CM40 - Bachelor of Paramedic Science/Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management

Overview

Compulsory Residential School

Some units in this course require you to attend a compulsory Residential School or Work Integrated Learning. Please see Course Features in the Getting Started tab for further information.

Course Overview

The Bachelor of Paramedic Science/Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management recognises the rapidly changing nature of paramedicine. It is critical that paramedicine expand its scope and role nationally and internationally. As a student in this course, you will draw upon the interdisciplinary nature of paramedicine and emergency and disaster management to explore current and emerging trends and national and international approaches, as well as the key concepts and perspectives that underpin contemporary practice in these fields. You will study with other students from a broad range of disciplines, expand your knowledge and skills and learn to apply this to the various phases of managing prehospital patients and expand your role to encompass emergency and disaster management.

This course is targeted at people wanting to work in emergency service agencies; professionals working in private, government, non-government and community-based organisations who will play a role in emergency and disaster management; and those with a personal and/or professional interest in these fields. 

Career Information

Graduates of the Bachelor of Paramedic Science/Graduate Certificate in Emergency and Disaster Management course from CQUniversity have developed the expertise and skills to work as health professionals in emergency medicine, prehospital retrieval and emergency and disaster management sectors. Work-integrated clinical units are included in the 2nd and 3rd years of the course to facilitate the work readiness of graduates. Graduates of this course may specialise in intensive care paramedic practice, aviation and retrieval medicine, occupational health and safety, tactical medicine, special operations, clinical education, public health, business management, hospital health services and roles encompassing emergency and disaster management. Employment options after the course include government ambulance services, hospitals, private, government, non-government and community organisations supporting mines, local and regional councils.

Course Details
Duration 3.5 years full-time or 7 years part-time
Credit Points that Must be Earned 168
Number of Units Required CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in undergraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24).
Expected Hours of Study One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term.
Course Type Undergraduate Award
Qualification (post nominal) BParamedSc and GradCertEDM
AQF Level Level 8: Graduate Certificate
Course Fees
Indicative Year - 2025
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $10,294
  • Domestic Full Fee Paying – Indicative First Year Fee - $30,732
Indicative Year - 2024
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $9,325
  • International Indicative First Term Fee - $19,140
  • International Indicative First Year Fee - $38,220
Indicative Year - 2023
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $8,650
Indicative Year - 2022
  • Commonwealth Supported Place – Indicative First Year Fee - $9,164

Admission Codes

Domestic Students
Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes
International Students
CRICOS Codes
Not Applicable
Where and when can I start?
Units offered internally at the below campuses may be delivered using a combination of face-to-face and video conferencing style teaching.
Units offered via MIX mode are delivered online and require compulsory attendance of site-specific learning activities such as on-campus residential schools, placements and/or work integrated learning. See Course Features tab for further information. Online units are delivered using online resources only.
Please Click Here for more information.
The following tables list the courses availabilities by location and term. Directing your pointer over your preferred location will provide further information if this course is not available for the full duration. Please be sure to also check individual unit availability by location and term prior to enrolling.

Domestic Availability

Term 2 - 2026

Online

Term 1 - 2026

Cairns
Online
Rockhampton
Townsville

Term 2 - 2025

Online

Term 1 - 2025

Online
Rockhampton

Term 2 - 2024

Online

Term 1 - 2024

Cairns
Online
Rockhampton
Townsville

Term 1 - 2023

Cairns
Online
Rockhampton
Townsville

Term 1 - 2022

Cairns
Online
Rockhampton
Townsville
Show All

International Availability

Term 2 - 2026

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2026

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2025

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2025

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 2 - 2024

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2024

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2023

Sorry, no international availabilities found.

Term 1 - 2022

Sorry, no international availabilities found.
Show All
For any problems regarding admissions availability for the selected course please contact 13 CQUni (13 27 86) or send us an email at http://contactus.cqu.edu.au/
What do I need to start?
Entry Scores
Entry scores are not available, please contact the Student Advice Team for more information.
Entry Requirements

English (Units 3 & 4, C) or equivalent

English Language Proficiency Requirements

If you were not born in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa or the United States of America, you are required to meet the English Language Proficiency requirements set by the University.  Applicants are required to provide evidence of completion within the last 5 years of:

  • A secondary qualification (Year 11 and 12, or equivalent), or
  • Bachelor level qualification study for a period of at least 2 years fulltime with a minimum overall GPA 4.0

Completed within Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Ireland, or the United States of America, which will meet the English proficiency.

