University of Notre Dame Australia
Graduate Diploma of Nursing
- Delivery: Online
- Study Level: Postgraduate
- Duration: 12 months
Strengthen your nursing expertise through flexible online study, exploring governance, leadership, evidence-based practice, education and professional development while continuing to work in clinical practice.
Course overview
The Graduate Diploma of Nursing from The University of Notre Dame Australia is designed for registered nurses seeking to broaden their knowledge across contemporary nursing practice while continuing to work. Delivered online over one year full-time (or the equivalent part-time), the program offers flexible postgraduate study with limited weekly contact to support working professionals.
Throughout the program, you will explore clinical governance, management, professional role development, evidence-based practice and ethical issues in professional life, alongside elective study in areas such as mental health, education, acute care, research and professional development. The curriculum combines core and elective study, enabling you to build knowledge across areas aligned with your professional interests while strengthening your understanding of contemporary nursing practice.
Key facts
12th July, 2027
What you will study
To earn the Graduate Diploma of Nursing, you must successfully complete units totalling 200 credit points, as detailed below. Unless otherwise noted, each course is worth 25 credit points.
- Clinical Governance
- Professional Role Development
- Management
- Evidence-Based Practice
- Ethical Issues in Professional Life
Entry requirements
Academic requirements
To be eligible for admission to the program, an applicant must hold the following:
- 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 with an appropriate degree or its equivalent.
- Minimum of one year relevant post-registration nursing experience.
Recognition of Prior Learning
You may be eligible for recognition of prior learning if you have previously studied or have relevant work experience. This will help to reduce the number of units that you need to study to finish your course. Contact the university for more information.
Outcomes
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Nursing, graduates will be able to:
- Synthesise advanced theoretical knowledge and skills required of the Registered Nurse to undertake increasingly complex nursing activities.
- Critique the effectiveness of national and international nursing practice and policy models to improve patient outcomes in the hospital and community continually.
- Employ critical thinking and clinical reasoning to solve ethical and legal dilemmas in the culturally and socially diverse healthcare environment.
- Communicate and negotiate with influence to achieve optimum patient care outcomes.
- Collaborate with various professionals to achieve common goals and the best possible healthcare outcomes for individuals and communities.
- Reflect on practice to facilitate awareness and knowledge of one’s cognition and abilities, establishing a mechanism for lifelong learning.
- Actively contribute to the professional development of a range of healthcare team members.
- Conduct national and international research, retrieval and enquiry to inform contemporary nursing practice.
Career outcomes
A Graduate Diploma of Nursing will allow you to advance your nursing career into a leadership role.
Fees and FEE-HELP
Indicative annual fee in 2026: $25,800 (Full-fee paying place)
Indicative annual fees are based on your first year of study.
A student’s annual fee may vary by:
- The number of units studied.
- 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 program.
