Master of Mental Health Nursing

What you will study

To graduate, you must complete 144 credit points or 12 courses. Each course is valued at 12 credit points.

Entry requirements

You need to satisfy all of the following entry requirements to be considered for entry into this degree.

You must have:

• An Australian bachelor's degree in Nursing, or equivalent; OR
• An Australian bachelor's degree in Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing, or equivalent; AND
• Current registration or be eligible for registration as a Registered Nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia; AND
• Eight hundred forty hours of supervised clinical practice already completed in the field of mental health nursing, OR you are completing this as part of a graduate year program in mental health nursing, or supervised practice during the candidature.

English language requirements

You must meet the university's minimum English language requirements to be eligible for a place in this program. Contact the university or visit their website for more information.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Graduates of RMIT's Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Nursing are eligible to seek 96 points of credit transfer towards the Master of Mental Health Nursing.

Applicants who have completed an equivalent postgraduate certificate or postgraduate diploma (which must include a Research Methods component) in mental health nursing at another university can claim a maximum of 72 points credit (50%) towards the Master of Mental Health Nursing degree at RMIT.

You can also apply for credit if you have completed a recognised psychiatric graduate nurse program (that was at least 12 months long) and/or are a nurse with advanced standing and experience in mental health.

Contact the university for more information.

Outcomes

Learning outcomes

As a graduate of the Master of Mental Health Nursing, you will acknowledge diversity in culture, values and belief systems, ensuring your practice is non-discriminatory and promotes dignity and self-determination. You will establish collaborative partnerships that empower people with mental health issues to participate in all aspects of their care and develop relationships that respect individual choices, experiences and circumstances, building on strengths, holding hope and enhancing resilience to promote recovery.

In your professional practice, you will collaboratively plan and provide ethically based care that addresses the mental, physical, spiritual, emotional, social and cultural needs of the individual. You will value the contributions of other agencies and stakeholders in delivering holistic, evidence-based care and actively pursue opportunities to reduce stigma and promote social inclusion and community participation for all people with mental health issues.

You will promote innovation through research, clinical supervision and reflective, evidence-based practice. Your practice will align with common law requirements, relevant statues and the nursing profession’s code of conduct and ethics. As a mental health nurse, you will integrate international, national, local and state policies and guidelines with professional standards and competencies. You will hold specialist qualifications, demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills and model leadership within the practice setting.

Career outcomes

Graduates will be able to seek to extend their careers in mental health nursing in a wide range of hospital and community settings across metropolitan and rural areas.

Graduates of this degree should be well prepared to conduct shift leadership and care coordination roles and mentor staff in a mental health setting.

Fees and CSP

Indicative fee in 2026: From $4,738 up to $17,399 (Commonwealth Supported Place)

Indicative annual fee in 2026: $28,800 (domestic full-fee paying place)

Additional expenses:

• Student services and amenities fee (SSAF): $373 maximum fee for 2026.
• Other items related to your program include field trips, textbooks and equipment.

The amounts quoted are indicative fees per annum and are based on a standard year of full-time study (96 credit points). A proportionate fee applies for more or less than the full-time study load. Fees are adjusted on an annual basis. These fees should only be used as a guide.

A student’s fee may vary depending on:

• 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.

Student fees shown are subject to change. 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'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.
• 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 program.