If you do not satisfy any of the above you will need to undertake an English language proficiency test and achieve the following scores:

  • An International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic) overall band score of at least 7.0 with a minimum 7.0 in each subset; or
  • Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Requires 600 or better overall and minimum TWE score of 5.0 (Paper Based Test), or 100 or better overall and a score of 25 or better in the Writing section (Internet Based Test); or
  • Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) - Requires an overall score of 64 with no communication score less than 64; or
  • An Occupational English Test with Grades A or B only in each of the four components.

English test results remain valid for no more than two years between the final examination date and the date of commencement of the study and must appear on a single result certificate.

Each student will be assessed individually.

Assumed Knowledge

English (Units 3 & 4, C), Mathematical Methods (Units 3 & 4, C), Chemistry, Biology, Science.

Fees and Charges
Course Features

Awards and Accreditation

Interim Awards CG95 - Bachelor of Paramedic Science
Exit Awards CL13 - Diploma of Health Science CG95 - Bachelor of Paramedic Science
Accreditation
  • Core

    This course will seek accreditation from the Australian Health Practitioners Regulatory Agency through the Paramedicine Board of Australia.

Residential School Requirements

Compulsory Residential School All students will be required to attend compulsory residential schools for several units. Residential schools may be held in Cairns, Townsville or Rockhampton. Information relating to residential school locations will be available to the students via the handbook and associated Moodle pages.
Click here to view all Residential Schools

Practicum/Work Placement

PMSC13004 - Throughout the course, students are required to undertake compulsory work-integrated-learning placements with an approved placement provider. Clinical placements will provide students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and professional attributes required to safely and competently practice as a paramedic.
PMSC13002 - Throughout the course, students are required to undertake compulsory work-integrated-learning placements with an approved placement provider. Clinical placements will provide students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and professional attributes required to safely and competently practice as a paramedic.
PMSC12002 - Throughout the course, students are required to undertake compulsory work-integrated-learning placements with an approved placement provider. Clinical placements will provide students the opportunity to develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and professional attributes required to safely and competently practice as a paramedic.

Previous and Current Enrolments

Year Number of Students
2024 165
2023 103
2022 53
Inherent Requirements
There are currently no inherent requirements associated with this course.
Compulsory Requirements
Health Requirements

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) placements apply to this course and are subject to compulsory pre-placement conditions referred to as mandatory checks. They are outlined in the health, security, and other compulsory requirements sections. Industry, organisations, legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures determine mandatory checks. To be eligible for a WIL placement, students must first achieve compliance with mandatory checks by each closing date before a WIL placement and maintain current evidence for the duration of the course.

Mandatory health requirements include a medical assessment process, immunisation and vaccination evidence (and serology where required) for the following diseases: Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella, Varicella, Pertussis, Influenza, and Tuberculosis screening. Quantitative Respirator mask fit testing is also an annual requirement for this course.

COVID-19 Vaccination Advice

Effective 25 September 2023, updates have been made to the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for Queensland Health sites and the Queensland Ambulance Service. While Queensland Health does not currently mandate evidence of COVID-19 vaccination, it's essential to recognise that other organisations may enforce their own vaccination specific criteria. This situation is similar across other states and territories, with the exception of Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, where COVID-19 vaccination is mandatory for all healthcare students.    

Security Requirements

Mandatory security requirements include an Australian Federal Police clearance and working with children check.

Other Compulsory Requirements

Other mandatory requirements include a First Aid and CPR certificate, student agreement to privacy and confidentiality, adherence to AHPRA policies for a registered student professional, fitness to participate in WIL student declaration, jurisdictional and site-specific compulsory requirements, and other training modules.

