Course Structure

All participants in this course are adult learners. We recognise that many will be undertaking study while working and that it may have been some time since you last enrolled as a University student. We aim to make this course professionally relevant, practical and instantly applicable to the context of your teaching and workplace.

At the completion of the course, you will emerge with:

• Enhanced skills in medical curriculum development, implementation and evaluation, and student assessment;
• A proactive approach to continuous quality improvement in teaching and learning in medicine;
• A deeper understanding of principles and practices which underpin teaching and learning in medicine and the health sciences; and
• Attitudes to medical education which reflect best-evidence and learner-centredness.

Our emphasis on small group interactive learning, delivered flexibly will provide you with ongoing feedback and contact with your fellow students and course coordinators.

The program can be taken full-time or part-time. Part-time students generally enrol in one or two units of study per semester. Full-time students must enrol in four units of study per semester.

The Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma and Master's programs are articulated and share coursework units of study. This allows you to transfer from one course to another and obtain credit for coursework already completed.

• The master’s degree comprises two core units of study and a further six elective units.
• The graduate diploma comprises two core units of study and a further four elective units.
• The graduate certificate comprises two core units of study and a further two elective units.

Note: At least 50 per cent of the credit points needed for award (e.g. at least 12 credit points for graduate certificate, 18 credit points for the graduate diploma and 24 credit points for the master’s degree) must be completed within the Faculty of Medicine (MDED units of study).

This course may be undertaken in two modes:

• Either as a face-to-face course, requiring regular attendance on campus or;
• As a fully online, distance mode course, requiring regular participation in online activities and discussions.

Classes commence in the first week of semester. For the core units of study (MDED5001 and MDED5002) classes are held once a fortnightly and are usually scheduled on Wednesday, 6pm-9pm at the Camperdown campus.

In addition to the fortnightly classes, you will regularly engage in small task-based activities either independently or via contact with the online classroom.

Classes for elective units of study are also fortnightly and are usually scheduled for alternate Wednesday or Thursday evenings. Please contact us for a current timetable.

For alternative units of study offered by the Faculty of Health Sciences or the Faculty of Education, refer to the online handbook for class details.

Classes commence in the first week of semester. For each unit of study you will regularly engage in online activities and regularly participate in online discussions with your peers and course coordinators. A standard computer with at least a 56K modem is required. It is essential that you have Internet access and are able to login to the online classroom several times a week.

Students can expect to spend approximately ten hours per week on each unit of study they undertake. This should cover all the activities required of the student including online participation, reading and assessment tasks.

Assessment in this course is continuous, and based on the notion of constructive alignment - that is, alignment amongst the program and unit of study outcomes, the teaching methods employed, and the assessment.

Typically, formative and summative assessment will be built around project work that is directly related to participants' own teaching context and represented in a 4000-6000 word project report (or its equivalent) per 6 credit point unit of study. Key principles that will underpin assessment activities will include evidence-based education, critical reflection, and the application of theory to every-day learning and teaching practice.