Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play

Course summary for international students

Year	2026 course information
Award granted	Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play
Campus	This course is only offered Online
Length	0.5 year full-time or part-time equivalent
Fee paying annual fee - commencing 2026	$16,400 AUD
Level	Postgraduate (Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma)
Deakin course code	H505
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition	The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 8

Course sub-headings

Course overview

With a Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play, you can get an introduction to the therapeutic powers of play while building specialised skills that allow you to work more effectively with children.

Love working with children and want a deeper understanding of the way they think, behave and feel?

The Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play is a dynamic and enriching program tailored for professionals who work closely with children in a variety of settings, from healthcare to education. Whether you are a health professional, educator, or an allied health worker, this course offers invaluable insights into the therapeutic potential of play and how these principles can be seamlessly incorporated into your existing work with children. Play is not only a natural part of childhood but also an essential tool for promoting healthy development and emotional well-being in children, and this course is designed to harness these benefits.

Gain a deeper understanding of profound role that play holds in the psychosocial, emotional, and behavioural development of children, and examine child development from a range of angles, gaining a deep understanding of how children grow and develop across different stages.

You will also explore childhood neuroscience and psychopathology, providing you with a strong foundation in understanding the neurological and psychological processes that underpin behaviour and development. Topics such as developmental trauma offer insight into how adverse experiences in early life can affect a child’s cognitive, emotional, and social growth. You will also investigate neurodevelopmental differences, including conditions such as autism, and how these may impact a child’s capacity to engage with their environment, peers, and educators.

You will learn evidence-based methods for implementing therapeutic play into your work with children to help address the challenges that they may face, from emotional regulation to social skills development. This ensures that you can immediately apply what you learn, making a tangible difference in the lives of the children you work with.

Learn from leaders in the field. At Deakin, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from leading experts in the field of therapeutic play, many of whom are actively involved in groundbreaking research and contribute to key Australian and international play therapy organisations. Staff are engaged with global institutions such as the International Play Therapy Study Group (IPTSG) and the International Consortium of Play Therapy Associations, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise into the classroom.

The insights, case studies, and research contributions from these leading academics are woven into the course, enriching your learning experience. This access to high-level expertise provides you with a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of therapeutic child play, guided by those at the forefront of the field.

Please note: As a student enrolled in a fully online degree you cannot apply for a student visa for entry into Australia.

Professional recognition

Please note that the Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play does not equip you as a Play Therapist. Students who complete the Certificate may apply the knowledge and skills learned to their primary discipline and/or current work with children and families.

Fees and charges

The 'Estimated tuition fee' is provided as a guide only based on a typical enrolment of students completing this course within the same year in which they started. The cost will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the length of your course and any approved Recognition of prior learning you have.

The 'Estimated tuition fee' is calculated by adding together four credit points of study. Four credit points is used as it represents a typical enrolment load for a Graduate Certificate.

Each unit you enrol in has a credit point value. You can find the credit point value of each unit under the Unit Description by searching for the unit in the handbook.

Learn more about tuition fees.

Career opportunities

The Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play is particularly valuable for those already working closely with children, including teachers, counsellors, occupational therapists, nurses, social workers, speech pathologists and mental health professionals. The course also provides significant benefits for parents and caregivers who want to be better equipped for the complex and everyday challenges of children’s development.

The skills you learn will allow you to perform your current role more effectively, and will also open the door to more advanced roles within your profession.

Please note that the Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play does not equip you as a Play Therapist.

Course learning outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Apply specialised theory and practical knowledge associated with child development, measurement of play ability and the impact of life events such as trauma on children’s development in the context of therapeutic child play.
Communication	Demonstrate the verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills to work with children and their carers appropriate to therapeutic child play to a variety of audiences.
Digital literacy	Use appropriate technologies to find, use and disseminate discipline-specific information to a variety of audiences.
Critical thinking	Critically evaluate and synthesise concepts and theories in therapeutic child play.
Problem solving	Apply knowledge and skills to measure and assess children to determine the need for therapeutic intervention and refer to a Child Play Therapist or other Practitioner to solve a range of problems.
Self-management	Demonstrate personal autonomy and professional judgement in the field of therapeutic child play showing responsibility and accountability, in conjunction with reflective and ethical practice.
Teamwork	Establish and maintain collaborative professional relationships, demonstrating responsibility and accountability to the child, family and carers.
Global citizenship	Demonstrate professional and ethical practice and respect for diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts that may impact children and families.

Course rules

To complete the Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play, you must pass 4 credit points. This includes:

DAI001 Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0-credit-point compulsory unit) in your first study period
2 credit points of core units
2 credit points of course elective units.

Most units are equal to one credit point.

All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements.

Course structure

Core units

Trimester 1

DAI001

Academic Integrity and Respect at Deakin (0 credit points)

HSO710

Foundations of Play Therapy

HSO711

Child Attachment Environment and Trauma

Electives

Select two of:

HSO709

Therapeutic Use of Self

HSO713

Therapeutic Assessment of Play

HSO715

Childhood Developmental Neuroscience and Psychopathology

HSO725

Therapeutic Medical Play

Admission criteria

Selection is based on a holistic consideration of your academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation requirements, regulatory requirements, and individual circumstances. You will need to meet the minimum academic and English language proficiency requirements or higher to be considered for selection, but this does not guarantee admission.

A combination of qualifications and experience may be deemed equivalent to minimum academic requirements.

Academic requirements

To be considered for admission to this degree you will need to meet at least one of the following criteria:

completion of a bachelor degree or higher
two years' relevant work experience (or part-time equivalent)

Examples of relevant work experience include, but not limited to: education, healthcare, social, emotional and wellbeing roles.

English language proficiency requirements

To meet the English language proficiency requirements of this course, you will need to demonstrate at least one of the following:

bachelor degree from a recognised English-speaking country
IELTS overall score of 6.5 (with no band score less than 6.0) in each component of test
other evidence of English language proficiency (learn more about other ways to satisfy the requirements)

Admissions information

Learn more about Deakin courses and how we compare to other universities when it comes to the quality of our teaching and learning.

Not sure if you can get into Deakin postgraduate study? Postgraduate study doesn’t have to be a balancing act; we provide flexible course entry and exit options based on your desired career outcomes and the time you are able to commit to your study.

Pathways

This course provides a pathway to other postgraduate coursework programs.

Course duration

Course duration may be affected by delays in completing course requirements, such as failing of units.

Workload

As a student undertaking an online course in the Faculty of Health you will be expected to participate in a range of learning activities each week. You will spend 11-13 hours per unit (i.e., per 1-credit point unit) each week engaging in a combination of self-paced study, seminars, online interactions and assessment tasks during the trimester teaching period. In some instances, assessment tasks may also take place outside of the trimester teaching periods. All units are designed to be self-paced so that you can work through the material at a time that suits. You can refer to the individual unit details in the course structure for more information on each unit.

Work experience

There are no work experience or placement requirements for students undertaking the Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play.

Mandatory student checks

Mandatory student checks are not required for students undertaking the Graduate Certificate of Therapeutic Child Play.