Core Learning Outcomes
  • 1. Demonstrate clinical reasoning, judgment and problem solving skills to make informed decisions for appropriate action
  • 2. Conduct appropriate diagnostic and monitoring procedures to formulate safe and timely patient care and actions
  • 3. Formulate specific and appropriate patient care and treatment actions, and monitor the patient's capacity to receive care
  • 4. Critically appraise and appreciate the underpinning bodies of knowledge specifically relevant to paramedic practice
  • 5. Monitor and review your practice, actively participate in reflection and audit processes to modify and improve professional practice
  • 6. Employ dynamic risk assessments while working effectively and ethically to provide a safe operational environment for yourself, your patient and others
  • 7. Communicate clearly, sensitively and effectively with patients and others, while providing an appropriate level of dignity and care in all circumstances to support your patient's rights and needs
  • 8. Practice ethically, professionally and collaboratively, consistent with relevant legislation, regulatory bodies and accredited government or private service providers
  • 9. Assume responsibility and accept accountability for professional decisions and reflect on performance
  • 10. Provide accurate, comprehensive and professional patient information and records to other health professionals and agencies, via authorised information management systems, in accordance with relevant privacy and confidentiality policy and legislation
  • 11. Identify ongoing personal professional development and learning opportunities, and actively share knowledge and experience with others
  • 12. Demonstrate the requisite skills and knowledge to safely respond to a mass casualty or major incident situation
  • 13. Analyse complex technical and theoretical emergency and disaster management concepts
  • 14. Critically appraise the current and emerging national and international emergency and disaster management approaches
  • 15. Identify appropriate strategies to develop and maintain partnerships in emergency and disaster management
  • 16. Communicate high-level actions and solutions to emergency and disaster management issues that are ground in research/evidence.
  Course Learning Outcomes
Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
1. KNOWLEDGE Have specialised knowledge within a systematic and coherent body of knowledge that may include the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills in a new or existing discipline or professional area
2. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to review,analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge and identify and provide solutions to complex problems
3. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to think critically and to generate and evaluate complex ideas
4. SKILLS Have specialised technical and creative skills in a field of highly skilled and/or professional practice
5. SKILLS Have communication skills to demonstrate an understanding of theoretical concepts
6. SKILLS Have communication skills to transfer complex knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences
7. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to make high level, independent judgements in a range of technical or management functions in varied specialised contexts
8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to initiate, plan, implement and evaluate broad functions within varied specialised technical and/or creative contexts
9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILL Be responsible and accountable for personal outputs and all aspects of the work or function of others within broad parameters
10. FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE sufficient to undertake qualifications
11. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of knowledge in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units
12. FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS sufficient to undertake qualifications
13. ACQUISITION AND APPLICATION of skills in new or existing disciplines or professional areas drawn from higher education units
14. Course content drawn from higher education units
Course Structure

In order to complete this course, you must:

  1. Complete the core structure
Number of units: 28 Total credit points: 168

Students will be required to follow an approved course structure and have completed all pre-requisite units before undertaking Work-Integrated-Learning units.

Available units
Students must complete the following compulsory units:
CHEM11042 Fundamentals of Chemistry
BMSC11010 Human Anatomy and Physiology 1
PMSC11002 Foundations of Paramedic Clinical Practice
ALLH11009 Research Methods for Health Professionals
BMSC11011 Human Anatomy and Physiology 2
NURS11171 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Health
PMSC11004 Paramedic Medical Emergencies 1
PMSC12001 Procedures and Skills in Paramedic Care
HLTH11027 Foundations of Health
PMSC12005 Paramedic Medical Emergencies 2
BMSC11005 Foundations of Biochemistry
PMSC12004 Advanced Electrophysiology and Coronary Care
BMSC12014 Pharmacology for Health Professionals
PMSC12002 Clinical Paramedic Practice 1
PMSC12003 Special Populations in Paramedic Practice
MPAT12001 Medical Pathophysiology
DSMG28001 Foundations of Emergency and Disaster Management
DSMG20003 Research for Emergency and Disaster Management
PMSC13002 Clinical Paramedic Practice 2
PMSC13001 Mental Health for Paramedics
PMSC13012 Paramedic Medical Emergencies 3
ALLH12006 Evidence Based Practice for Health Professionals
PMSC13004 Clinical Paramedic Practice 3
PMSC13010 Consolidated Paramedic Practice
PMSC13014 Paramedic Trauma and Emergency Management
PMSC13013 Transition to Paramedic Practice and Professionalism
COMM20110 Crisis Communication
DSMG29001 Disaster Risk Reduction
More Details

Clinical placement

Students are required to complete three Clinical Paramedic Practice units during the course, which amount to a minimum of 15 weeks of full-time work placement. Clinical placements are invaluable in developing professional and clinical skills and workplace literacy within the authentic clinical and operational environment and ensure high standards of graduate work readiness and employability.

