A Graduate Diploma in Project Management (Healthcare) is a postgraduate qualification that builds end-to-end project management expertise for healthcare settings across eight courses, including the full suite of four healthcare specialisation courses. It's designed for professionals ready to lead healthcare projects from planning through to delivery.

It sits between the graduate certificate and the master’s in UNSW Online's Project Management (Healthcare) suite, providing comprehensive project-level capability across the full healthcare specialisation.

Unlike the graduate certificate, which requires only two of the four healthcare specialisation courses, the Graduate Diploma requires all four – giving you complete coverage of healthcare governance, delivery, service improvement and change management.

At a glance:

• Eight courses in total
• All four healthcare specialisation courses compulsory
• Completed in as little as 16 months, part time
• 100% online, AIPM-endorsed

For example, a project manager who has completed the graduate certificate might progress into the graduate diploma to build complete healthcare specialisation coverage before deciding whether to continue to the master's.

Graduates of the Graduate Diploma in Project Management (Healthcare) move into healthcare project management careers such as Healthcare Project Manager, PMO Analyst, Change Analyst and Healthcare Business Analyst, working across hospitals, health services and digital health providers.

These roles require full project ownership – planning, delivering and reporting on healthcare projects, not just supporting them. 

Because the graduate diploma builds complete healthcare specialisation coverage, graduates are equipped to lead projects independently rather than working under senior project managers. 

For example, a graduate might move from a Project Coordinator role into a Healthcare Project Manager position, taking ownership of a hospital's service improvement initiative from planning through to delivery.

Choosing between the graduate diploma, graduate certificate and master’s comes down to depth and readiness. The graduate diploma suits professionals who want complete healthcare specialisation coverage and project ownership, without yet stepping into program and portfolio-level leadership.

The graduate certificate provides foundational governance and delivery skills across two of the four specialisation courses – a shorter, introductory pathway.

The master's builds on the graduate diploma with Program and Portfolio Management and commercial electives, preparing you for program-level and executive transformation roles rather than project-level delivery.

Choosing between the three:

• Graduate certificate: foundational skills, two specialisation courses, as little as eight months
• Graduate diploma: complete specialisation coverage, project ownership, as little as 16 months
• Master’s: program and portfolio leadership, as little as two years

For example, a health professional new to project work might start with the graduate certificate, while an experienced project manager ready to own healthcare projects end to end would likely start directly in the graduate diploma.

The Graduate Diploma in Project Management (Healthcare) subjects, known as courses, include two core project management courses, two further core courses chosen from three options, and all four healthcare specialisation courses covering governance, delivery, service improvement and change management.

The two core courses, Project Management Body of Knowledge and Project Administration, build foundational project management capability.

You'll then choose two from Project Risk Management, The Business of Managing Projects and Project Schedule and Budget Control, before completing all four healthcare specialisation courses.

Courses include:

• Project Management Body of Knowledge
• Project Administration
• Two of: Project Risk Management, The Business of Managing Projects, Project Schedule and Budget Control
• Healthcare Governance for Project Management
• Healthcare Project Implementation
• Health Service Improvement
• Project Change Management

For example, you might choose Project Risk Management and Project Schedule and Budget Control as your two additional core courses, building strong delivery discipline alongside your healthcare specialisation.

The Graduate Diploma healthcare project management entry requirements include a bachelor's degree or higher-level qualification in a related field.

If you don't meet this requirement directly, you can start with the graduate certificate and progress into the graduate diploma.

You may also need to provide evidence of English language proficiency, depending on your educational background and citizenship.

To be eligible, you'll need:

• A bachelor's degree or higher-level qualification in a related field, or
• A completed Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Project Management
• Evidence of English language proficiency, if required

For example, a project manager with a bachelor's degree in business would meet the entry requirements directly and could apply straight into the graduate diploma.

The Graduate Diploma in Project Management (Healthcare) takes as little as 16 months, part time, across eight courses. You study one course at a time in a seven-week hexamester format, with six intakes a year.

This flexible structure means you can keep working while you study, rather than pausing your career.

Your actual completion time may vary depending on which core courses you choose, leave taken and any recognition of prior learning granted.

At a glance:

• Eight courses in total
• As little as 16 months, part time
• Six study periods (hexamesters) each year
• Intakes in January, March, May, July, August and October

For example, studying consistently across intakes, most students complete the Graduate Diploma in Project Management (Healthcare) in around 16 months.

Yes, a graduate diploma to master’s pathway is built into this qualification. Once you complete the graduate diploma, you can progress directly into the Master of Project Management (Healthcare).

This program forms part of a fully articulated postgraduate pathway, so you're never locked into stopping at the graduate diploma.

Progressing to the master's adds Program and Portfolio Management and commercial electives, building the program-level leadership skills the graduate diploma doesn't cover.

The pathway:

• Courses completed count toward the master
• Adds Program and Portfolio Management and elective courses

For example, a graduate who completes the graduate diploma could continue directly into the master, building on their existing coursework rather than starting again.