Graduate Certificate of Mental Health Nursing

What you will study

A candidate must complete units totalling 40 credit points as detailed below. Unless otherwise indicated, all units are valued at 10 credit points.

• The Therapeutic Relationship
• Mental Health Across the Lifespan
• Mental Health Care for Substance Use Disorder
• Understanding and Managing Behaviour

Entry requirements

Admission criteria

Applicants for this course must meet both of the following qualifications:

• Successful completion of a recognised Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent international qualification; and
• Applicants must also hold current registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) as a Division 1 registered nurse.

English language requirements

DOMESTIC STUDENTS

To enter Charles Darwin University, all Higher Education applicants must satisfy the University's English Language Proficiency Requirements for their chosen course of study. From 2025, all applicants will be required to supply evidence of this at the time of application.

The minimum English language requirement for this course can be met by evidence of one of the following:

Year 12

• Successful completion of Year 12 within Australia or an equivalent qualification from an approved country where English is the official language (refer to our approved standard and extended lists included below).

0.5 FTE Higher Education Study

• I'd appreciate it if you could complete at least 0.5 full-time higher education studies from Australia or an approved country where English is the official language (refer to our approved standard and extended lists included below). If studies were completed from a country on the extended list, they must have been completed within the past five (5) years.

CDU Enabling Course

• Successful completion of a Charles Darwin University enabling program of at least 0.5 FTE (40 credit points).

TAFE Qualification

• Successfully completing a recognised TAFE qualification at a Certificate III level or higher from Australia.

AHPRA Registration

• Current AHPRA registration as a Division 1 or Division 2 nurse. Registration must be current at the time of course commencement.

English Test

• Completion of an approved English test within two years of commencement, meeting the minimum scores outlined in the table below.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help reduce the number of units you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Career outcomes

This degree will lead to career opportunities in public and private health care, hospitals, forensic and community settings. Completing postgraduate education is a necessity for a wide range of career advances, such as management, leadership, education roles or academic or research positions.  

Fees and CSP

Estimated total fee in 2025: $4,627 (Commonwealth Supported Places)

Estimated total fee in 2025: $13,684 (domestic full-fee paying place)

Student fees may vary per:

• The number of units studied per term.
• The choice of major or specialisation.
• Choice of units.
• 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.

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.