Australian Catholic University
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
Gain knowledge and skills across various mental health settings, including acute care, community mental health and psychosocial rehabilitation and recovery services.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing addresses current mental health perspectives and practices and comprehensively understands illness and wellness. The inclusion of diversity and lifetime perspectives will ensure that you are practice-ready. In the Graduate Certificate, you will undertake units in recovery-oriented mental health, holistic individual-centred mental health practice, health promotion, social inclusion and a unit to develop an in-depth understanding of practitioners of their practice.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
From $578 (CSP)
What you will study
To qualify for the degree of Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing, a student must complete 40 credit points, consisting of:
- Holistic Individual-Centred Mental Health Nursing Practice (10 credit points)
- Recovery Oriented Mental Health Nursing (10 credit points)
- Health Promotion and Social Inclusion in Mental Health Nursing (10 credit points)
- Reflective Practice and Clinical Supervision in Mental Health Nursing (10 credit points)
Entry requirements
To be eligible for admission to the course, an applicant must have:
- Completed a Bachelor of Nursing degree.
- 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.
English language requirements
Applicants require an academic IELTS minimum overall score of 6.5 (with a minimum score of 6.0 in all bands) or an equivalent acceptable test score as outlined in the Admission to Coursework Programs Policy (see English Language Proficiency).
Outcomes
Career outcomes
Examples of potential employment settings include:
- Public and private health care organisations.
- Child and adolescent, adult and older person mental health services.
- Acute, community, rehabilitation and long-term care-focused settings.
- Local, state and commonwealth government policy.
- Consumer and carer groups.
- Mental health-based research.
Examples of potential employment roles include:
- Clinician
- Case Manager/Worker
- Team Leader
- Service Manager
- Triage manager
- Psychiatric Consultation and Liaison Nurse
- Nurse Practitioner
Fees and CSP
Average first-year fee in 2025: $2,312 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
Average first-year fee in 2025: $11,800 (domestic full-fee paying place)
Fees are calculated based on a full-time study load of 40 credit points.
A student’s annual fee may vary per:
- The number of units studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of units.
- Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
Commonwealth Supported Places
The Australian Government allocates a certain number of CSPs to the universities each year, which are then distributed to students based on merit.
If you're a Commonwealth Supported Student (CSS), you only need to pay some of your tuition fees. This is known as the student contribution amount – the balance once the government subsidy is applied. This means your costs are much lower.
Limited CSP spaces are offered to students enrolled in selected postgraduate courses.
Your student contribution amount is:
- Calculated per unit you're enrolled in.
- Depending on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
HECS-HELP loans are available to CSP students to pay the student contribution amount.
FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.
