Australian College of Nursing
Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
Develop your knowledge, skills and attitudes as nurses to lead and manage human resources, financial accountability and quality processes.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management is designed for registered nurses and midwives aspiring to management positions and those already holding such positions who wish to enhance their professional practice through formal study.
This course is an investment in your future. It will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure better outcomes for your patients and progress your career. This will lead to opportunities in healthcare management and higher nursing positions. The course is for nurses and written by nurses.
Through exploring and integrating theoretical knowledge and concepts, nurses are prepared for their role as leaders and managers within the contemporary healthcare landscape. The subjects encourage students to draw upon their experiences, providing opportunities to reflect on and critique their knowledge and abilities in light of current literature, research and best practice guidelines.
Key facts
What you will study
To complete the Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management, a student must fulfil four units of study.
Core units
- Introduction to Leadership and Management
- Human Resource Management
- Financial Management
- Quality
Entry requirements
Admission to a graduate certificate course is based on academic merit and selection. In addition, applicants must satisfy any prerequisites or additional requirements specified for particular courses, including ACN’s general eligibility criteria.
All applicants seeking admission are required to:
- Hold a Bachelor of Nursing or registered nurse equivalent qualification.
- Hold current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) or the equivalent registering authority in your country of origin.
- Meet the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia English language skills registration standard (nursing and midwifery) - please refer to the AHPRA website to download the standard.
- Have a minimum of one year of postgraduate experience.
- Be currently employed in the clinical area of specialisation.
For some GC units of study, individual consideration may be given to applicants who are not registered nurses.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
At successful completion of the course, students should be able to:
- Critically analyse leadership theories and styles.
- Reflect on management, motivation and workplace culture required for effective leadership.
- Examine current evidence-based practice that contributes to effective leadership and management.
- Appraise the process and applications of business planning to identify factors associated with funding and financial decision-making.
- Analyse communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills required for effective leadership and management.
- Evaluate quality improvement systems and their impact on healthcare.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Estimated total 2025 member price (10% discount): $9,612 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Estimated total 2025 non-member price: $10,680 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Being a part of the ACN community allows nurses to be the best they can be and strengthens the voice of nursing through various invaluable benefits, including 10% off graduate certificates.
Estimated fees are based on four units of study.
A student’s annual fee may vary per:
- The number of units studied.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.
