research. Electives may be selected from any pathway specialisation. Note that two electives, GD102 Research Methodologies and GD103 Research Project can not be credited towards a Graduate Certificate.

Subject details for core subjects and electives can be found in the subject summaries in the course handbook

Graduate Certificate course objectives
On completion of the Graduate Certificate in Alcohol and Other Drug Studies, students are expected to be able to:
• Critically analyse drug policy and the impact policy has on workers and drug users in the AOD sector.
• Display an advanced understanding of the prevalence, context and consequences of drug use in the community.
• Demonstrate well-developed skills to communicate effectively with a range of individuals, including those who use AOD.
• Demonstrate advanced skills in the assessment and planning of appropriate interventions in conjunction with clients who use AOD.
• Appreciate the special needs of a range of specific groups in the community, such as young people and those with mental health issues.
• Utilise a range of skills and effective therapeutic strategies in meeting the needs of those who use AOD.

Credit points
Students need to accumulate 60 credit points to be awarded the Graduate Certificate.

Graduate Certificate subject streams

Subject details can be found in the subject summaries in the course handbook. Note that some subjects have pre-requisites that must be completed before the subject can be commenced. In some cases, concurrent study may be allowed. Some electives are only available in alternate years

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On-campus study
All subjects are offered face to face at Turning Point's training rooms at 142 Gertrude Street Fitzroy. In some years, some subjects that are also offered online may not be available on-campus as well.

Online study

You can also study part of your course online. Online delivery or 'off-campus' mode means that you will not need to attend classes!
Off-campus students have access to the same educational materials as on-campus students. These materials are presented in a completely online learning environment and may also have a CD-ROM containing educational support material. Students work through the subject and communicate with each other and the subject coordinator via a web based learning management system.
Flexible delivery means that you can choose where, when and at what pace you complete these subjects – within some timelines.

 The subjects available in flexible mode in 2010 are:

• GP012 Perspectives in Drug Use
• GP013 AOD Treatment, Assessment and Planning
• GP014 Young People, Drugs and Society
• GP015 Dual Diagnosis - Context and Response
• GD104 Introduction to Mental Health

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