Due to the very high demand for placement positions, students must be prepared to travel to any location within Queensland with the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) to attend your clinical placements as a placement experience near your residence is highly unlikely.

The three clinical placement units embedded in the Course include the following units:

  • PMSC12002 – Clinical Paramedic Practice 1 (2nd year, Term One) for 5 weeks in duration;

  • PMSC13002 – Clinical Paramedic Practice 2 (2nd year, Term Three) for 5 weeks in duration; and

  • PMSC13004 – Clinical Paramedic Practice 3 (3rd year, Term Two) for 5 weeks in duration

There is no capacity for students to request split blocks, custom dates, attend placement in a part-time capacity or only on specific days of the week. The dates for all clinical placements will be available once students are enrolled into the Course.

Placement experiences are designed to provide an average of 40 hours per week at a 24-hour station. Under direct supervision, students will engage in clinical and operational activities, with participation aligning with the academic unit of enrolment.

Interstate Clinical Placements

The following outlines what availability, if any, is afforded to students who reside in other states or territories other than Queensland.

STATE / TERRITORY POSSIBILITY OF PLACEMENTS WITH THE AMBULANCE JURISDICTION OF THAT STATE OR TERRITORY CLINICAL PLACEMENT LOCATION

Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Tasmania

Western Australia

Northern Territory

No All students who reside in these states/territories must undertake all clinical placements with the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) 
South Australia To be eligible to participate in placements with the South Australian Ambulance Service (SAAS), students must be enrolled in the Graduate Paramedic Pathway (GPP) offered by the SAAS.

All other students must complete all placements with the QAS who:

· are staff of the SAAS (paid or unpaid) but are not on the GPP; or

· reside in SA but are not staff (paid or unpaid) of the SAAS.

Victoria Students employed by Ambulance Victoria (AV), whether in a paid or unpaid capacity, are eligible to submit an Expression of Interest to the Unit Coordinator for participation in clinical placements with Ambulance Victoria. [1] All students who are not approved by AV must undertake all clinical placements with the QAS.

 

Outbound Mobility (International)

CQUniversity offers opportunities for students to engage in International Outbound Mobility tours. Participation in CQUniversity-approved and supervised international engagements will support a maximum of two (2) weeks of credit toward the student's next scheduled clinical placement unit.

Placements with non-state or territory ambulance jurisdictions

With the exception of overseas clinical placement activity, placements with any private companies are not approved.

Contacting placement providers

All CQUniversity students are not permitted to make contact with any ambulance jurisdiction to discuss clinical placement opportunities. All placements with ambulance jurisdictions must be coordinated centrally through either the WIL team or academic unit coordinators.

Mandatory requirements for clinical placement

Students will be required to purchase, from the CQUniversity Bookshop, the approved Paramedic Clinical Placement uniform for wearing during lab sessions, residential schools, and all clinical placements. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will also need to be purchased from the CQUniversity Bookshop as a Workplace Health and Safety requirement by all Ambulance Services when on clinical placement. Non-adherence to uniform and PPE requirements will result in immediate removal from clinical placement.

All statutory Ambulance Services mandate that students meet certain vaccination and health standards prior to attendance as well as CQUniversity also identifying certain requirements to ensure student safety and readiness for practice. Information on these requirements and associated due dates is communicated, and available, via the WIL team.

All requirements are non-negotiable and are required to be successfully achieved by specific timeframes. Please contact the WIL team via wil-hmas@cqu.edu.au to discuss further.

The broad categories of mandatory requirements include, but not limited to:

  • Immunisations and vaccinations 

  • Medical Assessment 

  • Working with Children Check (also known as a Blue Card) 

  • National Criminal History Check (NCHC)

  • First Aid & CPR

  • Ambulance service hosted clinical placement Orientation and Declarations.

The above can change without notice by ambulance jurisdictions and/or Health Departments. For further information pertaining to the above requirements, please discuss with the WIL team as well as refer to https://www.ambulance.qld.gov.au/clinicalplacements.html

Prospective students who have further enquiries should contact 13 27 86.

 

[1]   The current Deed of Agreement between CQUni and AV restricts the number of placements available to CQUni students therefore, being an employee of AV does not automatically qualify you to be eligible to undertake placements with AV. Your Expression of Interest will be considered on a case-by-case basis with AV. In the event that AV does not approve your request, all placements must be undertaken with the QAS.