Federation University of Australia
Graduate Diploma of Health (Child and Family Health Nursing)
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
Enhance your expertise in community child and family health nursing by critically analyzing and applying primary healthcare principles.
Course overview
This course prepares individuals who are both registered nurses and midwives to practice as Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nurses in community-based settings with advanced nursing skills to work in partnership with families from birth to school age.
Coursework from the Graduate Diploma of Health (Child and Family Health Nursing) is delivered throughout the course, focusing on theoretical and professional practice skills. You will undertake at least 300 hours in community-based professional practice placements as part of the course. Many local government areas across Victoria support your learning, including speciality placements such as early parenting and childcare centres.
To secure placement for the course duration, applicants need to submit an expression of interest (EOI) to a local government council via the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) website.
This course is open to students who have successfully graduated from a Bachelor of Nursing and Graduate Diploma of Midwifery or Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery. It is also available as a Master's option.
The Child and Family Health (CFH) nursing scholarships are designed to attract high-quality nurse-midwives to increase the capacity of Victoria’s already world-class Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nursing workforce. The Department of Health (DH) supports this scholarship as an initiative of the Victorian Government’s Early Childhood Reform Plan.
The MCH Nursing scholarship provides funding of up to $2,800 for full-time and part-time students. The number and value of scholarships offered will be determined based on the number of eligible applicants who have accepted either a full-fee paying or a commonwealth-supported place (CSP) in a Graduate Diploma or Master of Health (Child and Family Health) course. Priority scholarships of up to $5,500 are also available for eligible students. To qualify for this scholarship, you must: be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or a permanent humanitarian visa holder and have accepted a place as a new student at Federation University.
Current registration as a Midwife and a Registered Nurse (Division 1) with a minimum of 12 months experience in general nursing and midwifery without restrictions with AHPRA are set qualification requirements for eligibility into the Graduate Diploma or Master of Health (Child and Family Health) course. Students previously receiving a CFH Nursing Scholarship from the Department of Education and Training (DET) or the Department of Health (DH) will be ineligible for scholarship funding.
CSP Subsidised Fees Available
This program has a limited quota of Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP). The indicative CSP price is calculated based on first year fees for EFT. The actual fee may vary if there are choices in electives or majors.
Key facts
What you will study
Students must complete the following units totaling to 120 credit points.
Year 1
Semester 1
- Child and Family Health Assessment 1
- Family and Community Studies
- Applied Research for Child and Family Health
- Perinatal and Infant Mental Health 2
Semester 2
- Child and Family Health Assessment 2
- Infant and Child Nutrition
- Electives
Entry requirements
Entry requirements (non-year 12)
Applicants for this stream of the course must be:
- An Australian Registered Nurse.
- A Registered Midwife.
- Demonstrate recent work experience defined as having worked in nursing or midwifery for at least one year as a Nurse and Midwife in the past five years.
To demonstrate work experience, you should provide a CV/Resume listing previous positions and education, a maximum of 2 pages.
Students who have completed a Graduate Diploma of Midwifery may be eligible for advanced standing depending on equivalency.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Your previous studies might count towards this course (which means you could finish sooner). Use our credit search to find out if that’s the case.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
Completing the Graduate Diploma of Health will enhance your professional standing and provide you with advanced skills and knowledge for application as a leader in the nursing practice and knowledge community.
- Child and family health nurse
Fees and CSP
Indicative full-time fee in 2025: $4,627 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and averages based on a typical course load for the first year of this course. Your actual cost may vary depending on the specific units you choose to enrol in.
You will also need to pay the student services and amenities fee. Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
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.
Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)
The Australian Government allocates a certain number of Commonwealth Supported Places to 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 unit you're enrolled in.
- Depending 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.
