Study Palliative Care at UTS

If you’re a healthcare professional looking to advance your skills in palliative care, the UTS Master of Palliative Care is the course for you. Developed and delivered in collaboration with leading contemporary experts, this course equips you with the capabilities to not only become a compassionate and skilled carer, but an advocate for those facing life-limiting illnesses. 

Through interdisciplinary education and immersive learning, you’ll be equipped with advanced communication skills, a solid understanding of evidence-based practices, and increased knowledge of cultural safety, ensuring every patient receives personalised care tailored to their unique needs and backgrounds. 

In this course, you’ll discover the profound impact of palliative care beyond individual patients, influencing broader societal frameworks and healthcare policies. As a future-focused graduate, you’ll be fully prepared to explore innovative approaches to care delivery, advocating for fair access and quality outcomes across diverse populations. 

Part of the Faculty of Health.

As an Australian student, you have the chance to apply for a Commonwealth Supported Place for this course. Find out if you meet the criteria and learn the steps to apply.  

Part of the Faculty of Health.

Master of Palliative Care

CODE

UTS: C04365 (version 2)

DURATION

1.5 years full time
3 years part time

INTAKE

Autumn Session 2025
Spring Session 2025
Autumn Session 2026
Spring Session 2026

View important dates

COURSE FEES

Indicative total tuition fee for government-supported domestic students
$14,093

Indicative total tuition fee for domestic students
$33,724

More on fees

LOCATION

City campus

What you’ll study

Designed for health professionals looking to extend their palliative care capabilities to work at an advanced level, this interdisciplinary course equips students with the clinical performance capabilities and critical decision-making and leadership skills required to become a palliative care expert. 

Through a blend of theory, simulations and real-world clinical scenarios, you’ll gain an advanced understanding of person-centred care, increase your critical thinking and ethical decision-making skills and gain the tools to become a clinical assessment expert.  

Subjects at a glance

  • Core subjects

    Subject Code Subject Name
    96801
    Communicating and Collaborating for Optimal Person Centred Care
    96802
    Delivering Best Palliative Care Any Place Every Time
    96803
    Complex Symptom Management
    96804
    Immersive Palliative Care Futures
    96806
    Translating Evidence into Change
    96828
    Ethical Dimensions of Palliative Care
    96829
    Legal Dimensions of Palliative Care
    96808
    Generating Evidence to Improve Palliative Care Outcomes
    96824
    Clinical Assessment in Palliative Care
    96826
    Optimising End-of-Life Communication
    96827
    Optimising End-of-life Communication within Complex and Diverse Situations
    96825
    Pharmacology in Palliative Care

Typical course program

The outline below shows an example program for the Master of Palliative Care based on a full-time study load. Please note that your exact program may differ based on your unique circumstances, such as commencement date, part time study and recognition of prior learning.

  1. 12
    core palliative care subjects
  2. 3
    electives
  1. First year

    You’ll learn effective communication techniques and collaboration strategies essential for providing person-centred palliative care in various settings. You’ll explore evidence-based practices, complex symptom management, and relationship building with patients and families, as well as interdisciplinary team communication.
  2. Second year

    In your second year, you’ll become a forward-thinking leader, addressing emerging challenges in palliative care. You’ll analyse factors like an aging population and technological impact, while honing your ethical decision making and research skills for optimal delivery of care.
  3. Third year

    In your final year, you will learn advanced end-of-life communication for complex and diverse situations. You’ll focus on clinical assessment techniques, deepen your understanding of pharmacology in the industry, and gain advocacy skills essential for improving palliative care outcomes.

Course highlights

Analysing situations critically, you’ll learn to reflect on your own actions and decisions, make informed judgements and take responsibility for outcomes. You’ll strengthen your awareness of cultural safety, ensuring that interactions and interventions are culturally appropriate and respectful.  

Encouraged to actively engage and apply your learnings, you’ll be equipped with technical knowledge and advanced communication and relationship building skills. You’ll graduate prepared to take on leadership roles in the sector, advocating for others and pushing for change. 

