Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide (GC-MANYSHS)

Overview

Award title	Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide
Year & campus	2025
Fees information	Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & type	Graduate Coursework
AQF level	8
Credit points	50 credit points
Duration	12 months part-time

THIS COURSE WILL NOT BE OFFERED IN 2024

Developed in close consultation with Orygen – a global leader of research in the field – the Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide gives you access to expert knowledge in this rapidly-evolving area of mental health. The course covers the latest theory, research and evidence-based approaches on the detection, prevention and management of self-harm and suicide-related behaviours in young people.

The course is valuable for education and healthcare professionals working in a range of clinical and community settings. You will learn alongside a diverse group of peers while gaining insights relevant to your own practice.

Delivered entirely online, the Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide is designed to be taken part-time over one year, providing the flexibility and support needed for busy professionals to fit study around existing work commitments.

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

an undergraduate degree in a cognate discipline such as Health Science, Social Work, Psychology, Medicine, Teaching, Education, Nursing, Occupational Therapy or related discipline; or
an undergraduate degree or equivalent in any discipline, and at least two years of documented relevant professional work experience; or
at least five years of documented relevant professional work experience, including clear evidence of career development, professional writing, and professional achievement or practice comparable to that expected of undergraduate degree holders in cognate disciplines.

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

prior academic performance; and, if relevant

professional experience.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. Applicants are required to satisfy the university’s English language requirements for postgraduate courses. For those applicants seeking to meet these requirements by one of the standard tests approved by the Academic Board, performance band 6.5 is required.

Notes:

Applicants who have completed the Professional Certificate in Youth Psychiatry, offered by Orygen, or the Graduate Certificate in Youth Mental Health, Graduate Diploma in Youth Mental Health or the Master of Youth Mental Health offered by The University of Melbourne within four years prior to course commencement may be granted advanced standing for the following subjects:

PSYT90096 Foundations of Youth Mental Health
PSYT90097 Engaging and Assessing Young People

In considering students under special entry access schemes, the Selection Committee will consider aspects of disadvantage as set out from time to time in the University of Melbourne Graduate Access policy, evidence of rurality for rural applicants, and confirmation of Aboriginality for Indigenous applicants.

Quotas may be applied.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

Outline the major theories of youth mental health and suicidal processes
Describe the key risk and protective factors that underlie mental ill-health, deliberate self-harm and suicidal behaviour in young people
Describe and apply tailored approaches to engaging and assessing young people experiencing mental ill-health
Discuss the biological, psychological and social factors contributing to mental ill-health, self-harm and suicide-related behaviours in young people
Prepare evidence-informed prevention, intervention and safety management strategies for deliberate self-harm and suicide-related behaviours in clinical and community settings
Apply evidence-informed assessment strategies to identify young people at risk of deliberate self-harm or suicide
Design and critically evaluate safety management plans for young people at risk of deliberate self-harm or suicidal behaviour

Generic skills

The Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide will enhance students’:

Capacity to translate knowledge into practice
Critical and analytical thinking skills
Problem solving skills
Written communication skills
Capacity for logical and independent thought
Information management skills
Time management skills
Ability to find, evaluate and use relevant information
Skills in information technology
Ethical awareness and practice

Graduate attributes

Knowledge

Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide will have acquired advanced knowledge in the specialized area of preventing and managing self-harm and suicide in young people.

Skills

Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide will have developed:

cognitive skills to review, analyse, consolidate and synthesize knowledge and identify and provide solutions to complex problems
cognitive skills to think critically and to generate and evaluate complex ideas
specialized technical and creative skills in a field of professional practice
communication skills to demonstrate an understanding of theoretical concepts
communication skills to transfer complex knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences

Application of knowledge and skills

Graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide will demonstrate the application of knowledge and skills:

to make high level, independent judgements in a range of functions in varied specialized contexts
to initiate, plan, implement and evaluate broad functions within varied specialized contexts with responsibility and accountability for personal outputs and all aspects of the work or function of others within broad parameters

Course structure

Compulsory subjects

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
PSYT90096	Foundations of Youth Mental Health	March (Online)	12.5
PSYT90097	Engaging and Assessing Young People	April (Online)	12.5
PSYT90114	Managing Youth Self-harm and Suicide 1	Not available in 2025	12.5
PSYT90115	Managing Youth Self-harm and Suicide 2	Not available in 2025	12.5

Further study

Graduates may progress to a range of other graduate coursework programs.

The Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide is part of a suite of related courses in youth mental health. Students who complete the Graduate Certificate in Managing Youth Self-Harm and Suicide may be eligible to gain 25 points of credit (worth two subjects) if they decide to enrol in one of the following courses at the University of Melbourne:

Last updated: 21 February 2025