Master of Mental Health Nursing

At the end of the program, students of the Master of Mental Health Nursing can:  

1. Apply expert clinical judgement and decision-making in mental health care settings.  
2. Critically evaluate and integrate models of treatment. 
3. Advocate for mental health consumers, reducing stigma and promoting social inclusion and independence. 
4. Adapt to increasingly complex environments and work collaboratively across teams demonstrating expert leadership and management skills. 
5. Develop an evidence-based approach to effectively translate and apply theories and concepts that strengthen practice by ensuring informed decision making. 

Our Master of Mental Health Nursing is developed against the latest mental health industry standards as set by the Australian College of Mental Health Nursing (ACMHN).

You can use your qualification upon completion as part of the pathway to becoming a credentialed mental health nurse. When you study your mental health nursing course online, you will be learning from highly-skilled, clinically active mental health academics. Our degree equips you with the skills and knowledge to forge a successful career as a mental health nurse, ensuring you are prepared to respond to the challenges and opportunities of the healthcare industry. Studying your mental health nursing degree online will give you advanced knowledge to help people with a lived experience of mental illness. With one in six Australians currently experiencing depression or anxiety or both, and support-seeking rapidly growing, there is a great need for highly qualified mental health professionals.

Recommended study pattern

To graduate with a Master of Mental Health Nursing, you must complete the below 11 core subjects, and one elective subject.

Core Subjects

• Contemporary Mental Health
• Mental Health Across the Lifespan
• Mental Health in Community, Non-government and Primary Health Settings
• Acute Mental Health
• Leading Evidence-based Practice in Health
• Physical Healthcare in Mental Health
• Supporting Behaviour Change in Mental Health Contexts
• Building a Professional Portfolio
• Applied Leadership in Mental Health Clinical Practice
• Developing Skills in Contemporary Psychotherapies
• Critical Review in Health.

Award requirements

To receive the Master of Mental Health Nursing, 12 subjects (144 credit points) must be complete, which include:

• all 11 core subjects, and
• 1 elective subject.

Choose your subjects

Electives

Electives (choose one)

• Envisioning Health Systems, Policies and Practices
• Contemporary Health Leadership
• Leading Change in Healthcare
• Governance and Accountability in Healthcare
• Social and Emotional Competence in the Workplace
• Effective Teaching and Supervision in Healthcare
• The Positive Leader
• Digital Marketing
• Organisational Change and Development
• Human Resource Management
• Organisational Behaviour
• Project Management Principles
• Business Accounting for Managers
• Management Communication.

Exit points

There are flexible entry and exit points for this degree. The eligibility to exit with the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health is available after completing 48 credit points, which is made up of the first 4 core subjects.

Students may be eligible to exit with the Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing after completing 96 credit points, which includes successful completion of the first 8 core subjects.

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

Indicative total fee $32,544

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.

Southern Cross University believes in the power of change. Their graduates stride the global stage at the frontline of healthcare, transforming education in the classroom, and tackling the world’s wicked problems with scientific and engineering solutions. Students enjoy award winning support, teaching quality, and online delivery. Ranked among the best for many years, they will help you make the change you seek to transform your tomorrow.

Learn more about SCU.

Explore SCU courses.

QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

30

Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:

35

To qualify for entry into the Master of Mental Health Nursing, all applicants must:

• Be a Registered Nurse (Division 1) and have access to mental health nurse practice or to mental health nurse practitioners during their course of study, and;
• Be proficient in English.

We may recognise and grant credit for past education, qualifications and/or work experience in a process called advanced standing. If you're eligible for advanced standing, this can impact the number of units you need to study, reducing the time and cost of your overall degree. 

Studying online requires: 

• A PC or Mac with the latest operating system 
• A fast, reliable internet connection 
• The latest version of Chrome or Firefox 
• The Blackboard app. 

Sometimes, specific software or textbooks are required.