Master of Science (Health Planning)

Qualification for this award requires the successful completion of 80 credit points including the units listed in the recommended sequence below.

Full-time (Start year intake)

Autumn session

Public Health, Policy and Society

This unit examines the nature of public health and develops a systemic understanding of various public health policy frameworks and issues. The unit provides the context and history for understanding public health approaches, explores the cultural and social dimensions of health and illness and the economic and political environment in which health policies and strategies are developed and implemented. The unit advocates a view of health that includes an implicit recognition of the physical, social and economic environment, affirms the importance of social justice and equity in health care, and emphasises the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration.

Health Workforce Planning

This is a flexible learning unit looking at HRM as a strategic activity of health organisations especially as workforce shortages pose significant challenges to the health, welfare and aged care sectors. The workforce, with appropriate knowledge and expertise, is essential to the efficient and effective delivery of quality health services. Successful organisations shape their workforce to anticipate current and future business directions and goals. Workforce planning is a crucial element of this approach and its success.

Health Financial Management

This Unit provides health leaders with an introduction to financial management in health and aged care settings as a basis for understanding the impact of leadership decision-making on financial outcomes and how financial decision-making impacts on clinical service delivery. Content includes an overview of health economics and economic evaluation, health care funding models, the principles, practices and tools for financial planning and management, basic accounting principles and financial terminology and using financial information and reporting for negotiating financial plans, tracking and evaluating financial performance and using financial information in decision-making within the clinical environment.

Methods of Researching

This unit aims for postgraduate students to apply scientific methods to a variety of research situations and questions; to understand the range of ways in which additions to knowledge in the applied sciences are initiated, validated and communicated and to prepare and trial research designs best suited to the particular type of issue each student wishes to address. The unit is taught through self-paced, self-directed learning. Class contact will be a three-day workshop, in the first and second half of session, respectively. Students will have the opportunity to field test their own research design.

Spring session

Health Services and Facilities Planning

Planning occurs at all levels within all health organisations, government, non-government and in the private sector. There is a hierarchy in planning health services with some global overarching policy documents, national agreed priorities which affect corporate and regional plans as well as local services and projects. Planning focuses on future directions for health, is value based and resource allocation driven. The process of planning will be outlined including how to conduct a needs analysis, develop an evidence based approach, consult with stakeholders including the community, document an implementation plan and evaluate outcomes.

Building Organisational Capacity in Health Care

The concept, form and structure of health care organisations are explored. Organisational theory is used to analyse contemporary health care structures. Factors which influence organisational design, function and effectiveness are discussed including: organisational behaviour, strategy, culture, power and politics, technology, sustainability and effectiveness. A major focus is planning for strategic organisational development to meet the challenges of rapid change and the need for performance improvements in patient care delivery. Concepts related to the strategic development of workforce capacity in the health care arena considered through the application of theories including the learning organisation. Leadership is examined with emphasis on change management.

Students may exit with a Graduate Diploma in Health Science (Health Planning) at this point.

Leadership for Quality and Safety in Health Care

Increasingly clinical leaders are being held accountable for improving the quality and safety of patient care and for developing a culture of quality improvement within their teams. In this unit students learn about the quality and governance frameworks and strategies that they can employ within health care to improve system performance, patient safety and patient outcomes. The main approaches used to address quality of care and patient safety are examined and their applications critiqued. Students will explore leadership issues for developing systematic, coherent quality improvement frameworks and quality initiatives that can be applied within their own sphere of practice.

Choose one of

Professional Topic

This unit is designed to allow high achieving students who have an interest in potentially undertaking higher degree research after graduation the opportunity to comprehensively explore a relevant topic of interest to them.

Or one elective

Part-time (Start year intake)

Year 1

Autumn session

Public Health, Policy and Society

This unit examines the nature of public health and develops a systemic understanding of various public health policy frameworks and issues. The unit provides the context and history for understanding public health approaches, explores the cultural and social dimensions of health and illness and the economic and political environment in which health policies and strategies are developed and implemented. The unit advocates a view of health that includes an implicit recognition of the physical, social and economic environment, affirms the importance of social justice and equity in health care, and emphasises the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration.

Health Workforce Planning

This is a flexible learning unit looking at HRM as a strategic activity of health organisations especially as workforce shortages pose significant challenges to the health, welfare and aged care sectors. The workforce, with appropriate knowledge and expertise, is essential to the efficient and effective delivery of quality health services. Successful organisations shape their workforce to anticipate current and future business directions and goals. Workforce planning is a crucial element of this approach and its success.

