Graduate Certificate in Registered Nurse Prescribing

In the context of advanced nursing practice, graduates of the Graduate Certificate in Registered Nurse Prescribing will have advanced knowledge of:

1. the role of the nurse in advanced practice within the various clinical, political and professional contexts
2. the scientific and theoretical basis for the clinical assessment, management, care, interdisciplinary consultation, collaboration and referral of patients with altered physiological function
3. the multiple legal, social, ethical, organisational and scope of practice implications and considerations for effective and informed advanced practice and professional role development, particularly in relation to designated registered nurse prescribing
4. contemporary concepts of leadership and management relevant to health services including standards, policies and legislation associated with advanced nursing practice and designated registered nurse prescribing
5. research and evidence-base that informs quality and safe advanced nursing practice and health care.

Advance your career as a registered nurse prescriber

Use your clinical experience and commitment to patient care to prepare for practice as a designated registered nurse prescriber. This graduate certificate provides the specialist prescribing courses required to meet the educational criteria for NMBA-approved units of study, supporting your pathway to endorsement for scheduled medicines.

Highlights of studying the Graduate Certificate in Registered Nurse Prescribing:

• Extend your clinical skills to safely prescribe scheduled medicines as a designated registered nurse prescriber.
• Build leadership capability to influence healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes.
• Learn through case studies, real-world scenarios, and expert-led discussions to strengthen problem-solving and critical thinking.

This qualification opens new opportunities to advance your career, broaden your scope of practice, and make a lasting impact in healthcare.

For the full list of requirements for endorsement, please refer to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.

Recommended study pattern

As a guide, core subjects in this degree can include:

• Advanced Health Assessment
• Registered Nurse Prescribing 1 
• Transforming and Leading Healthcare 
• Registered Nurse Prescribing 2  

As part of your application, you’ll be guided through how to get the right degree structure in place for you. 

Award requirements

For the award of Graduate Certificate in Registered Nurse Prescribing, you must successfully

Complete 40 credit points comprising:

• 40 credit points for all Foundation Module

Open Universities Australia is a not-for-profit organisation. You will not pay any fees for using our services.

Indicative total fee $12,750

The amount shown here is indicative for an Australian citizen studying part-time, which is typically 4 subjects per year.

Fees may vary depending on:

• the subjects you choose
• credit from previous work experience
• your eligibility for government funding loans or subsidies such as HECS-HELP or a Commonwealth supported place.

To learn more, go to Fees or contact a student advisor.

With a network of campuses spanning three cities in South East Queensland, Griffith University is committed to progressive multidisciplinary teaching and research and a valuable online provider with Open Universities Australia.

Already attracting students from over one hundred countries, Griffith's dedication to academic excellence is available across Australia through OUA.

Learn more about Griffith University

Explore Griffith University courses

QS World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

18

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2026, within Australia:

20

To be eligible for this program, you must meet the following criteria:

• a recognised Bachelor of Nursing degree (or higher)
• current, unrestricted registration as a registered nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra)
• a minimum of 3 years full-time (or equivalent) work experience as a registered nurse in the last 6 years
• Two letters of support, one from each: your Nurse Unit Manager and an endorsed prescriber in your clinical workplace. Letters must be on hospital letterhead and dated within 3 months of your application.

English language requirements apply to International applicants and other applicants whose previous study was undertaken in a language other than English. The minimum English language requirements for such applicants for entry to this program are as follows:

• A minimum overall band score of 6.5 on IELTS (Academic) with no sub-score of less than 6.0
• OR a minimum score of 575 on TOEFL
• OR an internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score of 79 (no sub-score less than 19)
• OR no score less than 3+ in each skill of the ISLPR (conducted by ISLPR Language Services only)
• OR a minimum overall score of 176 (no score less than 169) on C1 Advanced (formerly Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English) or C2 Proficiency (formerly Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English)
• OR an overall score of 58 in the Pearson Test of English (Academic) with no score less than 50.

All applicants who hold current unrestricted registration as a Nurse with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) are deemed to have met the English language requirements for admission to the program due to the requirements outlined in the Registration Standard (English Language Skills) set by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA).

English test results must be no more than two years old.

The Direct Entry Program (DEP) pathway is not accepted for this program.

Applicants should refer to the English language requirements section of the following University procedure for exceptions to these overall requirements:

• Admission Procedure

Reduce the time it takes to finish your degree. You can apply to Griffith to recognise your prior learning, including:  

• Formal learning through courses completed at uni and TAFE.  
• Informal learning through workplace experience or volunteer training.  
• Non-formal learning through social experiences and hobbies.