Master of Clinical Nursing

What you will study

Students complete the prescribed units within their chosen specialisation. Where suitable, students can negotiate other specialty fields with the Course Coordinator.

Specialisations you can study in this course

• Advanced Nursing
• Critical Care Nursing - Intensive Care
• Emergency Nursing

Entry requirements

Academic Admission Requirements (Band 6).

The following course-specific admission requirements are mandatory and must be satisfied by all applicants. These requirements are in addition to or supersede the minimum requirements outlined within the Academic Admission Requirements band section below.

All applicants are required to provide proof of current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and submit a copy of their contract as proof they are working a minimum of 18 hours a week in their chosen specialty area. For applicants undertaking the Mental Health and Children and Young People Nursing streams, that is all that is required.

For applicants in all other streams, the following requirements must be met. Applicants must provide a letter of support from their employer and the details of a Clinical Facilitator.

Special entry may be considered for Registered Nurses with hospital-based diploma working in the specialty area, please refer to the specialisation stream for further information.

Applicants who are packaged with an English preparation course must be re-tested against an approved English test before admission.

One or more of the specialisations in this course have admission requirements. Refer to the specialisation for more information.

Academic admission requirements (Band 6) may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

• Bachelor degree.
• Equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience.

Requirements from 01-JUL-2025:

All applicants are required to provide proof of current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, submit a copy of their contract as proof they are working a minimum 18 hours a week in their chosen speciallty area and provide a letter of support from their employer and details of a Clinical Facilitator.

Special entry may be considered for Registered Nurses with hospital-based diploma working in the specialty area, please refer to the specialisation stream for further information.

Applicants who are packaged with an English preparation course must be re-tested against an approved English test before admission.

English Language Requirements (Band 4)

English competency requirements may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

• IELTS Academic Overall band minimum score of 6.5 (no individual band less than 6.0).
• Bachelor's degree from a country specified on the English Proficiency Bands page.
• Successfully completed 0.375 EFTSL of study at postgraduate level or higher at an Australian higher education provider (or equivalent).
• Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience.
• Other tests, courses or programs are defined on the English Proficiency Bands page.

Recognition of Prior Learning

You can get credit for your course based on prior formal, non-formal or informal learning. To apply, you must provide supporting documentation outlined by the university. Please reach out to the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

• Reflect critically on a complex body of nursing knowledge, research principles and methods to demonstrate mastery of clinical nursing in a chosen specialisation.
• Apply cognitive and creative analytical skills to investigate, evaluate and synthesise complex ideas, concepts and theories in authentic clinical nursing care situations relating to a chosen specialisation.
• 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.

Career outcomes

• Clinical Nurse
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Clinical Nurse Consultant

Fees and FEE-HELP

Estimated first-year indicative fee (2025): $13,300 (domestic full-fee paying place)

The estimated first-year indicative fee is provided as a guide only, based on a typical enrolment of students undertaking the first year of this course. At ECU, you pay for the individual units you enrol in, not an overall course fee.

A student’s annual fee may vary in accordance with:

• 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.

FEE-HELP loans are available to assist eligible full-fee-paying domestic students with the cost of a university course.