Master of Mental Health Nursing

Upon successful completion, Master of Mental Health Nursing students should be able to:

• LO1: describe advanced mental health nursing clinical knowledge, skill and clinical leadership which is informed by evidence-based practice;
• LO2: synthesise and evaluate complex clinical information, problems and concepts and demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge to reflect critically on theory as it applies to mental health care settings;
• LO3: Implement a range of advanced evidence-based clinical knowledge and skills to respond to challenges and opportunities that arise within the dynamic context of the wider health care setting and promote current best practice in mental health nursing care provision that responds to emerging and unique needs.

Expanding on units undertaken in the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma, the Master of Mental Health Nursing aims to expand nursing clinicians’ knowledge and skills in mental health practice and leadership through evidence-based knowledge and practice. Students have the option to pursue a project stream or a research stream within this course. As such, they may complete either a project and two elective subjects, or complete a research dissertation in their final semester. The research stream has a PhD articulation pathway.

Both streams consolidate learning from the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health and Graduate Diploma in Mental Health in research, specialist clinical skills and knowledge as well as clinical leadership.

Current mental health postgraduate programs in Australia focus on either acute mental health care settings or generic mental health. ACU’s Master of Mental Health Nursing has been developed specifically for nursing clinicians entering into the specialist area of mental health. The course is targeted to new nursing graduates and to those working in mental health but who have no formal postgraduate mental health qualifications.

In the current period of mental health service provision reform, there has been a shift in focus from acute inpatient treatment to recovery-oriented practice, so the workforce requires professional development opportunities to keep pace with such changes.

Burning Glass data shows there were 1,539 job postings in Australia between July 2021 and June 2022 for Registered Nurses (Mental Health) and of these 10.9% required a postgraduate qualification (Burning Glass Labour Insights, 19 July 2022).

Recommended study pattern

Students are required to follow the pattern of unit enrolment set out in the relevant Course Enrolment Guide, unless otherwise approved by the Course Coordinator. In all aspects of progression through this course, students will be advised by the Course Coordinator.

Project Stream

Specified Mental Health Nursing Units (40cp)

• NRSG651 Holistic Individual Centred Mental Health Nursing Practice (10cp)
• NRSG652 Recovery Oriented Mental Health Nursing (10cp)
• NRSG653 Health Promotion and Social Inclusion in Mental Health Nursing (10cp)
• NRSG655 Reflective Practice and Clinical Supervision in Mental Health Nursing (10cp)

Project Stream Units (60cp)

• HLSC605 Leadership in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC617 Independent Project (20cp)
• HLSC640 Interpreting Health Research (10cp)
• HLSC657 Cognitive Behavour Therapy (10cp)
• PHIL623 Healthcare Ethics: Principles in Practice (10cp)

Elective Units (20cp)

• HLSC603 Organisational Culture and Management (10cp)
• HLSC604 Quality and Safety in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC606 Workforce Management (10cp)
• HLSC607 Policy and Planning in Health Care (10cp)
• HLSC609 Faciltating Learning in Health Professional Settings (10cp)
• NRSG526 Correctional Health: Mental Health Care (10cp)

Research Stream

Specified Mental Health Nursing Units (40cp)

• NRSG651 Holistic Individual Centred Mental Health Nursing Practice (10cp)
• NRSG652 Recovery Oriented Mental Health Nursing (10cp)
• NRSG653 Health Promotion and Social Inclusion in Mental Health Nursing (10cp)
• NRSG655 Reflective Practice and Clinical Supervision in Mental Health Nursing (10cp)

Research Stream Units (80cp)

• HLSC623 Research Dissertation Part A (20cp)
• HLSC624 Research Dissertation Part B (20cp)
• HLSC640 Interpreting Health Research (10cp)
• HLSC642 Biostatistics for Health Sciences (10cp)

OR

• HLSC646 Qualitative Research Methods (10cp)
• HLSC657 Cognitive Behavour Therapy (10cp)
• PHIL623 Healthcare Ethics: Principles in Practice (10cp)

Award requirements

To qualify for the Master of Mental Health Nursing, a student must complete the 120 cp from the schedule of subject offerings comprising:

1. For Project Stream:

a. 40 cp from Specified Mental Health Nursing units

b. 60 cp from Project Stream units

c. 20 cp from Elective units

OR

2. For Research Stream:

a. 40 cp from Specified Mental Health Nursing units

b. 80 cp from Research Stream units

Exit points

A student who has completed the requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing or the Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing may exit with the relevant award.

Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing 80 cp

Duration: 1 year full-time or equivalent part-time

Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing 40 cp

Duration: 1 year part-time

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

Indicative total fee $10,134

The amounts shown here are indicative for an Australian citizen studying full-time, which is typically 8 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.

Established in 1991 after amalgamating four eastern Australian Catholic tertiary institutes, Australian Catholic University now has seven campuses, from Brisbane to Melbourne and welcomes students of all beliefs. Specialising in arts, business, education, health sciences, law, theology and philosophy, ACU encourages its students to think critically and ethically and bring change to their communities and offer this online through Open Universities Australia.

Learn more about ACU.

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QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

35

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

26

To be eligible for admission to the Master of Mental Health Nursing course, an applicant must :

• Have completed a Bachelor of Nursing degree (or higher); OR have completed the Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing or the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing, or equivalent;
• To be employed in a mental health service and need to provide written confirmation from their employer that they are employed in a mental health service.

An applicant must also comply with the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

International Students must also comply with English Language Proficiency requirements as outlined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy.

• IELTS: Overall score 6.5, Individual score of 6.0 in all test
• PTE: 58 with a minimum of 50 in all four communicative skills
• TOEFL: Internet based total of 79: minimum 21 in writing, 18 in speaking, 13 in reading and 12 in listening
• ACU English Language Test: B (65-74%)
• CAE: Overall CAE of 176, Minimum individual score of 169 in all tests

Applicants having completed ACU’s Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing will be eligible for recognition of prior learning of 80 credit points.

Applicants having completed ACU’s Graduate Certificate in in Mental Health Nursing will be eligible for recognition of prior learning of 40 credit points.

If you have already studied at university level or have significant relevant work experience, you can apply for credit towards your ACU course. Credited units replace units you would otherwise study, so you can finish your course earlier.