Graduate Diploma of Lifestyle Medicine

Why study with us?

The Graduate Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine empowers students to recognise and promote effective lifestyle-based therapies to prevent, manage and, in some instances, even reverse chronic disease.

The Graduate Diploma is available to post-graduate students passionate about lifestyle-based therapies. For individuals with existing healthcare qualifications, it is also a pathway into the Master of Lifestyle Medicine. Major topics of study include an examination of the history of disease and the rationale for Lifestyle Medicine, core Lifestyle Medicine pillars, the pivotal roles of nutrition and physical activity, underlying physiological factors in chronic disease, psychological influences, environmental factors, substance use (with a focus on nicotine), the processes available to implement Lifestyle Medicine, cultural factors that influence Lifestyle Medicine interventions, and more.

The course is recognised by the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine as a pathway to becoming a Fellow of the Society.

Key Information

Study Mode:

Off campus

Location:

Lake Macquarie

Duration:

Part-time: 2 years

Course Code:

2085

CRICOS Code:

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Course Details

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the Graduate Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine, graduates will be able to:

explain and critique the diverse elements of Lifestyle Medicine informed by an integrated understanding of the contemporary body of knowledge;
articulate, apply and evaluate a whole-of-health perspective encompassing freedom from disease through to positive wellbeing;
advocate for the implementation of Lifestyle Medicine informed by an integrated knowledge of the relationship between lifestyle and disease, and the underlying causation of chronic diseases;
utilise a research-led methodological approach to develop and present the concepts of Lifestyle Medicine within the context of public health and clinical practice;
communicate the principles of Lifestyle Medicine to a diverse range of recipients with regard to culture, age and gender using multiple forms of communication;
design and apply Lifestyle Medicine interventions in a variety of cultural settings and employ appropriate evaluation processes to monitor and modify the effectiveness of these interventions;
argue for the role of identity, meaning and spirituality in the effectiveness of Lifestyle Medicine interventions and be able to recognise, design, apply and appraise these elements in Lifestyle Medicine interventions.

Admission Criteria

To qualify for admission, an applicant must have completed:

an Australian Bachelor’s degree or higher, or
an Australian Graduate Certificate in Lifestyle Medicine or equivalent, or
an overseas qualification comparable to an Australian Bachelor’s degree or higher.

In exceptional circumstances an applicant may be admitted based on qualifications deemed equivalent as assessed by the Course Convenor in consultation with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

International Students

This course is available online to international students residing outside Australia. The course is not available to international students residing in Australia.

English Language Requirements

Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency through one of the following:

achieving an overall IELTS score of 6.5 with no sub-band less than 6.0, or
one of the other ways outlined in Appendix 2 of the Admission Policy (HE), or
providing documentary evidence of a prior qualification (or at least two years of tertiary study) conducted and assessed in English in a recognised country^ and completed within the last two years.

^Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom, or the United States of America.

Advanced Standing

Applicants who have completed prior study may be eligible for advanced standing (credit recognition). Applicants should discuss their eligibility for advanced standing with the Admissions Team or the Course Convenor.

Course Structure

The Graduate Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine consists of 8 units and requires 48 credit points for completion. Every unit has a 6 credit point value unless otherwise stated.

The sequence of units offered is based on a repeating 2-year cycle:

Code	Name	Semester	Year Cycle	Credit Points
LMLR50101	Lifestyle Medicine - Past, Present & Future	2	Odd and Even years	6
LMLR50102	Food as Medicine	2	Odd years	6
LMLR50104	Physiological Underpinnings of Chronic Disease	1	Even years	6
LMLR50106	Psychosocial Factors in Lifestyle Medicine and Health	1	Even years	6
LMLR50105	Exercise as Medicine	2	Even years	6
LMLR50109	Nicotine Addiction and Smoking Cessation	2	Even years	6
LMLR50107	Processes in Lifestyle Medicine and Health Promotion	1	Odd years	6
LMLR50108	Lifestyle Medicine for Specific Populations	1	Odd years	6

To view unit information, note the unit code and search for the unit in Unit Outlines.

Career Opportunities

The Graduate Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine is designed for students who are passionate about implementing lifestyle-based therapies with patients and clients. The course will benefit doctors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses, dietitians, health coaches and other health professionals who want to diversify their knowledge in the healthcare field. By completing this course, graduates accumulate points that go towards becoming a Fellow of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine.