Griffith University
Master of Mental Health Practice
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 18 months
Gain specialised knowledge and skills to effectively work with individuals with mental illness, along with their caregivers and family members.
Course overview
In this degree, focused on a rapidly evolving healthcare area, you will acquire specialised knowledge and understanding of how to work effectively with people with a mental illness, their carers and family members. As well as accessing highly relevant courses based on the latest evidence-based research and collaboration with consumers, carers and mental health professionals, you can choose to undertake a 200-hour placement in a mental health service.
In a flexible online learning environment, you will study alongside fellow students from diverse professional backgrounds, each bringing valuable perspectives. Our recovery-based courses are designed for workers in various settings where mental health knowledge is essential. These include nursing, occupational therapy, psychology and social work, in roles as community support workers, peer support workers, consumer and carer consultants, rehabilitation workers, disability workers, housing officers, police liaison officers and people working in other mental health support roles.
It is anticipated that successful graduates of the Master of Mental Health Practice will enhance their opportunities for advancement in the mental health area. For some practitioners, this program may also be used towards accreditation as a mental health worker. Please check with your registration body for program eligibility.
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
13th July, 2026
2nd November, 2026
What you will study
To be eligible for the Master of Mental Health Practice award, a student must acquire 120 credit points. Unless otherwise indicated, each course is valued at 10 credit points.
Core units
- Contemporary Suicide Prevention Practice 1
- Mental Health and Co-occurring Conditions
- Interdisciplinary Professional Ethics
- Professional Practice
- Foundations of Research Inquiry
- Applied Counselling
- Independent Practice Project
- Trauma Integrated Practice with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- Consumer, Carer and Community Engagement in Mental Health
- Contemporary Mental Health Practice
Prior Learning
40 credit points for approved recognised prior study and/or work experience.
Entry requirements
To be eligible for admission to the Master of Mental Health Practice, you must have one of the following:
Pathway 1 - 1 year program (80 credit points - related Bachelor and relevant experience or related Graduate Certificate:
- A recognised Bachelor's degree (or higher) in a related discipline with a minimum grade point average of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale and a minimum of 2 years full-time (or equivalent) relevant professional experience.
- A Griffith Graduate Certificate in Case Management and Mental Health (or equivalent) with a minimum grade point average of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale.
Pathway 2 - 1.5 year program (120 credit points) - related Bachelor:
A recognised Bachelor's degree (or higher) in a related discipline with a minimum grade point average of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale.
Pathway 3 - 1.5 year program (120 credit points) - any Bachelor's:
- A recognised Bachelor's degree (or higher) in any discipline with a minimum grade point average of 4.0 using a 7.0 scale.
Related disciplines include health/allied health disciplines such as nursing, social work, psychology, occupational therapy, pharmacy, speech pathology, medicine, dentistry or other human services fields.
Relevant professional experience includes mental health, disability, rehabilitation and related human services settings.
A higher qualification refers to a qualification at a higher level than a Bachelor's degree, which includes any of the following: a Bachelor's Honours Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Master's Degree, MPhil or PhD.
Recognition of Prior Learning
Griffith University grants credit and recognition of prior learning, which may relate to prior formal or informal and non-formal learning.
- Credit transfer
Griffith's innovative Credit Precedent Database allows you to find out what credit decisions have been made in the past. These precedents will give you an idea of what you can expect.
- View credit precedents for this program.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
You may find opportunities in various community mental health settings in Australia and overseas. Your knowledge and skills will be transferable to work in other human service and allied health contexts, as mental health issues impact people with a broad range of services.
Fees and CSP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $16,400 (Commonwealth supported place).
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of eight credit points (normally 80 units) per year.
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 certain numbers 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.
