Master of Nursing (Nurse Practitioner)

What you will study

The course has nine units of study. Each unit is valued at 20 credit points.

Year 1 - Semester 1

• Cultural Studies
• Clinical Pharmacology
• Holistic Health Assessment

Year 1 - Semester 2

• Evidence-based Practice and Research Design
• Nurse Practitioner Professional Practice 1
• Clinical Pharmacology 2

Year 2 - Semester 1

• Nurse Practitioner Professional Practice 2
• Transition to Nurse Practitioner Practice
• Nursing Research Project

Entry requirements

Academic Admission Requirements (Band 8)

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 have current registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) have a Bachelor of Nursing, with equivalents considered and have a postgraduate qualification in their specialty area (postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma (AQF Level 8) or a higher qualification) and have five years full-time post-registration experience, of which two years must be in the chosen specialty area working at an Advanced Practice level. Evidence of this will be provided in a Curriculum Vitae, along with proof of the professional associations' membership and ongoing contribution to the profession.

Applicants are also required to work at least 20 hours per week in their specialty area, provide a letter of support from their employer and provide a letter of agreement from their nominated professional mentor and clinical mentor. The Professional Mentor must be an endorsed Nurse Practitioner for at least three years, and the Clinical Mentor should either be an endorsed Nurse Practitioner for at least three years or a Registered Medical Officer with at least three years experience in a specialty area at the registrar level or higher.

Academic admission requirements (Band 8) may be satisfied through completion of one of the following:

• Bachelor's degree in a cognate discipline.
• Where accepted, equivalent prior learning, including at least five years of relevant professional experience.

English Language Requirements (Band 5)

In addition to satisfying ECU's minimum English standard requirements for this course, all applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency as specified in the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) English language skills registration standard. (https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Registration-Standards/English-language-skills)

These requirements are as follows:

• IELTS Academic with a minimum overall score of 7.0, a minimum score of 7.0 in listening, reading and speaking and a minimum score of 6.5 in the writing component. This includes IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR).

Note: Test results must be from one test sitting or two test sittings in a 12-month period. When using two test sittings, no score in any component of the test(s) for either test sitting can be below 6.5.

• Occupational English Test (OET) with a minimum score of B in each of the three components of listening, reading and speaking and a minimum score of C+ in the writing component from any profession-specific OET.

Note: Test results must be from one test sitting or two test sittings in a 12-month period. When using two test sittings, no score in any component of the test(s) for either test sitting can be below C+,

• Pearson English Test (PTE) Academic with a minimum overall score of 66 and a minimum score of 66 in each of the three communicative skills of listening, reading and speaking and a minimum score of 56 in the communicative skill of writing.

Note: Test results must be from one test sitting or two test sittings in a 12-month period. When using two test sittings, no score in any component of the test(s) for either test sitting can be below 56.

• TOEFL ibt.
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency.

Please refer to the School of Nursing and Midwifery Band 5 English Proficiency Band requirements for details of the required individual test scores and test validity periods at https://www.ecu.edu.au/future-students/course-entry/english-proficiency-bands.

Alternatively, if English is your primary language and you have completed your education in English in a recognised country, this may be accepted. Please refer to the School of Nursing and Midwifery Band 5 English Proficiency Band requirements for details of the approved combined prior education pathways and recognised countries at https://www.ecu.edu.au/future-students/course-entry/english-proficiency-bands.

ECU’s minimum English standard requirements for this course may be satisfied with one of the following:

• Bachelor's degree from an approved country.
• 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.

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

• Apply specialist nursing knowledge and model communication and collaboration skills to analyse and design innovative contributions to professional practice.
• Apply cognitive, technical and creative knowledge and skills to investigate, evaluate and synthesise complex ideas, concepts and theories in authentic nurse practitioner situations.
• Reflect critically on a complex body of specialist nursing knowledge, research principles and methods to demonstrate mastery of nurse practitioner practice, including holistic health assessment, diagnostics and pharmacology.
• Use specialist knowledge, self-management and high-level skills to initiate, plan and execute a substantial research-based project.

Career outcomes

As a graduate, you’ll have the skills, knowledge and attributes to function confidently in a specialist nurse practitioner role. You can expect employment in most hospital departments, doctors’ offices, community health centres in rural Australia, health clinics and specialised practices, such as cardiology, mental health or paediatrics.

Fees and CSP

Indicative first-year tuition fee in 2025: $4,650 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

A student’s annual fee may vary by:

• 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. Could you 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. The student contribution amount is 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.
• Dependent 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.