courses

3412

Monash University

Postgraduate - Course

Students who commenced study in 2014 should refer to this course entry for direction on the requirements; to check which units are currently available for enrolment, refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course.

print version

This course entry applies to students commencing this course in 2014 and should be read in conjunction with information provided in the 'Faculty information' section of this Handbook by the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Managing facultyMedicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Abbreviated titleMForensMed
Total credit points required72
Standard duration of study (years)3 years PT
Study mode and locationOff-campus (Southbank)
Admission, fee and application details http://www.monash.edu/study/coursefinder/course/3412
Contact details

Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine: telephone +61 3 9684 4115; email postgrad.courses@vifm.org

Course coordinator

Associate Professor David Wells

Notes

  • This course is not available to international students who are holders of an Australian student visa, for study onshore in Australia. However holders of some other categories of Australian visas living in Australia, and students studying off-campus by distance learning (where this option is available) and living outside of Australia, may be eligible for this course.
  • Unit codes that are not linked to their entry in the Handbook are not available for study in the current year.
  • Part-time study only. This course must be completed in a minimum of 3 years and a maximum of 5 years. The course duration is inclusive of any periods of intermission.

Description

This course is designed to further develop medical practitioners knowledge and skills so that they are able to provide a high quality clinical forensic medical service. This will include ethical and legal issues arising in forensic medical practice, the skills required to interpret injury patterns and communication with the justice system.

Outcomes

These course outcomes are aligned with the Australian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate AttributesAustralian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes (http://opvclt.monash.edu.au/curriculum-by-design/aligning-course-outcomes-with-aqf-bologna.html).

This course is designed to:

  • establish academic standards in clinical forensic medical practice
  • produce graduates who have a sound knowledge of medico-legal principles
  • develop practitioners skills in providing clinical forensic services in the community
  • strengthen the teaching- research nexus in forensic medical education
  • foster the development of career pathways in forensic medicine.

Assessment

Assessment activities, including the thesis option, are designed to further develop the participants' understanding of the theoretical principles underpinning forensic practice. Assessment methods will vary but may include coursework and workshop participation, formal assignments, casebooks and minor thesis.

Structure

This course consists of coursework and a minor thesis, or coursework only.

Areas of study

Requirements

Core units

Semester one

  • FOR4003 Ethics, medicine and the law

Semester two

Coursework and minor thesis option

Students must complete:

  • a minor thesis
  • 48 points of electives from those listed below

Students undertaking the minor thesis are required to prepare a research proposal at an early stage of their minor thesis enrolment and have this approved by their thesis supervisor. The area of research must cover a topic directly related to forensic medicine, and should include at least one elective unit of instruction on research methodologies and basic statistics.

Coursework only option

Students must complete:

  • 54 points of electives from those listed below

Elective units

Suitable elective units can also be identified using the browse units toolbrowse units tool (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/search) in the current edition of the Handbook..

Minimum grade for course completion

All assessable components of each unit must be passed in order to complete this course.

Students must achieve a minimum distinction grade average in all three core units to qualify for this award. Students who do not achieve this average may exit with a Graduate Certificate of Forensic Medicine or Graduate Diploma of Forensic Medicine, providing all requirements for the award have been met.

Alternative exit(s)

Students wishing to exit this course may apply to graduate with one of the following, provided they have satisfied the requirements for that award:

  • Graduate Certificate of Forensic Medicine
  • Graduate Diploma of Forensic Medicine.

Award(s)

Master of Forensic Medicine