Clarification re CMH issuing of Diplomas and Clinical Diplomas

Sunday, 02 November 2025

This news statement is to clarify that the College of Medical Hypnosis (CMH) functions independently from the government related Registered Training Organisation (RTO) sector system. The CMH maintains the highest standards with educational research, development, ethics and delivery and has accreditations with professional health authorities.

I have also sought to clarify the use of the titles 'Certificate' and 'Diploma' when issued by the independent sector, with the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF). 

The AQF have clarified that the independent sector are able to use the term 'Certificate' provided that they do not replicate certain suffix words and numbers specified by the AQF, namely the word Certificate followed by the suffix words and numbers 'levels 1 to 4' eg Certificate Level 2 which is part of the AQFs heirarchy of credentials terms.

The word Diploma is used in different forms within the AQF credentials heirarchy, including with different prefix words eg 'Graduate' and 'Advanced'. I have asked the AQF for further clarification regarding use of the word Diploma by the independent sector and await further clarification from the AQF.

The AQF cite that the qualifications to be used by Higher Education Providers who are RTOs include: 'Graduate Diploma' (AQF level 8), 'Advanced Diploma' (AQF level 6), and 'Diploma' (AQF) level 5, the latter with no prefix word. The AQF have noted that the word 'Diploma' is a not a restricted word within the education system and to ensure that the AQF credentials heirarchy of terms is delineated from the CMH's use of the word, the CMH will now issue qualifications that include the prefix word 'Clinical' before the word 'Diploma' eg 'Clinical Diploma of .......' in place of the previously used term 'Diploma of .....' that did not include the added prefix word. Changes will be made progressively to this website to reflect this change of policy over coming months.

A further notice will appear here on the News portion of the website, once further clarification regarding the word 'Diploma' has been received from the AQF.

Dr Alan Fahey 2.11.25