Edith Cowan University
Master of Clinical Nursing (Mental Health)
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 24 months
Enhance your expertise in mental health care to lead and deliver compassionate, patient-centred support in diverse clinical settings.
Course overview
The Master of Clinical Nursing coursework encourages innovative evidence-based practice that will ultimately lead to improved nursing practice. It allows nurse clinicians to enhance their individual specialty knowledge and competence whilst working in their selected area of specialisation. Theoretical and practical knowledge will be augmented by a substantial clinical project to enable the development of advanced critical thinking and project writing skills. The program encourages innovative evidence-based practice that will ultimately lead to improved nursing practice.
The Mental Health specialisation enables registered nurses employed in a mental health care setting to complete a qualification to master's level within their chosen discipline. Nurses working in an area of mental health are encouraged to enrol in this program where all aspects of mental health nursing will be covered. The choice of a core option unit allows students to develop knowledge and skills in a range of specialised mental health care contexts.
Key facts
What you will study
The course has nine units of study. Each unit is valued at 20 credit points.
Specialisation core units
- Contemporary Issues in Mental Health
- Assessment in Mental Health
- Evaluating Practice in Health
- Evidence-based Practice and Research Design
- Literature Review
- Clinical Leadership and Management
- Nursing Research Project
Electives
Select one unit from the following:
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health
- Community Mental Health
- Forensic Mental Health
- Drug Use and Addictive Behaviours
Choose one elective from 6000 level elective units.
Entry requirements
- Bachelor's degree.
- Equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience.
English language requirements
English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:
- IELTS Academic with a minimum overall score of 7.0 and a minimum score of 7.0 in each of the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
- Occupational English Test (OET) with a minimum score of B in the four components (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
- Pearson English Test (PTE) Academic with a minimum overall score of 65 and a minimum score of 65 in each of the four communicative skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking).
- TOEFL iBT with a minimum total score of 94 and the following minimum score in each section of the test:
- 24 for listening
- 24 for reading,
- 27 for writing
- 23 for speaking
- Bachelor's degree from an approved country.
- Completed 0.375 EFTSL of postgraduate study at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent) OR, where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience.
Note: English tests must be completed within 2 years of the proposed course commencement date and additional requirements may apply regarding the acceptable number of test sittings.
Course-specific entry requirement
All applicants must be employed for at least 18 hours per week in an emergency nursing setting.
Recognition of Prior Learning
You can get credit for your course based on prior formal, non-formal, or informal learning. You'll need to provide supporting documentation outlined by the university to apply. Please get in touch with the university for more information.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
Possible future job titles:
- Clinical Nurse
- Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Clinical Nurse Consultant
Learning outcomes
- Reflect critically on a complex body of advanced nursing knowledge, research principles and methods to demonstrate mastery of advanced nursing practice.
- Apply cognitive and creative analytical skills to investigate, evaluate and synthesise complex ideas, concepts and theories in authentic advanced nursing situations.
- Apply and model communication and collaboration skills to analyse and design innovative contributions to professional practice.
- Use high-level self-management skills to initiate, plan and execute a substantial research-based project.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Estimated first-year indicative fee in 2025: $13,300 (domestic full-fee paying place)
The estimated first-year indicative fee is provided as a guide only. It is based on a typical enrolment of students undertaking the first year of this course.
A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:
- 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.
