Understand major theories relevant to youth mental health

You will examine the research and key theories that underpin contemporary understandings of the mental health of young people. You will discuss various factors that influence healthy development and mental ill-health in childhood, adolescence and emerging adulthood.

Learn best-practice ways of engaging and assessing young people

You will gain a comprehensive knowledge of major psychotic and non-psychotic disorders. Lectures will focus on the epidemiology, aetiology and typical features of each disorder, its impact on health and functioning, and evidence-based interventions.

Examine early intervention and prevention frameworks

You will gain a comprehensive insight into major psychosocial interventions, and learn to design prevention and early-intervention approaches and prepare treatment plans applicable to different stages of mental illness.

Course structure

The Graduate Diploma of Youth Mental Health is a 100-point program, designed to be undertaken part-time, over two years (with 50 credit points per year).

Students must complete:

• Seven core subjects, each worth 12.5 points
• One elective subject worth 12.5 points.

Students who do not achieve a weighted average mark of at least H2B (70%) in the first year of the Graduate Diploma in Youth Mental Health are not eligible to continue to the final year of the program.

Workload

On average, it is estimated that students will be required to allocate 15-19 hours per week for study time for each subject. However, the time commitment required can vary based on individual task management and planning skills, familiarity with the material, reading style and speed.