SPECIALIST DIPLOMA IN GERONTOLOGY
(MENTAL HEALTH) (E-Learning)
Becoming a professional who is able to apply personhood perspective to aged care practices to effectively support, initiate and manage high quality psychological support to older people with complex needs.
Experience Collaborative Learning in Healthcare
PROGRAMMES OVERVIEW
The Specialist Diploma in Gerontology (Mental Health) (E-Learning) has been specially designed to:
- To educate the learner to apply a personhood perspective to aged care practices to effectively support, initiate and manage high quality psychological support to older people with complex needs
- Provide learners with a specialised, theoretical, evidence-based, and practice-informed professional knowledge.
Learners will be able to critically evaluate a range of health sector research, strategies, theories, models, and approaches that underpin practice. They will develop evaluative thinking capabilities through a comprehensive and integrated exploration of the complex mental health requirements of older people.


Nurture yourself to become an Elderly Care Professional
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Analyse current service delivery from a historical political, legal and societal perspective, including changing demographics.
- Examine research and philosophical underpinnings of aged care and psychosocial support.
- Analyse concepts of the health professionals rile and apply specialist skills of communication, cultural safety and ethics from a personhood and multidisciplinary approach.
- Apply the theoretical and practical understanding required to provide appropriate direct care to older people with complex psychosocial and physical health needs.
- Using reflection demonstrate a personal awareness of attitudes towards ageing and ageism as it informs clinical practice.
PROGRAMME MODULES
The Specialist Diploma consists of 120 credits and students are required to complete 7 modules, including an Industrial Attachment.
- Culture, Society and Policy (15 credits)
- Attitudes Toward Ageing (15 credits)
- Body and Self in Ageing (15 credits)
- Practice Preparation (15 credits)
- Ethics and Professional Practice (15 credits)
- Communication in Support Practice (15 credits)
- Fieldwork Practice – Industrial Attachment (30 credits)
Industrial Placement
The industrial placement comprises of 160 placement hours during the academic semester. Students who are currently employed in the healthcare sector may be exempted from the internship but will need to complete assessments associated with this module based on their current employment.
The average student- to – lecturer ratio is 1: 20.
Assessment Methods
All modules within the Specialist Diploma are assessed through assignments.
Award
Upon successful completion and passing of all modules of the programme, students will be awarded a Specialist Diploma in Gerontology (Mental Health) by RHA Academy Pte Ltd.
Students will need to achieve a minimum attendance rate of 80%
UPCOMING INTAKE
To be advised.
- To be eligible for admission to the program, applicants must meet academic and English language entry requirements.
- A Bachelor’s Degree in a related field (Including Nursing, Allied Health, Teaching , Psychology, Counselling, Social Work, and Life Science disciplines)
- Diploma from recognised local polytechnics or pathway programmes from other Private Education Institutions AND a minimum of 2 years work experience in the Healthcare industry.
- Mature Candidates (30 years old and above) with a minimum 8 years of working experience.
The applicant is required to demonstrate their proficiency in English in one of the following ways:
- At least a C6 pass for English at GCE ‘O’ Level; OR
- IELTS 5.5 or equivalent (with a minimum of 5.0 in each element) OR
- TOEFL score of 453 or equivalent
Application Fee: S $107
Tuition Fee: S $12,190
*Note:
- All fees quoted above are inclusive of the prevailing GST
- Tuition fees are payable in installments and subject to review every year
- A minimum of 10 students is required to start a class
Who should undertake this programme?
COURSE INFORMATION
Programme Duration
The program can be completed within 8 months on a full-time basis, and 12 months on a part-time basis.
Career Prospects
Graduates of this programme have a diverse array of employment opportunities spanning the healthcare industry, specifically in the fields of elderly care and mental health awareness.
Gerontology graduates are well suited for careers in nursing homes, elderly day care centers, respite facilities, long term care facilities and community agencies related to the planning and provision of the direct care of the elderly.
STUDENTS' TESTIMONIALS
I came into the course with an open mind and the intention to learn more of eldercare and elderly related issues.
My first module encounter with Phyllis was positive, she has made one of the most difficult module to be easily absorbed. Her lectures delivery was engaging and interactive for the class.
This journey of learning has also allowed me to see my ageing parents from a very different angles and begin to accept their ageing shortcomings better.
In my individual assignment, I took the topic of ‘Violence on Older Adults and the Vulnerable Adults Act’s application’.
As I write my assignment, it has made me to realise that all what the State could enshrining the VAA to legalisation but there are still much limitations.
Basically, because we have very unique culture with blend of Asian piety, family hierarchy and upbringing, alongside with formal Western Education and influences.
From this point I really hope there will not be the need to use the VAA to bring any one to persecution because every aging elderly deserves to age in full dignity.
I really encourage anyone who is keen to learn first-hand knowledge of the ageing experience and against the stereotyping of ageism to attend this course.
It’s eye-opening, informative and lastly applicative to every interest on how the older adult goes thru ageing process.

For me, besides learning and trying to pass this module, what I have acquired is important as I age and have ageing parents. Through hers and others' sharing, I have come to know more on the plight of other vulnerable older adults. This made me become more tolerance on the behaviours of some older adults I encountered thinking that perhaps their behaviours were an outlet for them to release their stress.
Both the individual assignments have been very meaningful for me. As a result of the individual formative assignment, I have adopted a more inquisitive mindset and active listening to the elderly persons I encountered. I also used the "interview techniques" to learn more about my parents' childhood which I would not have bothered if I didn't do this assignment.
The summative assignment was rather difficult for me but through research and reading, I believe I now have more understanding on some of the schemes and programmes that the government has in placed to assist the vulnerable older adults. It has also reminded me that I need to keep myself active if I want to age healthily.