Overview

The Graduate Certificate of Forensic Psychiatric Practice is designed for psychiatrists who wish to specialise in forensic practice. Students will learn the academic and practical skills relevant to this subject matter, including principles of risk assessment, expert testimony, writing forensic court reports, and ethical conduct. This course is the only dedicated qualification of its type available in Australasia.

View the Graduate Certificate of Forensic Psychiatric Practice course handbook
Is your course available for Midyear entry?

Starting midyear means getting your study goals under way before the year is over. Semester 2 begins Monday 29 July, 2024.

Upgrade your skills

  • Specialise in forensic practice
  • Entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development
  • Effective and ethical in work and community situations
  • Able to work across a variety of situations

Stretch your career further

  • For psychiatrists – specialise in Forensic Psychiatric Practice

Key codes

International student visa

International students in Australia who hold student visas are required to study full-time and on campus. Courses that are taught entirely online are only available to international students studying outside Australia or those in Australia who are not on a student visa. Online courses are not available to international students in Australia who hold a student visa.

Professional accreditations

This course is the only dedicated forensic psychiatry qualification offered in Australia. It satisfies the academic requirements set out by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) for admission to the RANZCP.

Why Swinburne?

Ranked top 250 in the world for the subject of psychology

Times Higher Education World University Ranking by Subject 2023

83.5% of students found employment within 4 months of graduating

Ranked top 20% in Australia for 5-star PG Overall experience

Qualifications

Applicants for the Graduate Certificate of Forensic Psychiatric Practice must:

  • be enrolled in an Advanced Training Course for Forensic Psychiatry, such as that offered by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Forensic Psychiatry (RANZCP) (or equivalent), or 
  • be a registered consulting Clinical and/or Forensic Psychiatrist.
Admission requirements

Meeting the minimum entry requirements for the course does not guarantee an offer of a place. See admission requirements for general information about the admission process.

English language requirements

Satisfactory completion of one of the following:

Need to undertake an English assessment for entry?

A prerequisite for many courses, the Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) can now be done at our Hawthorn campus.

Credit transfer

Credit is granted in recognition of previous study and/or experience and allows students to gain advanced standing towards their course. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Recognition of prior learning

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) allows students to gain credit (advanced standing) towards their course in recognition of skills and knowledge gained through work experience, life experience and/or formal training. Applicants are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Finding your fit

At Swinburne, we recognise that not one size fits all. If this course doesn’t meet all your study criteria, check out these alternatives.

How credit points work

To qualify for the award of Graduate Certificate of Forensic Psychiatric Practice students must complete 50 credit points comprising of: 

3
Core units
+
1
Elective unit
=
Graduate Certificate

Your units

Units of study Unit code
Core units
Psychiatry in Forensic Contexts
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80014
Fundamentals of Criminal Law Process
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80002
Problem Behaviours 1
Core unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80011
Principles of Violence Risk Assessment and Management
Elective unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80003
Working with Difficult Personalities in the Forensic Context
Elective unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80006
Substance Misuse and Offending
Elective unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80007
Trauma and Offending
Elective unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80009
Problem Behaviours 2
Elective unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80012
Working in Corrections and Youth Justice
Elective unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80013
Development, Developmental Disability and Offending
Elective unit, 12.5 credit points
FBS80015

2024 fees

Yearly fee* ($AUD)

$17,900

Total fee* ($AUD)

$17,900

2024 fees

Yearly fee* ($AUD)

$0.00

Fees are estimates only

The student tuition fees as published are subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment. These fees apply for units studied in 2024 only and may change for units studied in future years. If part-time study is permitted, annual fees will be proportionally lower based on the number of units taken per semester.

Fees are estimates only

The indicative course fees shown apply to international students for the relevant year only. They are based on a standard study load per year. However, please note that fees are assessed according to a student's study load in each semester, and variation to study load will result in an adjustment to tuition fees. International tuition fees are generally inclusive of Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF). All fees are subject to annual review and may be adjusted.

How do I pay my fees?

FEE-HELP is a loan given to eligible full-fee paying higher education students to help pay part or all of their tuition fees. The Commonwealth Government pays the amount of the loan directly to Swinburne.

International students need to pay tuition fees up-front by the relevant due date. You can find the due dates on your Statement of Account.

To pay your fees:

  • log in to My Finances
  • check your Australian bank account details are correct 
  • check your Statement of Account to see how much you owe 
  • pay using your preferred payment method.

Eligibility for FEE-HELP

You’re eligible for a FEE-HELP loan if you are studying an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or UniLink or OUA course at Swinburne, and you:

  • are an Australian citizen doing at least one unit of your course in Australia; or
  • hold a permanent humanitarian visa and will be living in Australia for the duration of your course; or
  • hold a New Zealand Special Category visa and meet the special eligibility requirements for New Zealand citizens
  • are undertaking bridging study for overseas trained professionals and will be living in Australia for the duration of this study
  • have not exceeded the new combined Help Loan limit.
     

The HELP limit is the maximum amount you can borrow from the government in your lifetime towards your education costs. It is fixed and cannot be topped up.

Student services and amenities fee

This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.

The fee shown in the capped amount for 2024.

This funding serves to improve the student experience at Swinburne. You may use many or just some of the services and amenities that the fee provides.

This amenities fee is included within your annual tuition fee listed above. The fee shown in the capped amount for 2024.

Please refer to the Student Services Amenities Fee page for more information.

SSAF fee* ($AUD)

$351.00

SSAF fee* ($AUD)

$351.00

Scholarships

Scholarship applications for 2024 are open. Scholarships at Swinburne are about providing opportunity, promoting equity and recognising excellence and achievement. We want you to reach your potential and achieve your life and career goals. 

Our handy guide will assist you to gather documents for your application.

When you apply for a Swinburne course, we automatically consider you for an international scholarship of up to 20 per cent off your course fees – no separate application required! Just apply for your Swinburne course of choice and when we review your course application, we will also assess you for an international scholarship.

Apply through an agent

Most international students use an education agent to help them through the application process. Swinburne has agents all over the world that can help you with your application to study. Search for a Swinburne representative in your country. If your country is not listed, please contact us.

Representatives and agents
GC-FPP
Search for agents

Apply directly

Ready to take on a new challenge and reach your academic goals? If you already know which course you want to study and understand the entry requirements, what are you waiting for? Apply online! 

Start dates
Location
Last date to apply
Start dates
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Last date to apply
24-July-2024
Start dates
29-July-2024
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Last date to apply
26-February-2025
Start dates
03-March-2025
Start dates
Location
Start dates
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start dates
29-July-2024
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start dates
03-March-2025
Upcoming events
5th Australasian Youth Justice Conference 2024. Strengthening Connections: The Power of Relationships and Strong Service Partnerships
16-April-2024