Spring session

Methods of Researching

This unit aims for postgraduate students to apply scientific methods to a variety of research situations and questions; to understand the range of ways in which additions to knowledge in the applied sciences are initiated, validated and communicated and to prepare and trial research designs best suited to the particular type of issue each student wishes to address. The unit is taught through self-paced, self-directed learning. Class contact will be a three-day workshop, in the first and second half of session, respectively. Students will have the opportunity to field test their own research design.

Health Services and Facilities Planning

Planning occurs at all levels within all health organisations, government, non-government and in the private sector. There is a hierarchy in planning health services with some global overarching policy documents, national agreed priorities which affect corporate and regional plans as well as local services and projects. Planning focuses on future directions for health, is value based and resource allocation driven. The process of planning will be outlined including how to conduct a needs analysis, develop an evidence based approach, consult with stakeholders including the community, document an implementation plan and evaluate outcomes.

Year 2

Autumn session

Building Organisational Capacity in Health Care

The concept, form and structure of health care organisations are explored. Organisational theory is used to analyse contemporary health care structures. Factors which influence organisational design, function and effectiveness are discussed including: organisational behaviour, strategy, culture, power and politics, technology, sustainability and effectiveness. A major focus is planning for strategic organisational development to meet the challenges of rapid change and the need for performance improvements in patient care delivery. Concepts related to the strategic development of workforce capacity in the health care arena considered through the application of theories including the learning organisation. Leadership is examined with emphasis on change management.

Health Financial Management

This Unit provides health leaders with an introduction to financial management in health and aged care settings as a basis for understanding the impact of leadership decision-making on financial outcomes and how financial decision-making impacts on clinical service delivery. Content includes an overview of health economics and economic evaluation, health care funding models, the principles, practices and tools for financial planning and management, basic accounting principles and financial terminology and using financial information and reporting for negotiating financial plans, tracking and evaluating financial performance and using financial information in decision-making within the clinical environment.

Students may exit with a Graduate Diploma in Health Science (Health Planning) at this point.

Spring session

Leadership for Quality and Safety in Health Care

Increasingly clinical leaders are being held accountable for improving the quality and safety of patient care and for developing a culture of quality improvement within their teams. In this unit students learn about the quality and governance frameworks and strategies that they can employ within health care to improve system performance, patient safety and patient outcomes. The main approaches used to address quality of care and patient safety are examined and their applications critiqued. Students will explore leadership issues for developing systematic, coherent quality improvement frameworks and quality initiatives that can be applied within their own sphere of practice.

Choose one of

Professional Topic

This unit is designed to allow high achieving students who have an interest in potentially undertaking higher degree research after graduation the opportunity to comprehensively explore a relevant topic of interest to them.

Or one elective

Full-time (Mid-year intake)

Spring session

Methods of Researching

This unit aims for postgraduate students to apply scientific methods to a variety of research situations and questions; to understand the range of ways in which additions to knowledge in the applied sciences are initiated, validated and communicated and to prepare and trial research designs best suited to the particular type of issue each student wishes to address. The unit is taught through self-paced, self-directed learning. Class contact will be a three-day workshop, in the first and second half of session, respectively. Students will have the opportunity to field test their own research design.

Health Services and Facilities Planning

Planning occurs at all levels within all health organisations, government, non-government and in the private sector. There is a hierarchy in planning health services with some global overarching policy documents, national agreed priorities which affect corporate and regional plans as well as local services and projects. Planning focuses on future directions for health, is value based and resource allocation driven. The process of planning will be outlined including how to conduct a needs analysis, develop an evidence based approach, consult with stakeholders including the community, document an implementation plan and evaluate outcomes.

Leadership for Quality and Safety in Health Care

Increasingly clinical leaders are being held accountable for improving the quality and safety of patient care and for developing a culture of quality improvement within their teams. In this unit students learn about the quality and governance frameworks and strategies that they can employ within health care to improve system performance, patient safety and patient outcomes. The main approaches used to address quality of care and patient safety are examined and their applications critiqued. Students will explore leadership issues for developing systematic, coherent quality improvement frameworks and quality initiatives that can be applied within their own sphere of practice.

Building Organisational Capacity in Health Care

The concept, form and structure of health care organisations are explored. Organisational theory is used to analyse contemporary health care structures. Factors which influence organisational design, function and effectiveness are discussed including: organisational behaviour, strategy, culture, power and politics, technology, sustainability and effectiveness. A major focus is planning for strategic organisational development to meet the challenges of rapid change and the need for performance improvements in patient care delivery. Concepts related to the strategic development of workforce capacity in the health care arena considered through the application of theories including the learning organisation. Leadership is examined with emphasis on change management.

Autumn session

Public Health, Policy and Society

This unit examines the nature of public health and develops a systemic understanding of various public health policy frameworks and issues. The unit provides the context and history for understanding public health approaches, explores the cultural and social dimensions of health and illness and the economic and political environment in which health policies and strategies are developed and implemented. The unit advocates a view of health that includes an implicit recognition of the physical, social and economic environment, affirms the importance of social justice and equity in health care, and emphasises the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration.

