Positive Behaviour Support

Overview

This graduate certificate provides the perfect platform for graduates looking to upgrade and extend their knowledge and skills in Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) for people with disabilities.

PBS practitioners provide comprehensive and person-centred support for people who display challenging behaviours.

This course capitalises on the demand for capable positive behaviour support (PBS) practitioners who can develop and implement PBS, as well as provide PBS leadership to interdisciplinary teams. This growing space provides exciting career opportunities, with PBS being the recommended framework for providing behaviour support to people living with disabilities under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

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Course

Graduate Certificate in Positive Behaviour Support

Duration: 1 year

Delivery mode:
In person
Online plus placement/intensive

Location:
Bedford Park

Availability:
Part-time

Start dates:
March

SATAC code: 2GC142

Annual indicative fees (2026):
$15,850 (Full fee paying)

Further information on fees listed

Apply via SATAC

Your career

The course is designed to enable you to be recognised as a PBS practitioner and to prepare you for leadership roles providing specialist behaviour support to people with disabilities, their families, and key stakeholders. From theory through to implementation in community settings, this course provides you with a solid foundation of theory and practice-based skills in PBS, which emphasises critical analysis, effective problem solving and innovation.

Potential occupations include:

behaviour support specialist
behaviour specialist
behaviour support consultant/adviser
policy officer
community development officer
support coordinator
case manager
industry trainer and facilitator in behaviour support
systemic or individual advocate
project leader /senior project worker.

Disability and
Community Inclusion:
Improve lives & realise potential

Develop the knowledge and skills to shape an inclusive society providing support and advocacy to help people live their best life with our range of disability degree programs.

Careers in disability and community inclusion

What you will study

The graduate certificate provides studies in areas such as learning and disability theories, professional and ethical practice and compliance, trauma-informed practice, functional behaviour assessment and analysis, systematic instruction, report writing and practice leadership.

Particular emphasis is placed on the techniques required to formulate, develop, implement PBS and to provide PBS leadership in supporting individuals with complex behaviour support needs.

Practical experience

This graduate certificate includes a practicum topic, during which students are mentored in applying theory to practice. This will consist of a 100-hour placement that can be completed over the duration of semester 2.

Practical experience requirements

Before commencing the placement, students need the required DHS clearances and a National Police Clearance. They must also have successfully completed a first aid certificate and the Responding to Abuse and Neglect training. Full, current details around compliance requirements are available upon enrolling in the practicum topic.