Master of Palliative Care thumbnail

00:00:06.320 My name is Mary Roberts and I'm a Clinical Nurse  
00:00:08.560 Consultant and currently I'm studying a Master of Palliative Care at UTS.  
00:00:12.880 The benefit of actually doing the course is that I've got a lot more out of it than just getting a  
00:00:17.360 qualification. A lot of healthcare professionals think that palliative care is all about death  
00:00:22.720 but to me it's the opposite, it's about living, it's about making the most of what life someone  
00:00:28.960 has left and not so much the quantity but the quality of life. And we really have to  
00:00:35.920 embrace the fact that palliative care is all about caring and it's about treating the person,  
00:00:42.400 not only who they are now but who they were in the past because often they're a shadow of who they  
00:00:47.200 were and you want to be able to encompass who they were in your care so that you can really relate to  
00:00:53.200 them. I chose to study at UTS for a number of reasons. I've spoken to colleagues that have  
00:00:58.400 studied at UTS and they had nothing but praise for the course structure the content and the  
00:01:03.120 support they received and I've also met some of the lecturers prior to enrolling and I was really  
00:01:08.720 impressed with their qualifications and their passion for teaching. By studying online you can  
00:01:15.280 do the coursework when it suits you so if you're on morning shifts or you're on afternoon shifts  
00:01:20.320 you can do it around your spare time and you don't miss out on that collaboration because  
00:01:26.400 the lecturers actually schedule some Zoom video sessions. Where you actually ought to  
00:01:32.320 come together with other students you get sent into little breakout rooms where you can chat  
00:01:36.880 and share ideas. One of the surprising things about the course is how clinically applicable  
00:01:44.320 and practical it is. I thought when Iwas going to do my masters it would be quite academic and quite  
00:01:50.000 theoretical but each of the subjects I've done so far I've actually learned things that I can use  
00:01:55.600 in my workplace the very next day, so whether it's writing the business case, whether it's using new  
00:02:04.000 treatments for different symptoms. My advice to anyone who's considering studying Palliative Care  
00:02:09.680 at UTS is just do it. I had every excuse under the sun why I wasn't going to sign up and do it and  
00:02:19.440 I took the plunge I did it and I've really really enjoyed it and surprised at how easy the  
00:02:24.480 transition was after not studying for 20 years and I've just slipped straight back into it.  
00:02:30.320 The supportive environment of not only the other students but the lecturers, it's been  
00:02:35.120 brilliant. So don't put it off, just do it.

Admissions information

Admissions information

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Entry schemes and pathways

At UTS, we understand the dedication it takes to reach your current position – forging a path through prior study, work, and diverse learning experiences.

If you're Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, Jumbunna is an alternative application process for our courses that emphasises diverse pathways to success.

You can apply for our courses using your previous study. You may even be eligible for recognition of prior learning, so you won’t need to repeat subjects.

Careers

Your future career

This course will prepare you to be a future leader in palliative care, driving reforms to improve end-of-life care experiences for patients and families.  You’ll graduate prepared to take on leadership roles in the sector, or in policy at a local, national or international level, advocating for others and pushing for change. 

From focusing on pain management, overseeing treatment plans and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams, to helping families navigate the emotional and practical challenges of serious illness, working in palliative care is wide-ranging and meaningful. 

Career options

Where you’ll study

Our world-class facilities support your future-focused learning and high-impact research. They enable effective partnerships with industry and provide services to our community.

Why UTS?

Why study Health at UTS

Health is a dynamic and multidisciplinary field dedicated to improving the health of individuals and populations. With a degree from UTS, you'll develop transdisciplinary skills and a solid understanding of health and health systems.

Our degrees combine theoretical knowledge with hands-on learning and practical placements. You’ll study in world-class learning spaces that mimic professional health environments and get the latest information from experts connected to industry, sporting and healthcare organisations, preparing you for a lifelong career. 

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Above world standard

for Medical and Health Sciences.

2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) evaluation

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