Health Workforce Planning

This is a flexible learning unit looking at HRM as a strategic activity of health organisations especially as workforce shortages pose significant challenges to the health, welfare and aged care sectors. The workforce, with appropriate knowledge and expertise, is essential to the efficient and effective delivery of quality health services. Successful organisations shape their workforce to anticipate current and future business directions and goals. Workforce planning is a crucial element of this approach and its success.

Health Financial Management

This Unit provides health leaders with an introduction to financial management in health and aged care settings as a basis for understanding the impact of leadership decision-making on financial outcomes and how financial decision-making impacts on clinical service delivery. Content includes an overview of health economics and economic evaluation, health care funding models, the principles, practices and tools for financial planning and management, basic accounting principles and financial terminology and using financial information and reporting for negotiating financial plans, tracking and evaluating financial performance and using financial information in decision-making within the clinical environment.

Choose one of

Professional Topic

This unit is designed to allow high achieving students who have an interest in potentially undertaking higher degree research after graduation the opportunity to comprehensively explore a relevant topic of interest to them.

Or one elective

Part-time (Mid-year intake)

Year 1

Spring session

Methods of Researching

This unit aims for postgraduate students to apply scientific methods to a variety of research situations and questions; to understand the range of ways in which additions to knowledge in the applied sciences are initiated, validated and communicated and to prepare and trial research designs best suited to the particular type of issue each student wishes to address. The unit is taught through self-paced, self-directed learning. Class contact will be a three-day workshop, in the first and second half of session, respectively. Students will have the opportunity to field test their own research design.

Health Services and Facilities Planning

Planning occurs at all levels within all health organisations, government, non-government and in the private sector. There is a hierarchy in planning health services with some global overarching policy documents, national agreed priorities which affect corporate and regional plans as well as local services and projects. Planning focuses on future directions for health, is value based and resource allocation driven. The process of planning will be outlined including how to conduct a needs analysis, develop an evidence based approach, consult with stakeholders including the community, document an implementation plan and evaluate outcomes.

Autumn session

Public Health, Policy and Society

This unit examines the nature of public health and develops a systemic understanding of various public health policy frameworks and issues. The unit provides the context and history for understanding public health approaches, explores the cultural and social dimensions of health and illness and the economic and political environment in which health policies and strategies are developed and implemented. The unit advocates a view of health that includes an implicit recognition of the physical, social and economic environment, affirms the importance of social justice and equity in health care, and emphasises the importance of inter-sectoral collaboration.

Health Workforce Planning

This is a flexible learning unit looking at HRM as a strategic activity of health organisations especially as workforce shortages pose significant challenges to the health, welfare and aged care sectors. The workforce, with appropriate knowledge and expertise, is essential to the efficient and effective delivery of quality health services. Successful organisations shape their workforce to anticipate current and future business directions and goals. Workforce planning is a crucial element of this approach and its success.

Year 2

Spring session

Leadership for Quality and Safety in Health Care

Increasingly clinical leaders are being held accountable for improving the quality and safety of patient care and for developing a culture of quality improvement within their teams. In this unit students learn about the quality and governance frameworks and strategies that they can employ within health care to improve system performance, patient safety and patient outcomes. The main approaches used to address quality of care and patient safety are examined and their applications critiqued. Students will explore leadership issues for developing systematic, coherent quality improvement frameworks and quality initiatives that can be applied within their own sphere of practice.

Building Organisational Capacity in Health Care

The concept, form and structure of health care organisations are explored. Organisational theory is used to analyse contemporary health care structures. Factors which influence organisational design, function and effectiveness are discussed including: organisational behaviour, strategy, culture, power and politics, technology, sustainability and effectiveness. A major focus is planning for strategic organisational development to meet the challenges of rapid change and the need for performance improvements in patient care delivery. Concepts related to the strategic development of workforce capacity in the health care arena considered through the application of theories including the learning organisation. Leadership is examined with emphasis on change management.

Autumn session

Health Financial Management

This Unit provides health leaders with an introduction to financial management in health and aged care settings as a basis for understanding the impact of leadership decision-making on financial outcomes and how financial decision-making impacts on clinical service delivery. Content includes an overview of health economics and economic evaluation, health care funding models, the principles, practices and tools for financial planning and management, basic accounting principles and financial terminology and using financial information and reporting for negotiating financial plans, tracking and evaluating financial performance and using financial information in decision-making within the clinical environment.

Choose one of

Professional Topic

This unit is designed to allow high achieving students who have an interest in potentially undertaking higher degree research after graduation the opportunity to comprehensively explore a relevant topic of interest to them.

Or one elective