Graduate Certificate of Advanced Nursing

What you will study

To earn the Graduate Certificate of Advanced Nursing, you must successfully complete units totalling 4 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 1 credit point.

Core units

• Patient Safety and Risk Management

Electives

Complete 2 credit points from the following course electives:

• Pathophysiology of Diabetes
• Management of Diabetes
• Contemporary Approaches to Diabetes Education
• Diabetes in Social and Psychological Contexts
• Ethical Dimensions in Nursing
• Leadership and Management in Nursing
• Advanced Health Assessment and Diagnostic Reasoning
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' Histories, Cultures and Health
• Biopsychosocialspiritual Mental Health Nursing Assessment
• Person-Centred Approaches to Engagement in Mental Health Nursing
• Facilitating Clinical Learning
• Healthcare in Low Resource/Complex Environments
• Healthcare Management of Vulnerable Populations
• Quality and Safety in Medication Management
• Therapeutic Medication Management
• Recognising and Understanding Mental Illness
• Therapeutic Interventions in Mental Health Nursing
• The Physical Health Needs of Persons with Mental Illness
• Sustaining the Mental Health Nursing Workforce
• Australian Aboriginal Holistic Health and Healing

Elective availability may vary. Visit Deakin University’s website for the complete course elective list and current availability.

Open electives

Complete 1 credit point from postgraduate level 7 electives available across Deakin University. Alternatively, eligible students may combine two approved 0.5-credit-point Deakin stackable short courses.

Entry requirements

Academic requirements

To be eligible for this course, applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements:

• Hold current registration as a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, with no conditions or restrictions.
• Hold registration as a registered nurse in the country of practice or equivalent and have successfully completed a Bachelor of Nursing or equivalent qualification.

Selection also considers academic merit, work experience, likelihood of success, availability of places, participation and regulatory requirements and individual circumstances. Meeting the minimum academic and English language requirements does not guarantee admission.

English language requirements

Applicants must provide evidence of at least one of the following:

• A bachelor’s degree completed in a recognised English-speaking country.
• An IELTS overall score of 6.5, with no individual band score below 6.0, or an accepted equivalent.
• Other accepted evidence of English language proficiency.

Contact the university for further information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You may be able to get credit for your course based on prior formal, non-formal or informal learning. To apply, you will need to provide supporting documentation outlined by the university. Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

• Demonstrate advanced nursing practice commensurate with nursing theoretical knowledge, evidence-based and person-centred care.
• Demonstrate advanced communication skills to ensure the delivery of quality, safe nursing care.
• Evaluate information using digital technologies to effectively disseminate relevant healthcare information to individuals, groups and/or the multidisciplinary team.
• Identify and evaluate complex data from multiple sources to inform evidence-based decision making.
• Apply advanced nursing knowledge and skills to routine and complex problems to optimise health outcomes.
• Demonstrate professionalism, accountability, reflection and personal autonomy.
• Establish and maintain inclusive, collaborative professional relationships.
• Display accountability for, and sound professional judgement in behaviours that uphold ethical principles of practice within diverse social, cultural and environmental contexts.

Career outcomes

Depending on the units you have completed, your expertise will allow you to pursue a range of roles, including:

• Clinical nurse educator
• Associate or unit manager
• Research roles

Fees and CSP

Indicative annual fee in 2027: $2,454 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Indicative annual fee in 2027: $14,700 (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.