University of Notre Dame Australia
Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 6 months
Develop clinical confidence in decision-making and enhance clinical skills and knowledge in the registered nurse from advanced beginner to proficient practitioner.
Course overview
The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing at The University of Notre Dame Australia is designed for newly qualified nurses in their first year of practice and can be completed in one year of part-time study. You undertake a mixture of practical and online study while employed in a clinical setting. Upon graduation, you can also choose to continue your studies with a Graduate Diploma or Master of Nursing. To apply, you will need to be a current employee at a health institution.
The program is only available to students who have a nursing degree, are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia and have a graduate employee contract with the partnering health providers. Upon completion, you will have the skills and knowledge to apply your expertise in the clinical area.
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
From $592 (CSP)
What you will study
The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing comprises four courses (100 units). Unless otherwise indicated, each course is valued at 25 units of credit.
Compulsory courses
Complete the following two courses for 100 units of credit:
- Transition to Clinical Practice 1 (50 units of credit)
- Transition to Clinical Practice 2 (50 units of credit)
Entry requirements
- Current license to practice as a registered nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia or provisional registration, whichever is applicable at the time of commencement.
- Nursing or other appropriate degree or the equivalent.
- Candidates must be employed in a graduate position with a participating health service provider and have their hospital's support to undertake the program.
Outcomes
Career outcomes
The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing will allow qualified nurses to become clinical leaders in their chosen fields. Careers include nurse educators, nurse managers, nurse practitioners, nurse researchers or research managers.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing, graduates will be able to:
- Integrate comprehensive knowledge and skills required of the Registered Nurse to plan and provide increasingly complex assessments, diagnoses, interventions and evaluations for patients from diverse cultural and social backgrounds.
- Critique models and theories of nursing practice and apply them to the current healthcare context.
- Communicate effectively and negotiate confidently.
- Employ clinical reasoning and decision-making strategies that enhance organisational capability and responsiveness.
- Collaborate with a range of healthcare professionals to provide excellent patient care and achieve common goals.
- Model professional behaviours to colleagues and students that provide clients with culturally appropriate and social care within a medico-legal framework.
- Cultivate productive working relationships by guiding, mentoring and developing nursing students and colleagues.
- Establish a mechanism for lifelong learning by reflecting on practice to apply and build professional expertise.
- Conduct research, retrieval and enquiry to debate contemporary clinical nursing challenges on the global stage, incorporating philosophical, technical and social justice perspectives.
Fees and CSP
Estimated total fee in 2026: $2,368 (Commonwealth Supported Place)
Estimated total fee in 2026: $12,900 (domestic full-fee paying place)
All costs are calculated using current rates and are based on a study load of 100 units of credit (normally four courses) per semester or year.
Student fees may vary in accordance with:
- The number of courses studied per term.
- The choice of major or specialisation.
- Choice of courses.
- Credit from previous study or work experience.
- Eligibility for government-funded loans.
You may also need to pay the student services and amenities fee.
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'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 the course you're enrolled in.
- Dependent on the study areas they relate to.
- Reviewed and adjusted each year.
Student fees shown are subject to change. Contact the university directly to confirm.
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 program.
