Graduate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing

What you will study

To earn the Graduate Certificate in Critical Care Nursing, you must successfully complete units totalling 100 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 25 credit points. 

Core units

• Advanced Clinical Nursing Science 1
• Advanced Clinical Practice 1
• Advanced Clinical Nursing Science 2
• Advanced Clinical Practice 2

Specialist streams

Specialist streams include: Emergency, Paediatric Emergency*, Intensive Care, High Dependency*, Coronary Care, Paediatric Intensive Care, Neonatal Intensive Care.  
*subject to availability

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, you must meet the following:

• Hold a recognised bachelor’s degree.
• Hold registration as a comprehensive or general nurse in Division One with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
• Have at least 12 months of experience in a specialist area of nursing practice.
• Be concurrently employed in an approved critical care area for a minimum of 18–24 hours per week.
• Submit all required supporting documents.

Supporting documents

Applicants must provide:

• Evidence of current professional registration.
• A current résumé or CV.
• A letter of support from their employer.

The employer support letter should confirm that the applicant is employed in an appropriate clinical setting and can undertake the required workplace-based learning and assessment.

Workplace and clinical requirements

• Students must remain employed in an approved critical care setting.
• Employment must normally involve at least 18–24 hours per week.
• Clinical practice units are completed through an industry partnership model.
• Clinical competence is assessed in the workplace.
• Employer support is required as part of the application.

English-language requirements

Applicants must demonstrate English proficiency equivalent to:

• IELTS Academic overall band score of 6.5, with a minimum score of 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• An alternative English-language test or eligible qualification accepted by Curtin, provided you meet the required equivalent scores and conditions.

Contact the university or visit its website for more information.

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

Learning outcomes

• Analyse critically, and evaluate advanced concepts of specialty nursing practice; integrate expert knowledge and integrated understanding to demonstrate competency at a level in accordance with specialty competency standards
• Critically analyse, reflect on and synthesise the environmental, physical and psychosocial aspects of the individual for effective clinical decision making; recognise own abilities and level of professional competence
• Investigate, analyse and synthesise complex evidence and scientific literature to inform decision making in specialty practice
• Integrate advanced communication skills within a legal and ethical framework related to complex clinical issues in area of specialty; interpret and transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences
• Effectively anticipate, plan for and use complex technology applications relevant to specialty practice
• Integrate autonomous, expert judgement, adaptability and responsibility as a lifelong learner in specialty practice; participate in research and critically appraise research findings and incorporate evidence based knowledge into clinical practice
• Critically appraise, evaluate and incorporate national and global health issues and strategic health care directions into specialty nursing practice
• Incorporate culturally aware and respectful specialty care to multicultural groups and indigenous communities
• Incorporate advanced theoretical and specialist knowledge and judgment, including advanced leadership and autonomy into specialty practice; work professionally in specialty practice demonstrating expert judgement, leadership and independence as a nurse in area of specialty; act as an experienced positive role model to peers and other members of the healthcare team

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $2,400 (Commonwealth Supported Place).

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $14,665 (Full-fee paying place)

Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• The number of units studied.
• 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'll only need to pay a portion 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 the course you're enrolled in.
• Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
• Reviewed and adjusted each year.

Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.

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.