Graduate Certificate of Humanitarian Assistance

2025 Deakin University Handbook

Year	2025 course information
Award granted	Graduate Certificate of Humanitarian Assistance
Deakin course code	A567
Faculty	Faculty of Arts and Education
Campus	Offered at Burwood (Melbourne)
Online	Yes
Duration	1 year part-time
Course Map - enrolment planning tool	This course map is for new students commencing from Trimester 1 2025. Course maps for commencement in previous years are available on the Course Maps webpage or please contact a Student Adviser in Student Central.
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

Addressing the complex humanitarian aid challenges of the 21st century demands a new type of thinking. Deakin’s Graduate Certificate of Humanitarian Assistance will introduce you to the tools, techniques and theories current workers are using to revolutionise the sector. Your knowledge will equip you with the skills to play a vital part, whether it be on the frontlines or in improving our systems of aid.

Ready to make a valuable difference to, and in, the humanitarian aid sector?

The Graduate Certificate of Humanitarian Assistance is delivered by Deakin from the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership, a collaborative venture between Deakin and Save the Children that combines good humanitarian practice with academic rigour and seeks to address the power balance that can be created and perpetuated by even well-meaning aid.

The course has a dual focus on equipping you with the skills to make a difference, and the critical knowledge to improve the sector.

In core units, you will explore the role and purpose of humanitarian aid and its current challenges.

Course elective units give you the opportunity to dive deeper into specialised functions, such as humanitarian aid financing and project management.

Deakin’s humanitarian assistance courses are among the first in the Asia-Pacific region – meaning when you study with us, you will benefit from our long history of sector engagement.

Through networking opportunities embedded in the course, you can also capitalise on Deakin’s strong partnerships with international non-government organisations (NGOs), United Nations agencies, other locally based NGOs, government agencies such as the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other relevant stakeholders.

Career opportunities

Career opportunities for humanitarian assistance graduates exist in government and non-government agencies concerned with the provision of all aspects of emergency and humanitarian responses, including service provision, logistical support, communications, program management and support, community engagement and support, funding, coordination, monitoring and evaluation.

Employment in the humanitarian field is also expanding, including in related areas, such as teaching, training, organisation and community capacity building, disaster risk reduction assessment and programming, consulting enterprises, journalism and communications, project management and community development.

Some of the roles you might obtain as a graduate of this course include: project administration assistant, research officer, or logistical support officer.

For more information go to DeakinTALENT.

Participation requirements

Reasonable adjustments to participation and other course requirements will be made for students with a disability. More information available at Disability support services.

Mandatory student checks

Any unit which contains work integrated learning, a community placement or interaction with the community may require a police check, Working with Children Check or other check.

Course Learning Outcomes

Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes	Course Learning Outcomes
Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities	Apply specialised knowledge of the historical development of humanitarianism and relate this knowledge to the humanitarian contexts, through analysing current and future sector-wide trends and applying learning, sector standards and strategies to a range of complex national and international situations.
Communication	Communicate the theories and practices of humanitarian action and influence and engage a diverse variety of stakeholders to effect change.
Digital literacy	Select and apply communication technologies to conduct and critically analyse research, communicate findings and other information and build relationships to engage a diverse group of stakeholders.
Critical thinking	Review and critically analyse current local and political aid environments, synthesise knowledge from a variety of stakeholders and critically reflect on current and future humanitarian trends to propose solutions and prioritise actions.
Problem solving	Use creative and critical thinking and high level professional judgement to identify resources, to engage stakeholders, and to plan and evaluate a range of solutions and responses to complex humanitarian problems.
Self-management	Engage in critical self-reflection through independent learning, commitment to continuing professional development and through receiving feedback.
Teamwork	Not explicitly assessed
Global citizenship	Apply humanitarian principles and values, and actively engage in humanitarian operations across a variety of contexts taking into consideration cultural, social, political, economic, environmental and ethical issues.

Approved at Faculty Board October 2018

Course rules

To complete the Graduate Certificate of Humanitarian Assistance students must pass 4 credit points and meet the following course rules to be eligible to graduate:

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

Students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements. See the enrolment codes and terminology to help make sense of the University’s vocabulary.

Note:

This course is part-time only.

Course structure

Core Units

AHL701

The Humanitarian World

AHA716

Refugees and Forced Migration

ADH701 The Humanitarian World [No longer available for enrolment]

Plus

2 credit points of course electives from the following list:

Elective Units

AIR726

Human Rights in World Politics

AIR707

The United Nations and International Organisation

ADH714

Gender, Race and Culture

ADH717

Climate Change and Sustainability

ADS715

Cross Cultural Communication and Practice

ADS723

Monitoring and Evaluation

AHA725 Project and Financial Management in Humanitarian Contexts [No longer available for enrolment]

Work experience

Elective units may provide the opportunity for Work Integrated Learning experiences.

Course duration

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

Further information

Student Central can help you with course planning, choosing the right units and explaining course rules and requirements.

Contact Student Central

Other learning experiences

There are options for WIL and study tours across many of the SHSS courses.

Research and research-related study

Independent research components are embedded across a number of units.

Fees and charges

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study, and their study discipline or your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Estimate your fees

For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current students website.