Master of Mental Health

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

1. Effectively respond to challenges across a diverse range of mental health fields.
2. Offer well-informed mental health clinical interventions through mastery of theoretical and practical skills in the field of mental health. 
3. Apply expert clinical judgement and decision-making in mental health care settings.  
4. Advocate for mental health consumers, reducing stigma and promoting social inclusion and independence. 
5. Adapt to increasingly complex environments and work collaboratively across teams demonstrating expert leadership and management skills. 
6. Develop an evidence-based approach to effectively translate and apply theories and concepts that strengthen practice by ensuring informed decision making.

Our students work in a variety of mental health roles across Australia in both public and private healthcare. The study builds your capabilities to provide appropriate mental health care and will set you up to work in a range of community and healthcare settings. Below are some of the mental health roles our mental health master's students work in. 

• Social Worker
• Child Protection Officer
• Counsellor
• Government Assessor
• Occupational Therapist
• Case Manager
• Art Therapist

Higher education

To qualify for entry into the Mental Health Masters program, all applicants must:

• Have successfully completed a minimum three-year Bachelor qualification, or equivalent, in a health, psychology or social science-related discipline, and;
• Be proficient in English.

Special requirements

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. 

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. 

There is a growing need in our Australian healthcare system for highly skilled professionals who understand the complexities of mental health and can offer well-informed mental health clinical interventions. Southern Cross University’s online Master of Mental Health postgraduate course will enhance your understanding of mental health and psychology while building the skills needed to effectively respond to patients experiencing mild, moderate and severe mental health challenges.

This program is designed to prepare graduates for work within a range of health settings and disciplines. You will gain practical skills and specialised theoretical knowledge to extend or enhance your role in mental health.

Recommended Study Pattern

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 qualify for a Master of Mental Health online, you must complete 12 subjects (144 credit points), comprising:

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

Exit Points

You may be eligible to exit with the Graduate Diploma of Mental Health after completing 96 credit points, comprising 8 core subjects.

To exit with the Graduate Certificate in Mental Health, students must have successfully completed 48 credit points, comprising the first 4 core subjects.

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