Courses at AACDS stand out from courses delivered by other Providers for the following reasons:

• We have Nationally Recognised/Government Accredited Qualifications
• We have an award-winning Curriculum and Training Model
• ACDS has Curriculum that is born from Cosmetic Medicine, NOT beauty therapy
• Our practical training is delivered in state-of-the-art student clinics located in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Gold Coast.
  Aspire Training Clinics are designed specifically to ensure students gain maximum exposure to a
  range of aesthetic equipment, products and techniques
• Practical training is delivered in a quality-learning environment of only two students per trainer, NOT group training or simply observation/clinical placement
• Industry Recognised by your potential employers
• Flexible, online delivery of theory units coupled with flexible blocks of practical training

AACDS courses offer many benefits (some are listed below), however we recommend that you closely assess all course options provided by other providers to compare which course suits your needs and gives the best return on your investment.

1. The 52854WA Graduate Diploma of Dermal Science is the highest qualification available in Dermal Therapies recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). It is above a Bachelor Degree level.For further information, please see this link http://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf/in-detail/aqf-levels/

2. The 52852WA Graduate Diploma of Cosmetic Nursing and Injectables is the only nationally accredited course delivering a blend of theory and practical in both cosmetic injectables and dermal therapies. Practical training comprises of hands-on clinical competencies with a ratio of two students to one trainer.AACDS does NOT believe in using clinical placement as the primary teaching tool to learn clinical skills

3. AACDS’ practical training is unique, students have exclusivity to treatment models and aesthetic equipment and learn in a highly supervised, clinical environment.AACDS does NOT believe in group training in which demonstration and observation is used as the primary teaching tool

Hands-on practical training requires the student to practice clinical competencies on a range of patients under the guidance of a qualified Dermal Therapist, Cosmetic Nurse or Cosmetic Doctor (depending on the procedure being taught). During practical training at AACDS, students are required to complete a set number of case studies in each procedure involving:

• Patient consultation/informed consent/patient referral
• Skin assessments (including dermatoscopy in the Graduate Diplomas)
• Pre/post procedure photography
• Treatment station set up
• Performing the dermal procedure / performing the cosmetic injectable procedure
• Hygiene and infection control
• Patient documentation
• Using a patient management system

Clinical Placement on the other hand is similar to work experience in which students observe some procedures and the day-to-day running of the clinic. Clinical Placement can be a useful learning tool to help consolidate theoretical knowledge and practical skills, it should NOT however be used as the primary learning tool in aesthetics. AACDS courses contain core units in hand-on practical training in addition to an optional clinical placement unit.

Students complete hands-on practical training in blocks at the Aspire Training Clinics. These clinics are specifically designed for AACDS students to learn a range of dermal therapy and injectable procedures on real patients. Only established training clinics can provide this valuable learning environment.

On completion of our course, you will have the theory and practical skills to perform:

• Laser and IPL to treat vascular and pigmented lesions
• Laser and IPL for hair reduction
• Non-ablative fractionated laser skin rejuvenation
• Light Emitting Diode Therapy
• Skin/Micro-Needling
• Dermatoscopy (Graduate Diplomas only)
• Clinical Microdermabrasion
• Chemical Peeling (AHA, TCA and Jessner’s)
• Wrinkle Relaxers (Grad Dip of Cosmetic Nursing and Injectables only)
• Dermal Fillers (Grad Dip of Cosmetic Nursing and Injectables only)

Job prospects in cosmetic clinics are currently very good as cosmetic medicine and dermal therapies are growth industries in Australia. AACDS graduates and alumni have exclusive access to the AACDS Recruitment Site. AACDS work with employer groups such as –  Laser Clinics Australia and Australian Skin Clinics so our graduates gain maximum employment opportunities.

You may also wish to view SEEK (www.seek.com.au) by using search keywords such as ‘Dermal Therapist’, ‘Skin Therapist’, Laser Therapist’, ‘Cosmetic Nurse’, ‘Cosmetic Injector’, etc depending on your qualification.

*please note AACDS does not guarantee you employment after the completion of your course, we can recommend places to apply within our network, it is the students responsibility to apply and meet the criteria of the job advertised. Job market trends can fluctuate depending on the current economy.

At AACDS, we train for a career rather than a piece of paper. AACDS qualifications are therefore nationally recognised by the following professional and Government bodies:

• Australian Qualification Framework (AQF)
• Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)
• Australian College of Aesthetic Medicine (Cosmetic Nurse Membership Category)
• Australian College of Dermal Clinicians
• Aesthetic Practitioners Advisory Network
• Cosmetic Physicians College of Australasia
• Radiological Council of WA
• QLD Radiation Health
• Australian Society of Cosmetic Chemists (10788NAT Dip. of Personal Care Formulation)
• Australasian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery

The 52850WA Advanced Diploma of Cosmetic Dermal Science is an undergraduate course developed for candidates wanting to work as a qualified Dermal Therapist in a cosmetic medical practice or dermal clinic. The curriculum covers the knowledge and skills required to perform a range of dermal therapy procedures within a cosmetic medical context. This course is an ideal alternative to Beauty Therapy as it caters for candidates who wish to provide results-driven procedures and work alongside other allied health and cosmetic medical professionals.

Skills recognition/recognition of prior learning (RPL) recognises what you have already learnt from other courses, other life experiences, from work experience and from any other training provided at work and measures it against the competency standards and learning outcomes of the core units associated with AACDS qualifications. If your experience is relevant, you may not have to complete part of the course or unit. It is important to apply for RPL before course enrolment if you think that you have already gained some experience that may be relevant to the AACDS qualification. The AACDS RPL process is structured to minimise time to the applicants and to provide adequate information, support and opportunities for participants to engage in the RPL process. For further information about skills recognition, please click here.

AACDS qualifications (Graduate Diploma of Dermal Science, Graduate Diploma of Cosmetic Nursing and Injectables and Advanced Diploma of Cosmetic Dermal Science) are recognised by the Radiological Council of WA as meeting the laser licence exemption criteria for the following categories:

1. Superficial Cosmetic Procedures (vascular and pigment)
2. Hair Reduction

AACDS qualifications (Graduate Diploma of Dermal Science, Graduate Diploma of Cosmetic Nursing and Injectables and Advanced Diploma of Cosmetic Dermal Science) are recognised by the QLD Radiation Health as meeting the laser licence fast track criteria for the following categories:

1. Skin Rejuvenation
2. Hair Reduction
3. Vascular

Laser tattoo removal falls in a separate category. For further information about training in laser tattoo removal, please click here.

Each theory unit has two to three different assessments.
Assessment methods include:

• case studies
• clinical studies/research
• workbooks
• Written questions/multiple choice and short answer questions
• Written exams

Assessments for practical units include:

• direct observation
• oral questions

The Unit Guide and Assessment Plan for each unit advises students of the assessment criteria at the time of commencing the unit.

1. Students firstly receive a Welcome to Study Pack consisting of resources to assist with successful study.
2. Students have an assessor/support person assigned to them for each unit.
3. Course/Unit Coordinators on-campus (in Perth) are available to speak with or email.
4. An optional, fortnightly online Q&A session with a Unit Coordinator is offered.

AACDS Graduates are provided with one-years complimentary access to Aesthetics CPD. The Aesthetics CPD program provides online lectures and videos presenting new industry concepts, treatment modalities, technology and procedures. CPD events are held in Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Gold Coast roughly every quarter. AACDS Graduates are offered discounted prices to attend CPD workshops.

Clinical Placement is an optional unit for students who have no or minimal clinical experience in dermal therapies and/or cosmetic medicine. The unit aims to direct theoretical knowledge into a clinical environment, allowing students to gain experience in a real-life cosmetic medical clinic. Clinical Placement involves a commitment of 76 hours and attracts fee of $550 in addition to course fees.

Students can defer their studies if extenuating circumstances prevent them from continuing. Application for deferral needs to be supported with documented evidence of these circumstances. Examples of extenuating circumstances include: significant illness or death of an immediate family member etc.

Yes. AACDS graduates gain access to the AACDS Recruitment Site to view jobs advertised in the cosmetic industry. However, AACDS cannot guarantee employment after graduation.

To become a cosmetic nurse, you must have completed a university qualification in nursing and gain a registration with AHPRA (the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency). Once you have completed a qualification in nursing, you must then gain experience as a practicing nurse (this can be done during your postgraduate studies). Only then can you enrol in the Graduate Diploma of Cosmetic Nursing and Injectables to become a cosmetic nurse. For more information, you can visit cosmeticnursing.com.au